Aftermath|Charlie In Underworld

Funeral

The class wasn't really that involved in the funeral. They were just ...there. Most were just stuck in their own heads, wondering what Charlie's life was like. The details of how they died weren't explained there. That would have to remain a mystery and a rumor.

Mike vividly remembers that Charlie's father wasn't there. The funeral was only twenty minutes long. Not many people talked about Charlie. Whoever did described them as a 'free spirit.' Most talked about times when they were younger. None talked about the present day.

Mike went back to their grave three days afterwards. 'Charlie (Insert surname)' was all that was written on the gravestone. Mike remembered the day that Charlie told him about their family situation. They had struggled to describe their father.

Mike remembered the times they would share a decent conversation. Charlie would keep looking at Mike before getting lost in thought.

He remembered the time he went too far and nearly lost his eye. He never should've bothered them. His mind trailed off to the time when Charlie would just sit alone, cutting up paper. They wouldn't talk to anyone about anything. They just kept to themselves.

'If I just left them like that,' Mike thought, 'they'd probably be alive to this day.' A sinking feeling of dread washed over him. Tears filled his eyes but he tried not to let them flow.

"I'm sorry," he whispered with a shaky breath. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He placed the basket of flowers he had brought with him on the gravestone. It was a nice touch to the simple stone it had been a second ago.

Mike left muttering silent apologies. He hoped Charlie's family didn't blame him.