She was helping out at the elementary school where her brother went. His class was in recess right now and all the children were in the schoolyard. There were two sets of swings, one that stood in the middle of the playground, and one that was at the edge, near the woods and the trail that was adjacent to the school. A few of the children ran around, some tossed a ball back and forth, a small disabled girl named Amy sat on the gravel and built a city out of rocks, others swung. Her brother was one of those, but he sat alone, swinging on the far swing on the back swing set, closest to the woods.

Suddenly a man came out of the woods. He was carrying a knife. The man fell backward, but caught himself on a branch, obviously drunk. He muttered something and his eyes were glazed. The children ran, hiding behind her and their teacher, leaving Amy behind on the gravel and her brother on the swings. She started to scream, as she ran forward, picking up Amy while she forced herself toward the man and her brother. She tried to get her brother’s attention, but by the time he noticed what was going on around him the knife was already in his small back.

His eyes full of tears he fell forward, onto the hard schoolyard. She reached him and set down Amy next to her. She cradled his head in her arms, as his blood ran out onto the gravel and her jeans. Amy crawled on his other side, Amy’s face as wet and salty as her own. Her hand reached out and felt the last beats of his heart.

The other children ran. They ran to the bathroom and got paper towels, to stop the bleeding, to clean it up, just like they would have for a paper cut. The teacher called 911, but it was too late.

*****

She was helping out at the elementary school where her brother went. Recess was in full progress; some boys and a girl were playing kickball, others were swinging on the two sets of swings. Her brother was one of those, but he was alone at the farthest end of the swing set that was nearest to the woods, which their class sometimes explored (on the wide paths and the bike trails). She was helping a small disabled girl named Amy, who she had a particular affection for, swing on the other swing, but her gaze always shifted over to the woods with an uneasy feeling.
Though she was trying, she couldn’t put her finger on what the cause of that feeling was, only that it was strong and that the only thing she wanted to do was move her brother away from the woods. Then, between the branches she caught a glance of a man. He was stumbling back and forth, his step was uneasy and shaky, and it became clear to her that he must be drunk. He came closer and closer to where the path led into the schoolyard and she realized that he was holding a knife.
— Hold on –, she commanded Amy and ran. She ran to her brother and snatched him. She grabbed him at the same second the man turned around the corner, his knife in hand. It seemed like a lifetime until she reached the swings, behind which all the children had run, to their teacher, leaving Amy in front. She dropped her brother and just as she turned to grab Amy the knife swished through the air.
It was amazing that the drunk who was now lying face flat on the gravel could have hit Amy so perfectly in the gut. Amy lost her grip and fell backwards into her outstretched arms. She ran.
She ran as fast as she could, into the air-conditioned school. Her steps were so loud on the gray linoleum, which was now spotted with small, fragile, Amy’s blood.
— Hold on Amy. Please, please don’t die. — She said crying. Amy looked up into her face and gave her a weak smile as answer.
She had reached the principal’s office and managed to call 911. The school nurse tied up the wound as best she could, but it was too late. Amy was dead before they heard the first siren pulling into the school’s parking lot.

*****

She was helping out at the elementary school where her brother went. Most of the children were off playing kickball or tag. One exception was her brother and a small disabled girl named Amy, who were talking to each other while digging a hole in the schools gravel in an effort to reach China. It was now deep enough for her brother to stand waist deep in it. She was sitting on the far end of one of the two swing sets, the one closest to the woods, talking to the classes’ teacher.
It was a beautiful day and the children were happy, there hadn’t been one argument. Behind her on the path into the woods were several noises, a few snaps and cracks of someone walking very clumsily, but she paid no attention. She was too engulfed in her conversation.
Suddenly Amy gave a shout: — Watch out! — The teacher jumped up and ran to Amy. She turned around and behind her stood a man, his words slurred, the knife in his hand glinting in the September sun. She screamed as he took the knife and thrust it into her ribs. The pain was agonizing and her vision blurred.

The last things she saw was the man, vanishing back into the woods, and the faces of her brother and Amy, looking down on her. The last thing she felt were the tears of her brother and Amy, falling onto her cheeks and then her pierced lungs became too full of blood.

*****

She was helping out at the elementary school where her brother went. It was a beautiful day. The September sun was glinting through the leaves of the woods that lay just behind the school. She was swinging back and forth on the swing set next to where the path led out of the forest. Her brother swung next to her and she held her brothers best friend, Amy, on her lap.
There had been a small argument between her brother and the “leader” of the class. He had bullied Amy, because she was disabled and couldn’t walk. While the other children had laughed her brother had stood up for Amy. Now the teacher was scolding the boy and she, her brother, and Amy were swinging, slightly apart from the rest of the class but happy.
Amy and her brother were talking and laughing. She was just swinging and listening to the sounds of the woods behind her, content. Then she noticed footsteps, irregular in pattern, like a person who couldn’t keep their balance and was trying not to fall. As she turned around she could see that person through the branches. He was obviously drunk. At his side he held a knife, which caught and reflected he sunlight.
She jumped up, carrying Amy and calling her brother, bringing them closer to the school. While passing the teacher and with a sense of extreme urgency, she ordered the other students back to the classroom.
Much later, after she had told the teacher and the principle about the man and the police had arrived, she wondered: What might have happened if she hadn’t noticed that man. -Probably nothing-, she concluded.