The police car screamed past the houses on the short path. They all knew where they were going, and what they would probably find there. They could only hope that they were wrong.

The first car skidded to a stop, leaving long scratches in the earth, like the slashes made by a knife. They could already see a small form lying in the dirt.

One police officer approached the body apprehensively. Maybe they weren’t too late. But 2 steps closer and he could see the pill bottle beside her.

“We’ve got a body, ” he said into his radio as he stepped closer and knelt next to her, careful not to disturb anything important. “There’s no pulse. The ambulances should be here soon. Alert the parents.”

He stepped back respectfully, closing his eyes as a few tears made tracks down his cheeks.

The ambulance screamed into place next to the police cars, and the EMTs jumped out as though they still had a chance. But anyone could see that it was too late.