The Crash

by Freida McFadden

I’ve never killed anyone before. I’m not a murderer. I’m a good person. I don’t lie. I don’t cheat. I don’t steal. I hardly ever even raise my voice. There are very few things I’ve done in my life that I’m ashamed of. Yet here I am.

But I am like 90 percent sure that my mother’s spirit is contained in our basement.

“You did it, Little Tuna,” I tell her. It’s going to be difficult making the transition from calling her Tuna to calling her Tia. “You got born. That’s going to be the hardest thing you’ll ever have to do. It’s all easy from here.”