By Emma Glanville, TIWP Student

On December 17th, 1976, the town of Mayward grieved over the death of young Rosalie Sanders. She had gone missing 2 days prior but a body was found in the river and the police suspected it to be hers.

Everybody loved Rosalie. She was always cheery and very bright. No one could figure out why somebody would even think about hurting her, much less murdering her. Several stab wounds were on her body and a knife was found impaling her stomach. Any fingerprints from the crime were washed away by the stream so the town had no leads.

Rosalie was just 15; she had so much life left to live. However after years and years of searching for her justice, the people of Mayward gave up on finding a suspect. It could not be done, for it was simply impossible.

Without Rosalie, everybody became grim and dull and Mayward turned into a place like any other old town; lacking bliss and without purpose. Things got slow and the liveliness died down. Everyone lost their sense of empathy and soon enough, forgot about Rosalie.

On December 15th, 1991, Mr. and Mrs. Sanders were sitting in their living room listening to the pendulum on their grandfather clock swing when they received a phone call. Mrs. Sanders got up to answer. “Hello?”
“Mom?”

Mrs. Sanders inhaled sharply. “Who is this?”

“Mom, it’s Rosalie.”

Mrs. Sanders lowered the phone. She started to regain emotions and her heart began to pump. However it wasn’t joy she was feeling; it was fear. She brought her hand back up to her ear. “Rosalie?” She could hear her daughter’s laugh through the phone and without a doubt, knew that it was her.

“Who are you talking to?” Mr. Sanders asked.

“It’s her.” Mrs. Sanders said with her voice shaking.

“No, it can’t be.”

“It is her.”

Mr. Sanders shook his head in disbelief. “But if that’s Rosalie, then who did we kill on that night?”