4,017 Days

Michael Carry has been in prison for 11 years for murdering his little sister. Michael loved his little sister, cared for her, and nurtured her. Why did he kill her?

“4,017 days”, I said to myself as I scratched a tally on my steel wall. I had been locked up for 11 years. My name is Michael Carry, and I am 23 years old. I was locked up when I was 12 years old, for murdering my little sister while I was alone with her one night. Her name was Isabella Grace Carry, she was 4 years old. Isabella and I were really close, she looked up to me. I was always so protective of her, she was my little baby sister, my little Bella-rina, as I used to call her. We used to sit and play with blocks and see who could build the best castle. I always let her win because she was little, and I never wanted her to give up on success. Isabella was so smart for her age, because I taught her. I taught her the alphabet, how to count to 50, and even how to put on her own clothes. Our parents were never around, we were always on our own. My mom was an alcoholic and was always passed out on the couch. My father had passed away when I was 9 in a car crash on his way to pick me up from the hospital. I had an allergic reaction at school, and it was so serious, the school called an ambulance. My dad had been driving over the speed limit, and ran a red light. The car coming from the left of him, couldn't stop in time. My dad was put on life support for 3 days, and then the doctors said that there was nothing else they could do. When my dad passed away, my mom was torn apart. My mother had always blamed me for his death, and always told me how I was a mistake. She lost her job, and started depending on alcohol. My mom often “went out”, and sometimes didn't come home for days. I picked up a job, even though I was underage, at a restaurant called “Bob’s Hut”. I was a busboy, and worked my a*s off. They payed me in cash, and I chose when I worked. I always made sure I was home for my little sister. A lot of times there was no food at home, I would use my work money to buy my little sister food so she was never hungry. However, there had been times I wouldn’t be able to eat for time periods of 3 or 4 days. We lost our house shortly after my mother stopped working. I found an apartment not too far away, and had my mom rent it. I gave my mother money every month so we could have a roof over our heads. I stopped going to school so I could take care of my sister. I will never forget the look on my mother’s face when we were in the courtroom and the Judge sentenced me to 35 years with no parole. The thing is, I never murdered my sister. However, nobody ever believed me, because evidence pointed to me. Police never found her body, but assumed it was me because I was alone with her, and they found my hair fragments on her bed. I told them that I often slept in her bed with her when she was scared, but they wanted to close the case, and didn’t listen to anything I tried to say.

“Carry!” a prison guard said sternly from outside my prison cell. I got off my cold, hard mattress and trudged to the prison guard. “You have a letter.” the prison guard said, as he handed me a small envelope. I haven’t been visited or received any letters since I was only 13 years old. My mother couldn’t look at me anymore and ceased the idea of visiting me. The only family I had was my mother, hence, I had no other visitors from then on. I gazed at the prison guard very bewildered, “Are you sure this is for me?” I stuttered. “Yes, now take it or you won’t have it!” the prison guard yelled. I carefully took the envelope from the prison guard’s hand, and walked back over to my mattress. I noticed that the envelope had not already been opened. This was very unusual because the prison guards check every letter, and read them. I ripped apart the envelope and withdrew the letter. I unraveled it, and began to read. “Mike, this is going to sound insane, I know. This is your father, writing to you. I know you didn't murder Isabella, because I am the one who framed you. I couldn't be with your mother anymore. Although she is an unfit mother, if we divorced, I would never get custody over her. I meant to frame your mother for the death of Isabella, but somehow, you were accused instead. Anyways, I took Isabella and made it look as if she was murdered, just as I faked my death. I was going to come back for you, but it was already too late. I'm writing to you now, because I ultimately have found a way to get you out of federal prison, and take you with me and Isabella to Alaska. I have a house, and a job, I can take care of you both, and we can live great lives. I will visit you tomorrow, you will call me by the name George, I am a friend. Flush this letter down the toilet, do not show it to anyone. Love, your father.”

I felt as though my heart had stopped beating. I read the letter many times in hope that it wasn’t true. I ran to the toilet, and flushed the paper down. I watched as the toilet swallowed the letter. I walked back to my mattress and laid down pondering the idea, and how I had served 11 years, 4,017 days, all because of my father. My little Bella-rina was still alive, waiting for me. I had to turn him in, but I couldn’t do it right then, I would lose Isabella. I decided I would let him get me out of prison, and then I would turn him in.

The next morning, the same prison guard returned to my cell. “Carry, you have a visitor.” the prison guard said. I stood up from my mattress and stumbled over to the prison guard. He unlocked my cell door and handcuffed my hands behind my back. The prison guard began walking me to the visitors center. My thoughts ran wild, I didn’t even remember what my father looked like. When we reached the visitors center, there was my father, sitting in a chair, waiting. I knew it was my father because it was like looking at an older version of me. I was trembling as I walked over to him. “Hello Mike.” he said. “Hi.” I replied. “You are coming with me today. You will be free in 8 hours. I have been planning this for quite some time. I'm sorry that I didn’t contact you sooner.” he said with a smile. “How?” I said puzzled. “Don’t ask, just do what you’re told and everything will work out.” he said sternly.

The prison guard took me away back to my prison cell. Before I knew it, 8 hours had passed and a new prison guard approached my prison cell. This prison guard was female. “Carry, you are being released.” she said. I stood up and walked over to my prison door, and the prison guard unlocked it. This time, there were no handcuffs. The prison guard led me to the doors to the lobby of the prison, and handed me clothes. “There is a bathroom on the right where you will change, return your prison clothes to the appropriate basket and go through these doors to the lobby.” she said in a quiet voice. I did what I was told and went to the lobby. My father walked over to me and hugged me. “I already did the paperwork, were all set to go.” he said. We walked outside the prison door, and the smell of fresh air filled my lungs. My father showed me the way to the car, and I sat in the passenger seat.

It was long ride of silence, when we arrived, my father looked at me with a smile. “Right in there, we’re hiding.” he said. Right in front of the car was a large, secluded building. The building has vines across it, and there was no sign of life. I stepped out of the car, and walked at a slow pace toward the door, my father was right behind me. I took a deep breath and pushed open the old looking, large door. I shrieked as I saw my little Bella-rina with her throat slit on the floor. I ran over to her lifeless body and dropped to the ground. I picked her up and held her in my arms, as gallons of tears streamed down my face. I could hear my father walking toward me. I turned my weak body to look at him, blood in my hands. “Stupid boy,” my father said, as he raised a shovel. He swung, and everything went black.

Author's Note

Please tell me what you think! This was a short story I wrote for my creative writing class! (-:

Reviews

[Drew Patterson]

Really well written. Did not see the twist coming at all. Enjoyed this a lot.