I came up with this idea on a whim. I have never done a dramatic story for Life With Derek, or submitted any thing finished for that matter. I hope you like this. If any characters seem OOC, it is just how I imagine they would act in a tragic situation.

And yes, it's a Dasey.

I own nothing but this story.

Enjoy.

When it happens, there is only one word you can count on hearing, everywhere you go.

Tragedy.

The word in itself feels fake. Tragedy. You want to tell them it isn't a tragedy. It's something more heart wrenching, more like a guttural scream. This is your heart on display, dying for everyone to see.

And they're in your face searching for your description, your opinion on this 'tragedy' but, you can't even find a word in existence to help them wrap their minds around what has happened.

'Casey! Casey MacDonald! Ms. MacDonald!'

How do they know my name? It's the only thing I can think of.

What do they want me to say? Do they expect me to say anything? Could I if I tried?

Mom walks me to the car, her winter coat draped over my shoulders. The idea of even walking by myself seems impossible. The reporters attack the car and when the door shuts it hits me like slap to the face.

The silence.

"And you knew the shooter Ms. Macdonald?" Officer Lawson asks me. His face is stern, but the pain and sorrow are clear in his eyes.

"Yes. We were friends, I thought." I can't directly look at him for too long without feeling sick to my stomach. The realization is too much to handle.

"Was the shooter acting at all suspicious in the weeks surrounding this event?"

That sentence made me seethe.

"What event?" I mumbled.

"Pardon?" the officer asked, genuinely confused.

"What 'event'?" I asked him, looking directly in his eyes.

"The shooting." Lawson answered, trying to steady his voice. I know it was hard for him too but, in the moment, I just could not handle it all.

"Oh, so it 's an 'event now?'" I said, my eyes steady and voice filled with heartache. "What, like a bake sale or a cheerleader car wash? I wasn't aware that school events now included a body count officer! Well I'll just go and warn my friends to wear bulletproof vests next time! Except I can't do that for most of them can I sir?"

With every sentence I got more and more angry until I was screaming. I just couldn't take it anymore. I could feel the tears I had been holding in roll hot down my face.

Officer Lawson pushed the tissue box towards me.

"Casey…trust me, I'm hurting too. I can't imagine how hard this must be for you, but we need to get your statement on what occurred yesterday so that we can prevent something like this from ever happening again."

I wiped my eyes. It did no good, the tears always came down.

"Officer, I have no problem complying. But this was not an event, it's a nightmare. If you want me to explain I can't listen to or use these protocol terms."

"Okay, tell us what happened in your words. You talk, we film. If I need clarifying, I will interject with questioning. As a person, not a cop."

I smiled as well as I could manage. Smiles from Casey MacDonald were a rare currency lately.

"I went to school early on Wednesday to put the finishing touches on my History project…"

To be continued...