Sparked (COMPLETED)

Chapter Twenty Three

Luke

I was still awake long after everyone had gone to sleep. The smell of blood lingered in the air. I could hear the ocean waves crashing onto the beach in the distance along with the occasional yell from somebody who was still out at this hour.
I was frozen with shock. For some reason, I couldn't stop staring at the spot where Vienna's blood had been spilt, where her life was taken. Tears fell down my face silently. If only I hadn't left her. If I hadn't left her alone with that monster, she'd still be here.
I could hear Lisa crying.
Millard had taken a walk in the woods after the death of Vienna. He hadn't returned yet, but I suspected he was beating himself up over our loss.
I didn't want it to be real. Part of me wished I'd just wake up, that this was a terrible nightmare. Another part of me knew that wasn't the case.
I buried my head in my hands.
Don't do it, Half of my brain begged. Don't think of her.
The other half disobeyed. My mind was swarmed with memories.
Her dimples when she smiled. How her hair would get frizzy in humidity. When she'd play guitar after school every day in seventh grade. How she used to sing along to every song on the radio up until age eleven.
I remembered baking Christmas cookies with her every year. She would eat bits of her dough and steal pieces from me. I remembered when she'd tease me for wearing a couples costume with my current girlfriend to Halloween parties, but I'd get her back by reminding her that she was still single. I recalled the times when we'd stay up late together. I'd listen to her rant about her problems. I thought of the Easter egg hunts we did when we were younger. She was always so competitive during those. I remember when she got her first celebrity crush. She was ten years old and in love with Taylor York, the rhythm guitarist of Paramore, her favorite band.
I remember when she first discovered that band. Their song Brick By Boring Brick came on the radio when she was ten. She immediately fell in love with the band and watched them grow. She'd listened to them for the remaining six years of her life.
The remaining six years of her life.
God. She'd only lived for sixteen years. She lost her life too young.
I cried harder. I stayed like that for a while. I heard someone sit down next to me, but didn't look up to see who it was.
Anonymous was silent, and I knew it wasn't Bronwyn. She would've started rubbing my back and telling me it was alright, although we both knew it wasn't.
"I miss her too," Anonymous whispered. It was the voice of Millard. He sounded depressed and exhausted. I could understand. If I lost one more person, I don't think I'd be able to handle it.
"It was my fault," He continued. "If I wouldn't have gotten injured, we could've been able to protect her."
I looked up at where I thought he was.
"She loved you," I whispered. "I could see it in her eyes. You made her so, so happy. Tha- Thank you, Millard."
"She made me happy as well," He murmured. "I'm never going to find anyone like her ever again." Millard took a deep breath. "You should've heard how fondly she talked about you, Luke. It- It was like you were her hero. She loved you."
I shook my head. "I wasn't her hero."
We sat there in silence.
"I'm going to get revenge on them," I told the other boy finally. "I'm going to kill them all."
"I'll be by your side," Millard promised.
There we were, two grief stricken boys, bent on revenge, watching the sun rise.