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Homecoming Memory

by Emily Cavanaugh, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, Age 14

Wow, this scene sure does look familiar. I…I don’t know what it is…something about the atmosphere…Oh! That summer! The summer of ’42…How could I ever forget that summer I spent in Alabama. Ever been there? It’s a beautiful place. Anyway, that was the summer before we shipped out. It was just the four of us, all summer. Mike, Sean, Billy, and me… Man, we were good buddies, never had any as good as them. Well, we had just found out we were goin’ to Germany. We sure were excited. I mean…off to war, fight for your country…it was a big honor. Anyway, we decided to celebrate!
The four of us took a road trip back to our hometown of Collinsville, Alabama. The weather was amazing! The sun shone so brightly you could see it bouncin’ off old man Jacobson’s bald head! Ahhh…it was so great bein’ home.
When the four of us drove into town everyone went wild! Old friends were running up to the car and pattin’ us on the backs…what a welcome! Within the first few hours, everyone had heard that we were back in town. That’s the advantage of growin’ up in a small town, everyone knows you. Well, that can also be a drawback… There was one group of not so friendly faces. Four or five guys that I had never gotten along with growing up. Two of them were the Heflin twins. Their father used to be real close with my old man, until the uhh…falling out.
So, me an’ the boys were down at Milly’s soda shop, drinkin' some Root Beer and sharing some fries, when in comes the Heflin gang with their sharp leather jackets and their mean piercing eyes. Me and Joe Heflin locked eyes the minute he walked in. God, he was the worst. We hated each other, always had. Just flat out hate. So, they swaggered on over to us and started talkin’ about some football game that had the town all riled up. Joe started sneakily talkin’ ‘bout last years homecoming game, but Mike stood up before he got very far. Mike always stood up for me…’cuz…you know…I was kind of a quiet kid compared to most. I pretty much kept to myself. Anyway, Mike told Joe we’d be at the game and the Heflin’s left, with smirks spreadin’ across their faces.
When me and Sean got to the game that night, we went to hang out by the old bleachers to wait for Mike and Billy. The old bleachers used to be our hangout. The Heflins mostly stayed by the old coke machines. But tonight they were by the bleachers, already starting trouble. They were pickin’ on Billy’s little brother Alex.
Me and Sean were on them quicker than you can say “shoot”. So, there we were, rollin’ on the ground like a pack of wild dogs when Mike shows up with Billy at his heels. Billy took one look at his little innocent brother, lyin’ on the ground cryin’ his eyes out, before he pulled out his switchblade and ran at one of the Heflins. Thank God Mike grabbed him in time and gave him one of the famous “Mike looks” that always calmed him down. But, God, Billy had a temper. So, we all just stood there- well Sean and Denny Heflin were on the ground- but we just looked at each other, wondering who would make the next move when, out of nowhere, Andy McFallon, one of Billy’s best friends from the football team, came running up to him, overjoyed. He obviously wasn’t aware of the serious mood ‘cuz he just tackled Billy to the ground, bringin’ Mike down with them. Billy swore at him, but he was him. But, oh God…when they got up…we..we.noticed that…Mike wasn’t getting up with them. Billy…st-still had the knife in his hand when…when he fell. There was blood everywhere…I’ve never seen anything like it. And Mike…my best buddy Mike…was lyin there…his eyes open in shock. God…I’ll never forget the look in his eyes… I’m sorry…so sorry…I sometimes let my emotions get the better of me…It’s stupid really, for a man of my age to be cryin’ in a public place such as this. Well, um…lets move on sh-shall we….what do you think about…about this picture?