_Ok so I havn’t ever done this before so this might be totally wrong but- this is my new diary thingy. Acually it’s my math notebook but since I never take notes in math it’s totally blank. Um…I don’t know what you are supposed to do in diaries, I’ll ask my teacher, Ms. Clutts. She’s cool.

Ok, Clutts says that their are three rules: One, put a heading at the top (she says date, time, and place), Two, end with your name, and Three, no erasing. I don’t really understand what that last one means, but she says it just means “write what you think”. Great. Also, this know-it-all in my class, Alice Mitchells, overheard and told me that people write secrets in diaries. Even better.

I should probably explain. I am starting this diary thingy because…well, because it helped Emma when Mom was sick and I guess it might help me now. I was so strong during It, everyone says. Well, the truth is, I was only strong because I was sure that she would survive. And I’m not nearly so sure this time.

Amy._