Remains by Janae Jones ft Keyanna E.
Hello there. My name is Lea and I’m 26 living alone in rowdy Chicago. You may be wondering why I am alone. Well, other than my siblings being grown and having their own lives to live, my parents were killed in a shooting incident. Ten years before today to be exact. It was a pretty vivid night. Around 53 degrees, it was lightly raining outside. I lay on my warm and cozy bed while reading a book. My parents were downstairs enjoying a movie after we had just - not too long ago finished eating dinner together. I went from hearing raindrops faintly hit my window to suddenly hearing ruckus occurring downstairs as I listened to the loud sounds that were coming through the thin walls. I heard my father panting to the shooter. “We don’t have anything, we don’t have anything.” Then, suddenly, one blaring gunshot is let out. I was horrified. As I’m still being attentive I can make out the sound of my mother bawling her eyes out for about 45 seconds. A second gunshot is let out. The amplification of the bullets made my stomach turn. Moments after, it was silent. The silence was so crisp I could hear my own heartbeat. But - fast forward - I waited until I knew for sure the killer of my parents was gone before going downstairs and seeing the brutal scene. I urgently called the police and minutes later I witnessed both my parents’ lifeless bodies being taken away from me on stretchers. Present day For work I am a mortician. I decided to take on this job because I want to help families with the healing process after losing someone. I do this by ensuring that their loved ones are in good hands and all their legal requirements and wishes will be considered. It’s 10:27 am and I’m waiting for my best friend Marie to arrive at this breakfast diner we’ve been wanting to try for a while now. Me and Marie met as seniors in high school and we’ve been inseparable ever since. There isn’t a day when you see her and not me and vice versa. Marie is never on time and so I got us a table. A waiter arrives shortly and brings along two menus, a refreshing tall glass of water with a lemon afloat, 295
