The Division

51

Part 5: The Sacrifice

A/N: I recommend playing the song on a very low volume.

All I could hear was sobbing. Everything else was a blur, like plugging your ears with your fingers. An old habit of mine from when I was six, back in the day when my dad played music in the living room. I'd repeatedly plug and unplug my ears, creating a stimulating natural sound effect.

Ms.Baxter's devastated cries and Michelle's tiny sniffles were like instruments in a sorrowful opera. Maybe one titled 'Loss' or 'Why the hell is all this happening to me?'

It was the day of Jay's funeral. He always wanted an open casket one but, unfortunately we couldn't give him that. According to the police, his body was in no shape to be viewed and could 'affect' us mentally. His mother refused to cremate him so, here we are, burying a friend in the ground.

Images of Arielle flashed through my mind as I thought of the state Jay was probably in. My hands formed fists and my breathing hastened. My blood boiled like a forgotten kettle on the stove, the whistles in my ears getting louder and louder with each passing second as I stared at his new grave.

If I was at school, I would've grabbed the sharpest thing I could find and would've stabbed Arielle in the eye. Luckily, we're on break so, I can't hurt her.

Yet.

Eventually, I'll have to kill her even if I don't know how to.

Avien isn't helping. He is always so uneccessarily mysterious and vague, never going straight to the point. He knows it frustrates me but still, he doesn't care.

I snapped out of my daze when I felt a slim and soft hand gently grab mine. The whistling in my ears settled and the stove was turned off. Looking up at Michelle, her pale blue eyes meet my dark ones. She used to have alluring sky blue eyes but, now they're pale and ice blue with no glimmer of emotion. It's unnerving and, honestly depressing.

Michelle also had tear streaks on her freckled cheeks. Usually, when she cries you notice a discoloration on her face because of the powder she uses for makeup. But recently, there has been no discoloration. Her face is all natural but still beautiful.

The blonde girl didn't say anything. She didn't need to. I already knew what she wanted.

"Let's take a walk." I say softly, my voice just above a whisper, it croaks a bit but, when I discretely clear my throat, it goes back to normal. Michelle, who doesn't notice since my voice is deeper than most girls', nods slowly and, we walk through the cemetery, hand in hand.

I find myself reading the names on the gravestones. 

Pets.

Babies.

Children.

Teens.

Adults.

People say death is a cruel thing but, is it really? It doesn't discriminate and picks all it's victims equally. To me, it's the most impartial thing on Earth because every single living thing dies.

Every single thing.

I pass by Avien's gravestone and my gaze stays on it. 1993-2010. He was young too and sometimes I forget that he was just a kid...They were all just kids.

"Gwen." Michelle finally speaks for the first time in four hours. I snap my head towards her, listening intently. I have to make her feel as special as possible. I feel like I owe her.

"When is school starting?" She asks letting my hand go and picking off a leaf from a tree. It was a dead leaf, just about to fall.

"Monday. Next Monday..I mean." I replied and cleared my throat again.