I wasn't sure what she meant. I wasn't certain if anyone was. So there was a 'toxic leak in the water mains' throughout Ohio... Surely the governor would send out an emergency water usage warning and we all would get on with our lives... But, we never did....

She sat there, starring at me across the table like I was some kind of criminal. Sammy O 'Neil was her name. The smart, weird, serious, Sammy O'Neil.

"What?" I asked, flipping my pencil in my hand.

"How could you not believe me?" She exclaimed, crossing her arms.

"Believe that there's a leak of toxins in our water? No..."

Sammy began typing on her keyboard as if I wasn't worth looking at. That was just how she operated. If you agreed with her, she'd give you a side smirk and if you didn't, you might as well never speak to her.

"Next time you drink a glass of water, I'll know not to expect you at school...," Sammy spat.

I turned my attention back to my school work and gave her the cold shoulder. This stupid water thing wasn't worth it... I'd known Sammy since the third grade -- which had been nearly seven years. Now she was nothing but an older looking version of what she had always been...

No one ever listened to her theories and ideas, but occasionally I would weigh in on the subject. Then of course I was talking to a brick wall... So I excused her fits and went along with the normal, sane world.

*********************************

Saturday morning I sat down in front of my computer with the oh so usual Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwich and orange juice. My email, Facebook, and Instagram were full of evidence, pictures and facts that the world was suffering under toxic water intake.

'Junk mail.... In the trash....' I thought to myself, dragging the emails from o'neil_sammy3.14@yahoo.com into the trash bin icon.

Was she ever going to let this go??

***********************************

There I was, sitting in the church isle, respectfully bowing my head as I recited all the prayers I knew. After this, we were finally headed to the Waffle House to grab a much needed brunch.

"No. You are not eating that before church,"my mother had told me every Sunday.

"I don't want you getting sticky syrup all over your nice clothes."

I had rolled my eyes and sulked my way back to my room awaiting another grueling hour of starvation until we left. Now, I was past starving and so I sat aside my real prayers for a prayer that I'd make it to brunch without keeling over to die.

When I was finished selfishly praying for my own survival, I looked over to the left. There was no other than Sammy. Wasn't that marvelous?!

After the mass was over, I filed out of the doors sticking close to my parents. I couldn't risk talking to Sammy. I barely had enough brain power to figure out how to walk, let alone understanding what Sammy had to say. As I made my way to the exit, a firm grasp clenched around my wrist.

"You're not going anywhere, Jake."

I spun around weakly, coming face to face with the crazy.

"Why didn't you respond to my emails? Obviously you don't care that the world might fade away into nothing... " She rudely snapped.

"Honestly I don't care... Maybe we'll all go to heaven, and you'll go to wherever aggressive lunatics go."

With this Sammy put her hand behind her back and sophistically stared up at me.

"There's no scientific logic or evidence that proves an alternate universe exists... And when you find out everything I emailed you was true, you'll be the aggressive lunatic...," she barked, pursing her lips.

Then, like nothing ever happened, she turned her back and took a few steps forward. After a minute or so, she turned back to me, a longing look in her eyes.

"You're too narrow minded for heaven."

After that, she gave a small effort smile and went about her way. So, I did the same, hunting down my parents in the parking lot, partly irritated, tired, hungry, and confused.

***********************************

Monday was like a prison sentence. Seven hours with just the possibility of parole. Lectures right and left, forgotten homework assignments, and an already planned detention for Friday. The day finally tossed me a curveball to be lucky enough not to cross paths with Sammy O'Neil.

When I got home, I felt as if I left years ago... And then the normality of it all set back in and I was in a somber mood.

"Jake, mom wants you in the kitchen!" My older sister yelled.

"I'll be there in a second!" I hollered from the couch.

Willow Mae, 17 years old, pretty, funny, annoying, and pushy.

That seems to sum it up. She was popular everywhere she went and she always had some new boyfriend almost every month.

"She wants to talk to you now. You're in some serious hot water," she snickered, walking into the living room.

Her dark hair was pulled into a loose french braid and her ivory skin was complimented with a royal blue tank top. Her freckled face was contorted into a smiling laugh and her long eyelashes curled at the corners.

"What's so funny?" I asked, sitting upright.

"Oh nothing. Just the fact that my little brother is always in trouble and I'm not," she declared, dropping into the love seat couch on the opposite side of the room.

"You know it's not too late to tell mom about that concert you and Ross snuck out to at midnight," I boasted.

"It wasn't Ross, it was Aaron, dumbo," Willow admitted.

A moment of silence passed between us and finally I heard mom's frustrated calls.

"I'm gonna go make some green tea, loser. It's supposed to help you lose weight," Willow Mae said, jumping off the couch.

"Maybe it'll turn you green."

"I already turn green when I look at you," she insisted.

As I made my way to mom down in the basement, I saw her sitting next to the coffee table, sorting through photos to scrapbook.

"I got a call from your teacher today," She informed, without looking at me.

"Detention must be fun isn't it?" Mom questioned.

I sighed deeply like I had been punched in the gut.

"It was an accident. I forgot to bring my homework and he gave me a detention slip. Chill out mom, it's no big deal," I babbled, leaning against the wall.

"It's not okay!" She abruptly echoed.

"I've been trying my hardest to be the perfect mother-alright- and then I find out that you're getting detentions?! Have I taught you this? Huh? Where have you learned to act like this?"

I leaned my head back and tried to ignore the whole subject, but I could feel her staring right at me.

"Go to your room," she demanded quietly.

"Mom, I-"

"Go... To ... Your room!" She growled.

That wasn't exactly a punishment- I spent most of my time there anyways - but I felt the weight of the situation on my shoulders and it wasn't comfortable.

***********************************

Later that evening, mom called for dinner. Instantaneously, I yanked the earbuds out from my ears and zoomed to the table.

"Jake, please get a little more cleaned up for dinner. You look like a mess," she told me, setting down a bowl of mashed potatoes.

Politely, I brushed my light brown emo style hair out of my eyes and threw off the grey beanie I was wearing.

"Thank you."

As we all sat, spooning each dish onto our plates, Willow sat still- dazed and silent.

"Willow? Willow?" Mom nagged, her fork halfway to her mouth.

"Willow Mae!"

Abruptly, Willow turned to look at her, eyes wide and drowsy.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Mom questioned.

"Uhm.... I- ," Willow started.

Then, with one swift move, Willow dropped to the floor. Her hair hung over her left shoulder and her eyes were clamped shut.

"Willow!" Mom screamed.

Mom and I rushed to the other side of the table and kneeled beside her. Fear was killing me. It was killing me with a sharp knife that wouldn't stop stabbing.

"Honey wake up, please. Willow.... Jake call 911," Mom insisted.

I jumped up from the kitchen floor and dashed for the phone on the counter. My fingers were going numb, yet they were cold and sweaty. Feebly, I managed to press the three numbers and wait for the ringing....

***********************************

The paramedics came within five minutes. Luckily, Willow had woken up by then and they suggested it was the honey and sugar she put in her tea that spiked her glucose.

That night mom was on edge. She was stressed, tired, angry, sad... Even my dad's coming home from work didn't make things better.

"Do you have a Tylenol, Ben?" I heard her ask my father in the kitchen.

"There should be some in the bathroom cabinet. What's the matter?" He asked.

Then, as mom began to retell him the eventful day, I made my way to bed.

***********************************

Friday, things were very odd. Nearly a fourth of the class was absent.

Even the students that were there seemed as though their demeanor took a u- turn.

When I got to detention, I could certainly understand their behavior. Dusting, cleaning, organizing, homework... Like chores at school. Luckily, there were about five other kids, so not all of the work was on me.

"Dude, you got anything to eat?" One guy asked me.

He was dressed in a nike hoodie and his hair was jet black.

"Nah, dude. But I am starving," I told him.

Just then a mischievous idea popped in my mind.

"Hey there's a teachers lounge down the hall, we could go use the vending machine," I suggested.

"That's great. I'm Theo by the way," he said.

"Jake."

Then, we were off on a quest to the vending machines.

Sneakily, we made our way out of the detention room to the hallway. It was oddly quiet. Not a single thing was out of place. As we made our way to the lounge, sets of booming footsteps followed.

Theo and I spun around to find about ten football players, sweaty and in uniform coming up the hall. Their arms were covered in red welts, oddly deformed. Theo stood still, starring, so I did the same. They seemed to be looking off into space.

A few seconds passed before they came face to face with us. The football player's lips looked dry and cracked. Their eyes were glossy and their limbs shook.

"H20, to death you'll go..." Number 35 bemoaned.

"Hydrate, you'll be late," Another murmured.

Then, the band of players seemed to march away in syncopation. Theo and I stood there, silent, and barely breathing.

"Sammy...." I mumbled to myself.

***********************************

"What do you mean you don't know?!" I barked at her.

"There isn't exactly a solution, Jake. We can't just break into the water mains- there are many factors that-," I cut her off.

"You don't understand. I don't think my sister had a problem with her sugars, I think it was the water. And those football guys- they were moaning these weird rhymes..." I told her.

"I knew you'd come calling, but never like this... I've never heard of such a thing.. I'm looking it up right now..." She said over the phone.

My heart was beating rapidly and I could barely hear her voice over the phone.

"Jake... The symptoms don't match anything..."

***********************************

Just then, the phone died.

"No!" I hollered in frustration.

A bright light glowed in the corner of my eye. I spun around, finding Willow with a pitcher of water. Her hair was in tangles, and she had scabs on her arms where rashes were. She was paler than normal and skinnier that she had ever been.

"Have a good detention, Jake?" She asked, walking around me in circles.

The outlet the phone was plugged into was now smoking and producing sparks.

"The phone died didn't it? Just like all of us will..," she said.

"What happened to you?" I cried.

"I think you know what happened. It'll just be harder, you know, not drinking it... You'll die slower, harder.. C'mon. Drink it," she said, handing me the pitcher.

It was hard to believe- she looked like she was violently ill. I gazed down into the pitcher. It looked so clear and inviting.

"Look who's home... My little boy. How was -de -detention? You had some fun?" Mom crowed, stumbling in with every move.

"Mom--you too?" I said, my voice cracking.

"There isn't much time... Drink it- Jake...," mom stuttered.

I looked around the house... It was life-- our lives, were in this home, in this place. Outside the window, people were collapsing on the sidewalks, some on the lawns and some in their cars on the road.

I was going to die anyway- it might as well be with my family. I took one last breath and gulped the rest of the pitcher.

"Ahh!" I screamed, sitting up. It was hard to breath for a few seconds. I looked over on my nightstand to see the clock at 12:08 am. But, as I glimpsed at the time, my eyes laid upon a cold glass of water. Fear ran down my spine, and I knocked the glass to the ground.

THE END

Grey brings the rain,

Maintaining the tide,

Grey is the road,

For which you ride.

Grey is the static,

An unclear view,

Hazy and blurry,

You thought you knew.

Grey is the dust,

Upon the book,

Old and untouched,

Time to take a look.

Gray may be ugly,

Odd and dull,

But give it a chance,

It may be everything you saw.

Igniting the fire,

Feeding the flame,

Tough as a tire,

Who can you blame?

Pinpointing all the guilt,

Shielding your growing pride.

Watching the flowers wilt,

It's on you they didn't survive.

All you know is accusing,

Yet you've never confessed.

The game is now losing,

And it's because of what you messed.

Now you must own your mistakes,

Stop framing all the rest,

Because the guiltless are the fakes,

And you can be the best.

Under the moon,

Yet over the stars,

Wearing maroon,

Hiding his scars.

With his hand,

He held mine,

Above the land,

Bound in twine.

A twilight kiss,

Upon my face,

With such bliss,

Caring embrace.

Is it called love,

What I feel?

Like a matching glove,

I was head over heel,

But then one night,

I broke his shield,

And there was light,

His scars were healed.

Life, a road with no limit of speed,

Chapters and lessons, we don't have the time to read.

Life has regrets, second chances we need,

Life, the experience that begins with a seed.

Some die in pity,

Some die in shame,

Most artist die, then get their fame.

Life is a journey with the occasional flaw,

But you, my dear, are the biggest miracle I ever saw.

Through fun, worry, sadness, and glee,

I hope you can learn a lesson from me,

Appreciate what you give and get,

Nothing my dear, in stone is set.