Pine Creek River
I woke up from my deep sleep as the sun started to peak above the horizon. Today I awoke earlier than usual, and decided to lay in bed for a little while longer. I grabbed my phone, and began to scroll through my messages and play a few games of Temple Run. When I looked at the clock and saw that it was well past eight, I decided that I would get motivated for the day. Considering that I have done absolutely nothing for the past few weeks, I use the word “motivated” very lightly. I went to brush my teeth and wash my face when I heard my phone ringing on my bed. As quickly as I could without falling, which happened to me quite often, I jumped on my bed and answered my phone.
“Good morning, Sunshine,” my best friend John said. I never understood how he could be so hyper so early.
“Good morning, Johnny Appleseed,” I said, and he laughed at his usual nickname. Our conversation was fairly generic until we both started making plans for the day.
“We should do something fun today” he said smiling through the phone, as he always did. I began to think of all that we could do in our little town. Nothing came to mind.
“I guess we could go to the park or something” I sighed, but he wouldn’t hear any of it.
“No, something really fun that we haven’t done recently. I have to go get a shower. Come over in about an hour and think of something extra fun to do,” and with that he hung up the phone leaving me confused, but very excited.
John lived down the street, so I would walk to his house in a little bit. I felt my stomach growling at me, telling me that I needed to eat something. I went downstairs, but stopped past my mom’s bedroom, and of course she wasn’t home.
Two years ago, when my father was diagnosed with cancer, my mother and I did everything we could to help him, but the money wasn’t there. We couldn’t afford the expensive treatments that he had to go through, and a few months later he passed away. My mother hasn’t been the same ever since, and has now resorted to drinking. As I walked downstairs, I called her phone, worried about where she could be, and to no surprise, received her voicemail.
“Hi Mom, it’s me Ali. Can you call me back when you get this? I’m worried about you. I love you,” and with that I clicked the end button on my phone.
I grabbed an apple from the bowl, and was about to go upstairs and shower, until I saw her stumbling through the door. I ran over to her to see that she looked heavily sick and intoxicated. I took her purse and my apple and set them down on the coffee table. I helped her walk upstairs, gave her some Advil, and tucked her in bed.
“Mom, I’m going to John’s house for a little bit. I will be right down the street and will have my phone if you need to reach me.” I went to give her hug, and could smell the alcohol that seeped through her clothing.
Her eyes began to flutter shut, but I am positive that I heard a faint whisper escape her lips saying,“I’m sorry.”
I walked away from her, and shut the bedroom door, wiping away the tear that was beginning to fall from my eye. I looked at the clock. I only had a half hour to get to John’s house, so I quickly got dressed. I was looking for a pony tail holder, when a piece of paper caught my eye. It looked like it was going to fall from my shelf, and was very crinkled.
Going over to it, I picked up the paper and looked at it. Drawn in crayon, I saw a picture of John, his older sister, and me swinging on a rope over a river named Pine Creek. I always thought it was ironic for a river to have the name creek in it, but I quickly brushed that thought aside. I hadn’t been to that river in such a long time. Many of the kids in the neighborhood went to this river to jump off the old rope that hung from one of the tree branches. The idea was that you would swing from the old rope, and let go which dropped you into the water. I had always been to afraid to jump in the water, so I would usually watch.
I then decided that I hadn’t had fun in a very long time and that finally facing my fear was what I wanted to do today. I grabbed the paper, my phone, and the apple that was on the table, and started running to John’s house. I got there in a matter of minutes and found him sitting on his front step.
“It’s about time you showed up,” he yelled at me, as I walked up his driveway. Panting, I handed him the paper, and he gave me a puzzled look. “What is this,” he asked, as he unfolded the paper. A look of realization came across his face, and he lit up. We both started walking to the river, which was only five minutes from his house. When we arrived there, I looked at him and immediately regretted my decision. I was afraid of the water and always have been, but something was telling me that I needed to do this. I looked over at John who had a reassuring look on his face.
“You can go first,” I stated, but we both knew it was more of a command than an offer. He grabbed onto the rope, ran back, and swung himself over the river. When he reached the middle of it, he let go and all I could hear was the splash of the river. He was underwater for five seconds, and then came up for air.
“Come on! Just jump in already! If anything happens, you know that I will be here for you,” John screamed at me from the water. It was then I realized that you have to live in the moment, and in that moment I didn’t care about anything else. I was finally stress free, and was not worrying about anything. I grabbed the rope, began to walk backwards, and ran to the water. I got to where John was in the water and let go. I had never felt more peaceful in my life. When I came up for air, I saw my best friend staring at me, smiling. We stayed in the water. I can’t say how long we were in there for, but it was heavenly. We talked about everything from our graduation plans to what we would do if zombies took over the world.
When we got out of the water, I felt so comfortable. Maybe it was the person who I was with, or maybe it was because this place had that effect on people. It was then that I thought about taking my mom with me to this river. Maybe watching the sunset from this beautiful river would get rid of some stress, and give me a chance to talk to her about her drinking problems. I needed to do this for her, and I needed to get her help.
“John, I have to get home! But I will see you tomorrow!” He waved to me, as I began to run away from the river. It took me ten minutes to run home, and I ran smack into my front door. Laughing to myself, I ran all the way upstairs, and burst through the doors of my mom’s bedroom.
She wasn’t where I had left her, so I assumed she was in her bathroom. I tried to open the door, but saw that it was locked. I knocked and pounded on the door, but there was no answer. I grabbed the legs of the chair at my mom’s vanity, and threw it at the door. I made a large enough hole in it to reach through it and turn the knob. The door creaked open, and I saw my mom sitting in the shower, with her head down. “Mom,” I called to her, but there was no answer. As I neared the glass shower doors, I could see empty, orange, medication bottles and piece of paper. Opening the doors and kneeling on the floor, I picked up the paper and read over it.

My Dearest Alison,
When your father passed away, my entire world shattered. I continually blame myself for his death day after day. Everytime I look at you, I see him. I see it in your eyes, your charisma, your smile; I’ve tried fighting the pain away with alcohol, but nothing helps me. I hate the person I have become, and I hate the worried girl that you have become because of me. I’ve failed you as a mother, and that is the worst feeling that I have ever had. I’m broken, and words cannot describe how grateful I am to you for trying to fix me, but too many pieces are gone. I am writing this so you can remember me in a good way, and not as the disappointment that must come to your mind when you think of me now. I hope one day you will understand why I needed to leave you and everything else. I love you more than anything in this world, and I know that you will become a beautiful and intelligent woman. Goodbye Alison.
Love,
Mom

I read the letter over, and over again. Remembering what my teacher taught us in health class, I tried to check her pulse, but with my entire body shaking, I wasn’t able to tell anything. Hysterically crying, I grabbed my phone, and called the police.
“911, what’s your emergency,” the operator asked.
“I...I think my mom has tried to kill herself,’ I cried into the phone.
“Check the patient's pulse by putting two fingers on her wrist. Is she breathing?”
“I can’t tell. I think so, but I am not sure.”
“Okay, please stay calm, and we will send help right away,” she said in a reassuring tone.
I hung up the phone, and sat with my mom telling myself that everything was going to be alright. I heard the sound of the ambulance turning the corner onto my street about 15 minutes later. Opening the door for the paramedics, I stepped aside, and watched them run upstairs. They brought my mother downstairs, and put her in the back of the ambulance.
“Your mother is being brought to Mercy hospital now. Would you like ride in the ambulance with her?” the paramedic inquired, but I wanted to be alone right now.
“No thank you. I can drive there on my own.” He nodded his head, began to walk to the ambulance, and then I heard it driving off.
I was shocked, scared, and didn’t know what to do with myself. I desperately needed to get away from everything. So I ran. Where I was running to was still a mystery to me, but I needed to run. Maybe if I went far enough, I could run away from my problems. That was my wishful thinking, although I knew that it could never happen. I found myself coming closer to a place that I knew all too well. It was quite weird to think about how my life had drastically changed since I was here a few hours ago. Pine Creek River had never looked so beautiful, as I saw the pale blue water glistening under the moonlight. Slowly trudging through the grass and mud, I made my way over to a very large rock, and sat down on it.
As my silent sobs turned into hysterical cries, I heard my phone ring from my back pocket. Trembling, I took out my phone, and answered it.
“Hello.” I was no louder than a whisper.
“Is this Ms. Alison Coleman, daughter of Margaret Coleman?” the man had asked.
“Y...yes I’m Alison.”
“This is Dr. Nelson Southerlyn. Your mother was rushed into the intensive care unit, and is going to pull through. Please come down to Mercy Hospital as soon as you can.”
“Thank you! Thank you! I’m on my way now!” I screamed with pure happiness.
Running back to the main road, I took one last look at the river, and looked up at the stars above. They had never looked so bright.