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chapter twenty six, THE FUNERAL TOLL
It had been three months since Elaine Tate left found herself on the doorstep of her long lost brother's house. Three months since she had met the boy who lived next door and his friends. Three months, and as Elaine stared up at the ceiling of her bedroom she couldn't help but think about the first day.
She longed to feel his touch again and a tear slipped down her cheek as she realized she could barely remember how it felt to be touched by him.
The girl brought her hand up to wipe the tear, turning in her bed and pushing her face against the pillow. The soft sound of the birds chirping came through the opened window as she tried to close her mind off from the rest of the world. She pulled the blanket up around her, engulfing her in the warmth and safety. She let out a shaky breath as more tears slipped down her face and stained the pillowcase.
When the bedroom door opened forty minutes after Eliane had treated herself to a freshly rolled joint and cried herself to sleep, the girl wanted to scream. The exhaustion of the morning was evident as she was shaken awake by the intruder. The girl's head pounded as the bed dipped, the person's talking driving her insane.
"C'mon, we got school" Kiara hummed, running her fingers through Laney's hair. "too tired" She mumbled in response, her words silenced by the pillow.
"I know, but we gotta" Kiara reminded and smiled sadly at her when she turned her head.
"Rough morning?" Her question was laced with sympathy because she too had mornings like that, almost every morning. It was a lot on all of them. John B and Sarah weren't there and no one could replace their energy and tone.
"Yeah" Laney nodded, finally pulling herself out of bed and towards the closet. "I have a feeling today's gonna be a shit show" She sighed, throwing an outfit onto the bed.
"me too" Kiara let out, laying back against the blankets.
Once Laney was dressed, she took a seat on the floor. Her hands moving to the floorboard to pick it up. Her fingers traced the box before opening it and picking up John B's bandana. She tied it quickly around her wrist before tucking the box back away and telling Kiara she was ready to go.
Every day when the girl left the house she was met with the carved tree, and it always rushed her with memories. Memories of the day the funeral they held for him because the town wouldn't.
"Elle, give me the stupid axe you're going to take someone's head off" Pope complained, grabbing the tool from the girl's hand as she rolled her eyes.
"yeah I was going to take yours off" She sassed, shifting her weight between her feet.
"you know we are killing that tree" Kiara spoke, trying to lift the mood in her own weird way.
