"You have to believe me! I was there, I saw what happened!" I screamed.

The police officer pinched the bridge of his nose using his thumb and index finger,. "Please calm down, Miss Bennett."

"Don't call me that! That's my--" I stopped to take a deep breath. " That was my mother, I'm Penelope."

"Alright Penelope, you need to understand that you're suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I know th--"

"No, you know nothing! Do you know how it feels to lose everyone you've ever cared about? To never be able to say you love them ever again?" My voice cracked. "I didn't even get to say goodbye,." mMy body began to tremble uncontrollably.

The officer's face softened at my sign of weakness, and he placed his hand on my shoulder. I instantly swatted it away.

"I'm not suffering from any damn disorder," I said fiercely.

He sighed, "So then what? You mean to tell me you saw this so -called murderer kill your mother, father, and baby brother on," he quickly flipped through a stack of papers lying on his desk., " January 4, 2015, around ten forty-five p.m., precisely three days fragom today?" Hhe asked spectacularly.

"Yes, that's correct."

He leaned towards me, pressing his forehead against mine. I could feel his hot breath. "That would be impossible because you weren't there that night,." hHe narrowed his eyes. "You were at a friend's house, we have witnesses."

"Well they're lying because I left," I pushed him away.

"Why can't you believe me?" I asked incredulously. "I have second -degree burns to prove it!" I lifted my arms to show my bandaged hands.

He shrugged his shoulders. "That could have been from a week ago, it's not solid evidence."

I couldn't understand why he wouldn't believe me. "Wait!" I shrieked. "You were there that day, you saw me running out of the house!"

For a split second he showed a sign of recognition but it quickly vanished. "Yes, I was there that day, but you weren't. We found you two roads over aton the front steps of your friend's house, asleep."

He rolled his eyes." "Face it kid, you're just trying to blame someone for what was and forever will be an accident. I'll repeat myself one more time,." hHe started speaking slowly. "You were not there," he reiterated.

I shook my head. "No, no, you're wrong."

He placed his hand on my shoulder again. This time I didn't pull away. I continued shaking my head, bewildered.

This couldn't be right, I had been there..... hadn't I?

***

I had been at my best friend's house when my family was getting murdered, but not the entire time. The police had tried repeatedly to make me think otherwise, that beingt was just a terrible misfortune. But I knew better because I was there! The fire was no accident, it was purposely lit to assassinate my family. But no one would believe me,; they thought I was some looney.

After that day, the "tragic accident" qumentiotned on by police, was all over the news. Everyone immediately wanted to know what happened on January 4, 2015 in dull Clermont, Florida. The headlines read:, "Bennett fFamily's sSudden dDeath,; fFifteen -year -old dDaughter rRemains." What everyone saw was an accident, an accident that took the lives of three innocent people. All due to a stove that someone forgot to turn off.