The Murder Pal

"Eve Spencer, I just got into an accident. I hit someone, and I think he's your son!"

The day after getting her driver's license, my best friend, Esther Lawson, insisted on driving alone to pick up her son from kindergarten.

I warned her that the road was full of heavy trucks and told her to practice a few more days.

She rolled her eyes. "Don't worry. I'm a great driver!"

She floored the gas pedal and sped off.

Not long after, she called me. She was crying so hard she could barely breathe.

She said she hit a child at the kindergarten. The boy's face was covered in blood, and he looked like my son.

I froze. My son had a fever today. He didn't even go to kindergarten.

So who had she hit?

There was a buzzing sound in my mind. I spoke without even realizing it.

"W-What did you just say?" I asked.

"I drove in to pick up my son, but I hit the gas instead of the brake and ran over a little boy. His face was covered in blood. He was wearing that blue hoodie just like the one your son always wears–"

I was about to explain when Esther Lawson cut me off.

"Eve Spencer, just get over here now! I swear I didn't mean to do it!"

She hung up right away after saying that.

I didn't have time to think. I grabbed my coat and ran out.

By the time I arrived at the kindergarten, my mind was still spinning.

A crowd had gathered in the yard. A white car was parked diagonally on the playground. A child was lying in front of it.

His body looked small curled up. The blue hoodie he had on was soaked through with blood.

Esther crouched nearby while she cried. The moment she saw me, she ran over and tried to hug me.

"Eve! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! I'm not a good driver–"

Looking at the horrid scene, I felt furious.

"Didn't I remind you that the road condition wasn't good today? You insisted on driving. Now this happened. What's the point of saying all this?"

Esther covered her face and cried even harder.

I ignored her and walked toward the child.

He was lying on his side with his face down. I couldn't see his facial features clearly, but that blue hoodie really did look exactly like my son's.

I crouched down and was about to turn him over, but the moment my fingers touched his shoulder, he suddenly moved.

"Mmph. It hurts!"

The groan was very soft. It almost sounded like a kitten's cry.

He was alive.

My heart jolted. I snapped my head up. "He's alive! Call emergency services right now!"

Esther froze for a second. Her expression went blank.

"He's alive?"

"Yes! Hurry and call emergency services!" I fumbled for my phone, but Esther didn't move.

She stood still. Her facial expression changed again. Suddenly, she stepped forward and grabbed my hand.

"Eve, don't act rashly.

"He's badly injured. There's probably internal bleeding. If you move him, he might die even faster."

She lowered her voice and spoke very quickly. "Look at him. This is probably just an involuntary reaction from his body. He's not going to make it. Let's not waste medical resources."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"What did you just say?"

"I'm speaking the truth!"

Her grip tightened around my wrist. "If you call emergency services and he dies in the hospital, we'll have to pay a massive medical bill! And once this gets out, my driving license will definitely be revoked. I'll never be able to drive again!"

I stared at her like I was seeing her for the first time.

"That's someone's life we're talking about! You hit him!"

"I know! But didn't I tell you? I didn't mean to do it!"

She raised her voice too. "Eve, we've been best friends for years. Can't you think about me for once?"

"You've lost your mind!"

I shrugged her off and dialed emergency services.

"Hello, emergency services? This is–"

Before I could say anything else, someone snatched my phone away.

Esther hung up and clutched it tightly.

"Are you crazy, Eve? I told you he won't make it! Are you trying to ruin my life?"

I was trembling with rage.

Just as I was about to fight her for the phone, I heard hurried footsteps from behind.

"What's going on? What happened?"

I turned around and saw the principal, David Brown, running over with several teachers.