The Only Way Out

Kaitlyn and Rebecca are next door neighbors and the best of friends. The two young teens can’t wait to attend high school together! What they don’t know, however, is that danger the likes of which they never could have imagined looms ahead. Just moments after they begin their exciting first day, Rebecca becomes the victim of choice for Chantel, a young, rough-edged bully at Leacrest High. What starts as a seemingly insignificant altercation outside the school cafeteria eventually escalates into physical, mental and emotional attacks, both in the flesh and online. But no one knows the depths of what she’s going through – not even her best friend, Kaitlyn. One sunny afternoon in March, tragedy strikes and a horrible incident takes place, of which Kaitlyn is an unfortunate bystander. Rebecca is cornered and fatally attacked by Chantel and four other students in the schoolyard. In the hospital, a medical examination reveals a terrifying secret that Rebecca has fallen prey to self-harm over the last few months, and now the people closest to her are forced to deal with the discovery. After emergency brain surgery, just a few days later, Rebecca dies of her injuries. Kaitlyn is swallowed whole by feelings of sadness, anger, accountability and guilt. She removes herself from society and becomes diagnosed with post-traumatic stress syndrome. Battling depression and unable to participate in any of her regular day-to-day activities, it is a dark and sad time. That is until Kaitlyn’s silence is finally broken. A revelatory experience catapults her into a new life chapter – one that is signified by speaking up, because now she knows this is the only way out: for her, for victims, for bystanders and for bullies. Kaitlyn begins a powerful anti-bullying movement called, Time to Talk, which honors Rebecca, tells her story, and encourages students to talk. Who knows how large an impact she can make…only time will tell.