I still remember the day. I remember that bright sunny day I met Renee. I was only six years old, but I could never forget that day. It was a very special day.
Hi. My name is Katie. I'm 16 years old. I was only 10 when my best friend Renee died. I hadn't realized what was actually going on then, but I know now, and I want to let it all out.
It was a Wednesday, on February 26, 1992. Renee had come to me and told me that she wanted to tell me a secret that I could tell no one or we would be in huge trouble. I just totally ignored her and kept talking about whatever it was I was talking about.
The next day, I went to see if Renee could come outside and play. But when I knocked on her door, no one answered. So I went to my apartment and called. Then her dad, Mac, answered the phone and told me Renee was sick and she couldn't talk on the phone.
On Friday, I was told that Renee was feeling much better and decided to go visit some relatives who lived in the next town over. She wasn't supposed to get home until Sunday.
On Sunday, I waited around all day for Renee to get home. But finally at 9:00, my mother called me inside the house for a bath. Once I had gotten finished, I looked out the window and I saw police cars surrounding the building. So, like every other 10 year old, I wanted to know what was going on. To my surprise, the police were surrounding our apartments! They were knocking on Renee's door. They had asked Mac to open the door, but he wouldn't. He was intoxicated. They started to count down to when they were break in. 1...2... 3. They go in, and find Renee and her mother beaten to death. Mac had shot himself.
It turns out Renee's secret was that Mac was sexually abusing her. And he had threatened that if she told anyone, she and the other person would die. Since I didn't let her tell me, but she told her mom, and look what happened.
Renee is with me at all times, and she always will. I miss her terribly.
Katie Arnold
You can send email to Katie at: [email protected]
mail welcome
anniversary date March 1992
date of post 08-10-97
