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CARLYN SAT IN the back of an ambulance, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. The pain in her arm had been lifted due to the painkillers the EMTs had given her, so now she was just numb as she blankly stared at the ground.
She was so utterly exhausted that she didn't feel anything.
The only thing on her mind was her necklace. What was left of it, anyway, which was the broken pieces she clutched in her hand. Tara and Sam stood beside her, watching the EMTs and firefighters.
At the sight of Kirby being wheeled out on a gurney, the sisters rushed forward. Carlyn looked up and quickly followed them, tugging the blanket closer to her body.
"If you ever need me, call," Kirby instructed when they reached her. "We're all part of the same fucked-up family now. And legacy doesn't always have to be a bad thing. Okay?"
A sob slipped past Tara's lips, making the three girls' attention snap over to her. "It's just Chad. . ." she whimpered out an explanation.
Carlyn bit down on her lip. Now she felt something. Her best friend was dead and she was going to have to tell the Meeks-Martins. She didn't want them to learn from the news, so it was best coming from her.
"Hey, we got another one here!" a firefighter announced.
The four of them looked over, seeing an EMT and a firefighter wheeling another gurney. Carlyn's heartbeat picked up when she saw who was on it. Chad.
She was the first one to leave Kirby's side, Tara and Sam following after her. "Chad?" she called out, her voice weak. The EMT and firefighter came to a stop in front of his ambulance, allowing them to catch up to him. "Chad?"
Carlyn didn't touch him, scared that if she did, he'd be gone. Just a figment of her imagination.
"How are you alive?" Sam questioned.
Slowly, the boy lifted his hand, five fingers held up. "Final fucking Five," Tara mumbled, reaching up to pull off his oxygen mask. She cupped his cheek and pulled him down for a kiss. She let out a small laugh and pulled away, placing the mask back on his face. "Sorry, you probably need that."
His eyes flickered to Carlyn and he gave her a soft nod, like he knew she was afraid to touch him. She reached out for him, carefully touching his face to make sure he was real before she rested her head on his.
