Petal's Fall (The After-Math)

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She looks beautiful. Laying there in her perfect pale red dress. The color of Canna. Her favorite flower. She lays motionless. Hands set into place covering her stomach wound that they stitched up. Her family had done her make up just as she use to do. Tears swell my eyes. The one person I loved. The one thing that mattered to me the most - was taken from me. In the most gruesome way possible. As if life is taunting me behind a glass wall. A lot of people came today for Lillian. She must be adored by a lot of people. I know I did. I reach my hand out to touch her hand one last time. Maybe she is faking. Maybe she has a pulse. I need to know. I stopped before I touched her feeling a hand placed against my shoulder. I turn to see Kayleigh. She wears a long black dress wearing matching laced gloves and heels. "It's okay, Dez." She half smiled. I felt my tears stream down my face. Letting out a quiet sob. Kayleigh hugs me around the neck. "Everything will be all right." She whispered.

She lets go and steps up beside me to gaze at Lillian's shell of herself. "This isn't fair." I said letting out another tiny cry. "Brianna is working to find her murderer. She has this." She quietly announced. Last week it happened. The event that I will never forget. Brianna's family works in the police department, and has helped solve cases in the past. She is known to be Japan's top 20 in youngest and most brilliant detectives. Any other case and she would have found the criminal, but on this one... It is taking her longer than I am use to. I stiffen and wipe away my tears. I turn to Kayleigh who has stained make-up streaking down her face. "Let's clear out." She turned to me with a frown. We turn and leave the church.

Time passes and we are standing at her tombstone alone. "7 feet." I sigh. "What...?" I hear a croak behind me. "7 feet underground. Is she scared of the dark...? Will she be fine down there all alone..?" I feel more tears stream down my face. I hear Kayleigh trail up behind me. "She loved you, ya know." I hear her say. "She talked the world about you. She would call me late at night - asking for advice about what to say to you. Deziree..." She turns to me. "Just know. This wasn't your fault. If anything-" I raised my hand. "Don't. Don't say it was her fault." Her eyes nestled on mine, running her lips to a tight line before she speaks again. "Did Brianna have any news about her...?" She asked. I stare at the tombstone. Panki has been missing since the day it happened. She ran from the back into the shop and saw what was happening. She had the expression of a wounded animal that just got its weekly beating.

"What happen..." Panki whispered. Tears poured out of my eyes. Looking at Lillian not daring to move my hand away from hers. I tell her everything. How we came looking for her. How she was talking and was stabbed. How a man ran out. I look up to hear the door slam shut.

Her mother was murdered. The police said that she died probably right as Panki reached her. We both lost something that day, but one of us didn't stick around to see the ending. "No. They had no news." I answer back finally. I feel my fists clench and my jaw tighten. I lost the love of my life. I can't lose my best friend as well.

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