After a long car ride that was more fun than expected we arrived at the cabin and crashed hard. I was deeply dreaming of something that I now can’t recall , when I’m wide awake as result of someone shaking me. It was Lily more excited than I’d ever seen her before.

“Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! “ Lily shouted as she danced around the room. “We’re going paddle boarding today! Come on Emma put on Africa.”

I jump out of bed and put our favorite song Africa by Toto. Once we were ready and had danced to the best songs from the 80’s head to the car. We drive into town ,buy a few cream puffs, rent our paddle boards, and we set off for the lake. We arrive at the lake and we race to put on our life jackets and begin our adventure on the lake. We are out pretty far on the lake and just paddling, Lily and Mia on one board, me on the other.

“I’m gonna try and stand up.” I exclaim confidently.
“Emma no.” Lily said with a sigh.
“Oh no Emma, ” Mia says before whispering to Lily thinking I can’t hear her “She’s gonna fall.”
“I do this all the time when I go paddle boarding at my Grandpa's cabin!” I yelled slightly

All was going well as I smoothly get from my knees to my feet. All their doubts had vanished when I stood without a wobble. I look at my friends and start to say ‘I told you so’ but was stopped by the wobble of the board. I look down in fear and realize the board and I are shaking more than ever. I fly off into the lake , with a splash causing roars of laughter to erupt from Lily and Mia. I’m surrounded by water and feel frozen as i began to sink. My vision goes black and I’m no longer in the lake. I”m standing on The Hill back in Boulder; I’m in front of a house and I can’t remember where i've seen it before. Snows falling around me and I feel a cold breeze. The house is warm and inviting with its decorations and the party that appears to be occurring. I walk through the gate and up the path to the front door. As I go to knock a the door opens; a woman probably mid thirties opens the door. She looks familiar but again I can’t say where from.

“Welcome to our annual Christmas Party Emma!” Her voice sent chills down my spine “So glad you can join us!”
“Yes I’m happy to be here.” I replied still confused of where exactly ‘here’ was.
“ Well of course you are, my parties are the highlight of the year!” A little girl comes bouncing up to the cheerful woman. “ Oh dear Emma have you met my daughter JonBenet. Isn’t she the most darling thing you’ve ever seen.”
“Did you say JonBenet? As in JonBenet Ramsey?” Emma barely got those words out. She was so scared she felt she could faint.
“Yes, my little pageant queen.”
“I’m sorry but what year is it?” Emma asked completely confused
“Why it’s 1996!” Patsy exclaimed obviously. “Are you alright doll, you look quite pale? Come with me and lay down in the guest room.”

I followed her down the hallway growing colder as we walk. All the pieces fell into place, all my questions were answered. I was in the Ramsey house the night JonBenet was murdered in her basement. We walk into a room festively decorated but it still felt chilling. I lay down on the bed as Patsy leaves me alone. As I’m laying there I know I have to get out of this house, it had been minutes since Patsy left when I sprang up. I ran out the door expecting to be greeted by the party but the house was empty , dark, and cold. I walk down the hall to the living room where the party should’ve been and the clock struck midnight. The knowledge of being alone in the Ramsey house hits me and I race to the door. I jiggle the handle and push up against the door but it won’t budge. I begin to look for another was exit when I enter a room with a light on. I see a woman hunched over a desk writing aggressively. I stay where I am so she doesn’t see me. She looks up suddenly at a doorway that was now filled by a little boy sobbing.

“Mommy is JonBenet ok?” The boy asks through sobs
“Burke! Yes she will, now go back to sleep.” Patsy whispered trying to get rid of him “You know that if you’re not sleeping Santa can’t come!”
“But Mommy she’s not in her bed! I saw Dad take her from her room to the basement” Burke whined
“She’ll be fine! Now Burke go to bed!” Patsy said standing up
“Burke listen to your Mother and go to bed.” A man had come up behind Burke I assume it’s John Ramsey. Burke ran off at the sound of his father's voice.
“John is it done.” Patsy asked nervously
“Yes dear. There’s no way they can tie it to us. They’ll never know we killed her.” John said with a chilling smile
“I do have to say I’ll miss her, but the attention will make up for it”
“Have you finished the ransom note? You’ll have to call the police soon.”
“Yes it’s over on the desk.” Patsy said proudly walking over to the desk with John
“Patsy,” John sighs “A ransom note is not four pages long”
“It’s specific!”
“That’s the problem! Oh well it’ll have to do.”

With that John and Patsy left the room, I let out a heavy breath. I had always thought it was her brother,Burke. The murder of JonBenet was done by her parents. They killed her for publicity and they didn’t even care. Within a matter of minutes Patsy was on the phone with the police. Pleading and saying she has no idea what’s going on. It was all a hoax. Police flooded into the mansion and begin an investigation that they would never finish . John and Patsy pretend to cry and disgusts me. I go unnoticed sitting in the corner of a room processing the whole night. I feel a cold breeze creep in and I’m drawn to it. I follow where it’s coming from to the front door which is wide open. I expect for the door to swing shut and trap me but it doesn’t. I walk out into the white wonderland feeling cold and empty.I hear the sirens of police cars and people sobbing. As I’m walking the world around me gets whiter and whiter surrounding me. I’m completely surrounded by white when I open my eye’s again and I’m staring at a white ceiling with flourescent lighting. Lily and Mia are above me in an instant,both of them smiling through tears.

“Oh my God Emma you’re ok!” Lily screamed
“Emma we thought you were going to die!” Mia gasped pulling me into a hug
“So did I! Where am I?” I said puzzled not being able to move
“ Emma after you fell you hit your head so hard that you were knocked out, then you started drowning so we had to have an ambulance bring you to the hospital. Do you remember any of that?” Mia explained even though none of what she said seemed familiar.
“No, I don’t. Did I slip on the snow? Also if it’s christmas why was I with you guys not my family?”
“Emma, it’s the middle of summer, why would you thin it’s winter?” Lily said grabbing my hand as I see the fear in her eyes.
“Because JonBenet Ramsey was killed on Christmas! And I watched her get killed!” I said pulling my hand away
“Mia go get the nurse, I think there’s something wrong with Emma”Lily whispered to Mia.
Mia rushed away and sure enough I was thrown into multiple medical test and psych evaluations. No matter how crazy it seems, I know what I saw and that was the murder of JonBenet.