RELUCTANT PRESS

I told him everything, including about how I thought I was dead but could still think.

"Technically you WERE dead," he told me. "The paramedics said your heart was stopped and you weren't breathing when they were able to get to you. They didn't think you had a chance after being in the live current for that long, but they tried anyway. Your scream told them you were still alive, although we don't how."

"It's a miracle," Cynthia said solemnly. "The spirits didn't want him yet."

Everyone agreed. Other than a severe concussion from falling on my head when I unbuckled my seat belt, I was all right. I'm black and blue from bouncing around in the Jeep, but nothing serious. Pete and Scott were only banged around, although the Jeep was totaled. The lady, Miss Jasmine Malloy, died from the jolt of electricity.

I was kept on monitors in the hospital until Sunday morning. Everything was normal, so they sent me home. I'm really stiff, sore, and have a nasty headache. The doctors said I should stay home for a few days to heal up some more. I don't feel right about this whole mess. I mean, physically I feel as good as can be expected, but inside my head, something isn't right. Pete and Scott both said they couldn't see anything but a blur until the Jeep came to a halt. There was no slow-motion for them.

Why was I able to see everything so clearly? Why could I see Miss Malloy's eyes were glazed before she hit us? Why had I been able to read all those things in her eyes? Was it fate...something destined to occur? Did I just imagine everything? I just don't know.

I told Mom, Grace, and Cynthia about it. They say it's most likely my imagination making stuff up to explain how I could live when Miss Malloy died. Cindy told me she believes I saw everything as I described it and that it was fate.

When I asked her why she believed me she showed me the obituary of Miss Malloy. There was a picture of her taken at a society affair just two weeks before the accident. Miss Malloy looked to be 40 or maybe 45 tops, just the same

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TWO LITTLE GIRLS

By JENNIFER SUE

as the night of the accident. I mean, I was right up in her face when she held me in her lap! There were no wrinkles, no gray hairs; yet the paper listed her age as 95! I mean, once I saw in her eyes that she was dead, she aged...just shriveled up like a mummy! But, when she was alive...the paper said she was rich, worth several millions...maybe the rich do have some sort of youth drugs or something. It's just too confusing. It just doesn't feel right that she should die and I live when we were both electrocuted!

Cindy believes Miss Malloy gave her life to save mine. Maybe. Anyway, I'm still real upset by the whole thing.

After our parents left us alone, Cindy, horny as usual, tried to calm me down by reaching inside my pajamas. As usual, her gentle touch felt fantastic, but I didn't get hard...even when she kissed it. Needless to say, I was upset because I couldn't perform. Like I said before, physically I'm not much of a male; heck, to be perfectly honest, my penis and balls are the only part of me that is masculine-looking!

Cindy was as disappointed as me by my inability to get a boner, but in her typical, caring fashion she told me it was all right and probably just due to my injuries. I guess she's right; the crash and electrocution did take a lot out of me.

Well, even though it's only 8:00 p.m., I'm tired, so I'm going to go to sleep. If Miss Werner wants me to read something, I guess I'll read today's entry...except for the last paragraph.

Journal Entry: September 29, 1997

Dr. Harvey, our family physician, checked me quite thoroughly today to make sure it was all right for me to return to school. He said I'm doing just fine, and everything seems normal. I knew differently. I'm still not sure how I worked up the courage; I guess it's fear and stubborn male pride, but I asked the doctor why I couldn't get aroused.

He ruffled my hair with a good-natured laugh and told me it's not unusual for a boy my age to have periods when he loses sexual function, especially after suffering a severe

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