Chapter 4

Bella was at the front door, waiting for Jackie to get up. Bella Krin was Jackie's best friend and "soul sister" as they proclaimed themselves. Bella had been going through some difficult times with her boyfriend, so, to comfort her, Jackie invited Bella to her house every morning. The two of them rode their bikes to school together, and Jackie enjoyed Bella's motor mouth to keep her company during the rainy, boring days.

"Hey, Bell," Jackie managed, the fear from the pervious night still lingering in her solemn eyes.

"Yo," Bella grinned.

"Bella, I'm not going to school today,"

"Why?!" Bella demanded.

"I've got this killer headache, and I...um...had a disruptive night."

"Boyfriend troubles? Trust me I know all about---"

"No! I don't even have a boyfriend!!"

"What is it then??"

"I'm not really sure you'll believe me,"

"Hey, Jackie, I'll believe anything you say."

"I don't think the police or even my parents would believe this one."

"What?!" Bella shouted impatiently.

"I had a vision."

There goes our friendship, Jackie thought nervously. She saw Bella's crooked glare bounce off her's, and then, from Bella's pursed lips, came a tiny chuckle. It was so subtle, in fact, that only Bella and Jackie heard it. Then, Jackie's best friend erupted in laughter. She was doubling over, laughter spilling out of her lips, which were now wide open, like a water fountain that disruptively overflowed. She fell to the floor, giggling uncontrollably.

"You-you-you h-had a v-v-vis-s-ion...!!" She could barely talk through her chortling.

"It's serious!" Cried Jackie. "And it's real!"

"What, you envisioned me coming over here this morning...!!" Bella was still shaking from her uncontrolled laughter.

"No!" Jackie felt tears spilling over her eyelids. "A murder..."

The laughing ceased. For a moment the room was eerily quiet until Jackie broke down in innocent sobs. She gripped the chair firmly so that she didn't crumple to the floor and hit her head and become unconscious or something. Bella lovingly wrapped her hands lightly around Jackie's waist and hugged her until her sobbing subsided.

"I'm sorry," Bella whispered, "I didn't realize..."

"It's okay," Jackie managed.

"What was it about?"

"The death of Don Jamesson."

Bella gasped loudly, gripping her friend's shoulder tightly. "Don Jamesson, the Bank Manager?!"

"Yeah. I saw him get killed."

"By who?!" Bella cried. "You could solve the mystery of his death!!"

"A man, a hooded man." Jackie replied calmly. "He was holding a '24 handgun. Dark skin. After stolen money that Don Jamesson was supposedly supposed to get for him."

"That's no help..." Bella said sadly until she cried. "Wait, you said 'Stolen Money'??"

Jackie nodded somberly.

"They found some stolen money in Don Jamesson's locker in Work-Out World." Bella explained excitedly. "They said on the News that they were wondering if the stolen money was connected to Jamesson's death."

"It is!" Jackie practally screamed, jumping from Bella's arms. Then, with a solemn look, she sat back down. "But the police will never believe me. A vision? Stupidity. They'll lock me up in the asylum."

"Isn't that a little drastic?"

"Seriously, a vision, Bella."

Bella smiled encouragingly.

"Yet, I'm the only one whom knew of this, besides the killer, and it kind of feels like a burden, or a curse. The world is depending on ME. If I see someone else getting murdered in China, what am I supposed to do?? Go to China overnight? It would be nice if at least someone else could see these things other than me..." Jackie turned to Bella. "Do you know any Physicks that have visions too?"

Bella shook her head to Jackie's disappointment. "All the physicks that I know that see visions are fictional; either in my stories or on TV."

Bella wrote. She wrote stories, books, poems...You name it, she wrote it. She was Jackie's best-friend-writer.

Jackie hung her head. "Oh well," and started to trudge upstairs.

"Wait!" Bella called. "There’s gonna be a ton of new kids today, and I want you to meet 'em!"

"Wait, new kids?" Jackie was puzzled.

"Yeah! Did you hear about Tableton High got torn down last week? So all the kids that went there are either going to our school or Leaferon High. They spilt them up, so a ton of new kids are gonna be in our classes today. I want to meet them, and I want you to be there!!"

Jackie sighed. "Fine. But after I meet 'em, if my head hurts bad enough, I'm going to the nurse and leaving."

Bella squealed happily. "You're the best friend ever!!"

"Yeah, yeah," Jackie moaned as she went upstairs to get dressed.