I was born on October 13, and that just happened to be a Friday… bad luck day to be exact. Tomorrow is my birthday and it'll be Friday again. I think I'm going to have a party.

~oct. 12, 1999

I closed my journal and hid it under my bed just like always. It was late, 11:58 pm to be exact. I only had to wait two more minutes. The sky outside was pitch black with not even a single star shining. I looked at the clock, 11:59 pm. I was supper excited and I was nearly ready run around screaming. Only another second, I thought to myself. It became 12:00 am on the morning of October 13. I grinned, at last I was 16. My happy thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of my door… well a sound from outside my door. It sounded like a cat scratching at a wooden post, but I figured it was just my mom telling me to go to bed.

"Okay mom," I told her through the door. "Night." Another scratch, and then nothing. I yawned and stumbled over to my bed as the sleep loss finally caught up with me. I dozed off as soon as hit the bed.

Something is wrong… really wrong. As I left my room this morning I found blood on the floor. My mother left me a note on the fridge saying she had gone to the store, and not to worry because she had stepped on something sharp, but she was fine. THAT WAS NOT MY MOTHERS HANDWRITING. I don't know maybe I'm going crazy all I know is that something doesn't seem right.

~Oct. 13, 1999

I put the journal away… I hadn't even mentioned that all my friends weren't at school either. I knew I was being scared for no reason. Everything was probably fine. Suddenly a knock came from my door causing me to jump. I slowly walked over and opened the door… there was no one there, only a note.

Go down stairs for your birthday surprise ~mom.

I realized then that my mom and friends had purposely been avoiding me… they had been getting a surprise party ready. I skipped to the basement happily, as all the feelings of dread subsided. I opened the door without a second thought… and then I screamed. My mother's body… my boyfriend's body… my friends' bodies… everyone I knew. They were all dead. Some were shredded to pieces while others were hanged from the ceiling. Before I could run… before I could do anything I heard a footstep behind me.

"Happy birthday," a voice laughed. That was the last thing I heard.

"Cast your net,

Cast it out,

And I hope to god you'll scream and shout,

It's everything you wanted maybe more…"

It means (to me at least) that you can go after you dreams no matter what others think…

"Dismiss the critics"

Is another line in that song. It's just all about following your dreams because it's your life and you can do anything.

Her laugh broke the silence… it was the most beautiful laugh he had ever heard. He knew that for a fact.

"You're an idiot," she chuckled as she trapped him in a tight hug. He had told her a joke only seconds before… it was one he knew she would love. She looked up at him with her beautiful brown eyes. She thought they were dull, but he knew they were anything but that. The way they sparkled… even in a dark room… no matter what. "I love you Josh," her voice broke his train of thought, but he didn't mind. He'd happily listen to her all day, just to hear her voice.

"I love you too casey," he replied in a soft voice. He knew what was next, and he prayed ever time that it would end differently...

He woke up with warm tears falling down the sides of his face. It wasn't a sad dream, in fact, it was the best dream, but it always ended. Casey had died a year ago, and sometimes he wished he was with her… wherever she was, but he held on to life because he knew that's what she would have wanted. He sat in bed for a long time just staring at the ceiling. "I love you Casey. I always will," he whispered, hoping she would hear.

Lightning shattered the stillness of the midnight sky. The thunder that followed came in small groups, reminding her of music. The little boy let out a small whimper from his cradle. This would be the first storm he had ever seen, and so far he didn't seem to care for it much. The woman chuckled a bit as she smiled at her little boy. She didn't know it was possible to love someone so much until after she had him. The lightning slowly died down, and the pouring rain subsided to a drizzle. The woman waited for a second, just listening. She could hear the little boys steady breathing. He was safe, and that's all that mattered to her.