(The New) Power of the 8 Elements: Part Two

Chapter Eight: Deadly Inspection

*TRIGGER WARNING*
CONTAINS SUICIDE

"Every breath you take, you are getting closer to the grave." - Sadhguru
PRESENT DAY
PHOENIX

"So what's the plan?" I ask.

"Curtis' sister is always at the park," Celeste claims.

"Oh, please. I doubt Margaret will be willing to talk to anybody right now." I remind myself that I haven't talked to her ever since her death. We used to be "study buddies" and talk about how annoying our brothers were. Now, we merely pass each other in the hall without saying a word.

"You know her?"

"I know Curtis. His death was far too sudden."

"Then tell her that."

"Absolutely not. I will not abuse her grief simply because you want something out of it."

"That's not what we're doing. We're trying to help her by bringing Curtis' killer to justice."

"Do you want me to manipulate her emotions?"

"Wait, you can do that."

"Yes, but I am also an empath, and I don't particularly like talking with people who've suffered a great loss. It's equally debilitating to my mental health."

"Terry, are you a f*cking dictionary or what?" Thrax says. He has one hand on his hip and raises an eyebrow. The look is convincing enough to keep me from complaining.

"Fine, I'll go," I say.

I fly away from them both and down the hill towards the park. Margaret is sitting somewhere around the center where the picnic benches are. We used to sit there together. Where has the time gone? I wonder. I fly in front of her. She looks up slowly and seems almost a little annoyed and scared to get a visitor.

"Hi."

"Hi, do you remember me?"

She shakes her head carefully.

"Um...Terry...or...I think some people call me Phoenix now."

"Oh, hi, Terry."

"Do you mind if I sit?"

She shrugs, and I sit in front of her, trying to make this entire conversation seem casual when in reality it's deeply awkward.

"How have you been?"

"Okay. You?"

"Same. Life as a demigod. It's strange, no?"

"Yes," she says, trying to laugh, but I can hear the absolute mental torture in the back of her throat. I can feel it, too, and it almost moves me to tears, but I manage to compose myself. Somehow. Usually I tend to be an emotional person.

"I'm so sorry about Curtis. I wish I had known sooner. I would've brought you and your family something."

"Thank you, but it's fine now."

"Uh...the service is Friday. I'm planning on going."

"Thank you. That might help."

"I wanted to ask you some questions though."

"No, I already talked to the police about this. It wasn't a suicide."

"No! Curtis would never do that. I talked to him at least once or twice. He was a nice boy. I just wanted to ask if...you know...he had any enemies-"

"H*ll, no! That was what the police said! That was what they kept asking!" She was on the verge of tears now. "Curtis didn't deserve to die, Phoenix!" She jumps across the table and grips my shoulders. "Curtis didn't deserve it! He didn't! I did!" To my surprise, she pulls out a gun from her pocket, sticks it in her mouth.