The sound of breaking glass startles me. I start sliding my cast covered leg off 
the coffee table

The sound seemed to come from the kitchen, which is on the side of the house and 
where my crutches are. Why did you leave you crutches when you have a broken leg

A few moments later, I hear what sounds like a firecracker. What am I suppose to do?

Is someone breaking into the house?! I sit petrified on the couch for a few 
moments, unable to think. Maybe I better call Stephen and let him know what I 
heard! 

As I reach for the phone, I hear a pounding begin on the door. A familiar voice 
calls out my name. 

"Samantha, it's me!"

I recognize the voice as Michael. As I'm was slowly hopping on my good leg, 
careful not to band my cast, to the kitchen to get my crutches I heard, Michael 
yells out my name again. 

"Samantha, open the door! It's me, Michael!"

After sliding my crutches in position I start swinging my cast between the 
crutches. When I reach the door, he pounds on it again, which makes me jump, out 
of fear. I move up to the door and peek through the small window. I can see it 
is Michael. He looks like he is cold standing outside. I open the door 
cautiously, letting him come inside.

"Hey, girl! What took you so long to open the door? It's getting cold outside! 
Are you afraid of your old friend now?!"

Michael seems somewhat offended by my startled and fearful look.

"No, Michael ... I thought I heard something in the kitchen breaking and 
then you're pounding on the front door ... I just ... got scared ... don't 
be upset with me, I'm sorry! Plus when you're on crutches with a full cast 
covering your leg you don't move that fast"

I didn't mean to hurt his feelings, but all the talk of a killer on 
Halloween night and the sounds coming from the kitchen just overwhelm me now. 
Arguing with Stephen earlier has made me edgy now as well.

"Let me check the kitchen out for you then ... it probably was nothing. Can you 
show me where it is?"

"Yea ... follow me," I say sheepishly, turning around on my good leg and lead 
the way on my crutches.

"Wait right here and let me check," he says.

He walks to the kitchen door and takes a look inside before walking through the 
doorway. He is in there for a few moments before he walks back out and back over 
to me.

"I don't see anything broken or out of place. Maybe it was something you heard 
on TV?"

"Maybe ... it sure sounded like a window breaking though ... I guess I'm just 
losing my mind tonight!" I say.

"I'm sorry if I scared you. I didn't mean to sound angry when I came in the 
house either. Lets go rest that leg of yours"

"I'm sorry, Michael. It's just all this talk I've heard tonight about this damn 
serial killer ... I'll be okay now ... can I get you something to drink?"

He pauses before responding, looking toward the kitchen before saying, 
      
"No, but thanks. I can't stay too long anyways. I just wanted to see you one 
last time before I have to leave."

"I'm glad you called and came over. I'm really going to miss you. You've always 
been a great friend to me."

We sit down together on the couch, again using both hands because of the weight 
I rest my broken leg on the pillow. Michael seems to be acting a little strangely right now. I guess it's just the looming move across the country that is making him act differently. 

I notice he is wearing the baseball cap that I bought for his birthday one year 
while we were in high school. It seems like he is always wearing a baseball cap. 
He takes it off and places it on the end table by the couch, then looks back at 
me.

"Sam, how's your leg? That's one big cast you have"

"Yea, it sure is. Actually it's not bad at all. Not much pain but it will be 
months before I walk again on my leg"

"I remember when your friend Miranda broke her ankle, she limped for years 
after" he says

Looking at him sweetly, "Yeah ... poor Miranda. She hated the cast ad crutches...I 
can't say that I do"

He turns a little to look directly at me, "You look real good Sam. It must have 
hurt big time when you broke your leg?"

"Well ... it did hurt at the time but now everybody is so nice to me" I say, 
laughing softly.

"Sam, you've always been the most beautiful girl I've ever known. Cast or no 
cast. I just wish I could have ... dated you some. After you moved from your 
parents' house to your apartment, I guess I knew then that we probably wouldn't 
have a chance to ever be ... closer."

I never realized it before now, but Michael probably always had a crush on me. I 
guess he just wants me to know how he feels now, knowing we won't be seeing each 
other for a very long time, if ever again.

"I have to admit ... I'm very envious of Stephen ... I've always wanted to ask 
you out on a date ... but I was always afraid I would loose your friendship if 
things went wrong," he says regretfully, his hand on my broken leg rubbing the 
cast

"Michael, you never would have lost ... "

He interrupts me, "I knew I wasn't as handsome as the guys you usually dated ... 
and I didn't want to be embarrassed by having you turn me down. You're the most 
beautiful girl I've ever known. But now with the broken leg ... Not so perfect 
... helpless, " he says

I know he can see from my reaction that I'm a little stunned by his confession. 

Looking carefully into his eyes, "Michael, I've always loved you as a close 
friend. I would've dated you if you had asked me. I wish I had known how you 
felt all that time." I tried to move my cast down from the pillow but he 
wouldn't let me.

"I have fantasized ... what it could've been like with you," he says 
disappointedly.


Part 4 to come.