Free Fire Girl Part 1 by Alivia Anderson

and—” He looked back at Trina and his lips
curved distastefully. “What do they call you? Goof? Goop?”
    “Goth.” Trina cocked her head to the side and
saddled him with a dangerous smile. “Oh, Officer Justice, right,
like you’re some kind of bizarre-oh-world super hero?”
    Officer Justice stuck his chest out and
scowled. “Watch yourself, Ms. Boyce, insulting an officer of the
law is a crime in this town, even if your dad thinks he’s a hot
shot attorney up north.”
    “Whatever.”
    His eyes clouded. He turned to me. “Please
get back to your duty, Ms. Haven. You’ve strayed from your assigned
spot.”
    “Mrs. Haven!”
    I turned toward the school.
    Principle Schmidt puffed down the steps.
    Grandma dashed for the station wagon.
    Grandma—running—in her newly done town
hair?
    I took off toward her.
    “Now, wait just a minute, young lady!”
Officer Justice called out.
    Grandma peeled out of the parking lot.
    Principle Schmidt turned red cheeks to me.
“Maddie, quick, your Grandpa’s had a heart attack!”
    ***
    I rushed through the hospital doors.
    Officer Justice clutched my bicep. “Getting
there any faster won’t make things different.” But he walked fast
too.
    The hospital smelled—hospitally. I covered my
nose. Ugly beige furniture. Everything grossly sterile and old
1960s kind of hospital looking.
    I couldn’t explain the fear that gripped the
outer reaches of my heart. Just because I wanted to leave Sugar
Valley, just because I wanted to leave my grandparents, just
because I hated my life, didn’t mean I ever, ever, ever wanted
Grandpa or Grandma or Uncle Bill or Chance to die.
    Officer Justice stopped next to the nurses’
station.
    “Let me go!”
    He examined my eyes. “You may think people in
this town don’t know how dangerous you are, but I do.”
    “Let go!” I struggled away from him. My mind
flashed back to that night, the blue curtains, Carrie’s hands
pushing me into the car.
    “Can I help you?” A nurse stepped to the
counter.
    “Where’s my grandpa?” I stepped away from
Officer Justice.
    She paused and looked between us.
    This hospital wasn’t big. She had to know who
I was talking about. “Where?”
    She pointed to the end of the hall. “The last
room on your right.”
    I took off at a sprint.
    “Madds!”
    Chance.
    I turned back. He wore his football gear and
jogged toward me. “Is he okay?”
    “I don’t know. This way.”
    Chance followed.
    I moved into the room. Uncle Bill stood from
a couch next to the bed. “Hey.”
    Grandma stood next to the bed, her hand
pressed over Grandpa’s chest, her head bowed.
    A swell of emotion swept through my chest. I
choked as tears filled my eyes. He could NOT be dying.
    Chance went to Grandma. “Is he okay?”
    Grandma covered her face and released a
sob.
    I went to her other side.
    Grandpa opened his eyes. “I ain’t dead
yet.”
    Chance jumped. “Grandpa!”
    My chest eased.
    Grandma laughed and mopped her face.
“Frank.”
    Grandpa looked at Grandma. “You aren’t lucky
enough to get rid of me yet.”
    Grandma gently kissed his cheek.
    He closed his eyes.
    “What happened?” I blurted it out.
    Grandma turned and took my hand. “I don’t
know a lot of details.”
    Uncle Bill stepped forward. “They’re still
not sure. He’s had a mild heart attack. We’re waiting to hear what
caused it.”
    Chance laid accusing eyes on me. “Stress can
cause it.”
    All my emotion turned to lead weights. He’d
read the letter.
    “I’m fine.” Grandpa’s voice came out soft.
“The good Lord has his own time table. He still wants me around for
a while.”
    Chance gave me the same look he’d given Jimmy
Henry the summer before sixth grade, when Jimmy had tripped me
while we were at the canal swimming. The look that told me he
wanted to put me to the ground. “Maybe somebody shouldn’t be
burning stuff down.”
    Uncle Bill looked between us and frowned.
“None of that.”
    I looked away. More guilt.
    “Good