Turtle Channel!!!

Cherry was only 25 when she died. Her funeral was packed with mourners of all different ages. Some were genuinely grieving while some were in attendance just to pay their last respects. If Cherry were still alive, she would have looked at everyone attending her funeral, and wondered why they were crying. She would have understood the motives of those wanting to take a last look at her. She would have understood their curiousity. But not their grief. Never their grief.

Cherry was not a normal girl. When she was younger, she would keep to herself and rarely revealed herself to anyone. As a child, she was a cruel bully, ruthlessly abusing other children either verbally or physically just to see how they would react. She was not excited by their pain, merely curious by it. She once set a cat on fire just to see what would have happened. She even beheaded several pet hamsters belonging to her little brother, Daniel. She wanted to see if they would cry out in pain before they died.

Cherry grew up to be a very troubled teenager. She would shed tears in the comforting arms of her classmates, telling them about the abuse she had suffered in the hands of her parents. Her classmates gave her their loyalty, friendship and undying support. They were so sympathetic of her troubles and abuse at home. They were eager to help. Cherry liked the attention very much. She used their sympathy, pity and devotion to gain friendship. Once she got bored of their friendship, she would move on to new friends, and never looked back.

Cherry didn't like keeping old friends. They bored her. She had no qualms in letting go of old friends to find new ones. She didn't see the need in friends. The friends that were "let go off" never understood why their friendship with her was suddenly destroyed. They felt angry with her, frustrated at her selfishness, and appalled at her clever manipulation of their feelings and friendship. They couldn't understand how someone who was a great friend for 2 years would suddenly turn her back on them within a week and not look back.

But that's the sort of thing Cherry did. As a young lady, she could get boyfriends easily. She was beautiful, extremely intelligent and very observant of human feelings and behaviour. She knew how to get a man to fall hopelessly in love with her. She knew all the right things to say, and all the right things to do. She acted flawlessly, getting her men to do exactly as she wanted. And her boyfriends were always very devoted to her. They treated her like a goddess and practically worshipped the ground that she walked on. She was constantly bored and needed new entertainment all the time. Her boyfriends would struggle to keep her happy, entertained and amused. They brought her to theatres, hip restaurants, clubs and even on exotic holidays. They bought her clothes, jewellery, bags and shoes. But nothing would interest her for very long. And then just as she suddenly entered their lives and manipulated them to devote their lives to her, she would leave and find someone new, or something new to do.

Cherry was also extremely talented. She could do anything, as long as she put her mind to it. She had many different hobbies, none of which she stuck to for very long. She could ski, dive, cook, play the guitar, piano, drums, flute...everything. She did not do everything necessarily well, just good enough to impress. She had knowledge on almost every area of study. Again, even though she was no expert, she knew enough to impress.

Somehow, although she seemed normal enough, everyone who got close to her all had the same feeling about her. They all suspected that she didn't care about them as much as they cared about her. Those that were "let go off" would feel as though she took a lot from them but gave little in return. She never took responsibility of any quarrel, problems or incidents but would blame someone or something else. They always felt worried about her, yet felt that she was taking advantage of their kindness. They always felt used.

If confronted, Cherry would present a rational and good case. She showed empathy and understanding. She said all the right things. But she never looked remorseful or even sad. She would get angry when challenged, but could still present a good argument for her case. No one could argue with her logic, yet many instinctively felt that she did not care about their feelings, or even understood why they were upset.

Cherry did much charitable work. She helped tutor small children, and she was also a volunteer for the teen alchoholism center in her town. She was always in a position of being a mentor, and had many young children and teens in her care. She was a leader, and she enjoyed being in that position. She liked teaching, and telling people what to do. She was also active in her church. She was in the church choir and sang regularly.

Cherry died on August 8, 2006. She was driving to work when a truck hit the driver's side of her car. She was killed instantly.

In death, she looked serene. Like sleeping beauty, as if she would get up if Prince Charming gave her a kiss. She was beautiful.

Many teenagers from the alchoholism center were there to grieve for her. If only they knew that she only volunteered because she wanted to boost her image, and she had particularly enjoyed being in a position of power. Many small children whom she had tutored were also crying. If only their parents knew what sort of advice she had been giving their children. Church members had their heads bowed in silence and reverance. If only they knew that she never had a conscience and never felt sorry for being a sinner. Family and friends huddled at a corner praying for her soul. If only they knew that she had always felt like an empty shell with no soul.

But she was gone. And no one would ever know that Cherry; pretty, bright, intelligent and talented Cherry, was a sociopath. She had never felt guilt. She had never felt grief. And she had never felt love. She was an accomplished actress who could fool everyone into believing that she had feelings. But the only emotion that she had ever really known was anger. She carried her secret throughout her life, and could not help but manipulate people, for she could not force herself to feel something that never existed within her. And she carried her secret to her death.

One can only pray that on August 8, 2006, the Lord would show pity on her and take her into his arms.