i walked down the halls with my head bowed down.
the once empty hallways were filled with flowers and candles for the people who passed away on that night. school was over, but the tragedy called for one last day inside the very walls of this school.
people were buzzing with their two cents about what happened.
there were loads of gossip of who did it, and what exactly took place. there were also loads of theories of reasons why they're the ones who get killed.
it was also apparently suspicious that all of them were in that one void place in the miller's properties at the same time.
but according to the police, autumn miller's body was the first one who died. the others followed plenty of hours after it went down.
so it was safe to say that the popular theory was that they all ganged up to kill autumn, and then karma bit them back in the ass.
from the police's words, autumn miller died by slamming her head down on a rock. four died by acid poisioning mixed in beer. one died by a blunt force to the head. one died by a rake stab straight to the upper body. and the other died by a gunshot to the head.
"didn't zoë hated autumn because of something that happened between them?"
"yeah, i bet she was the one who killed autumn." the girl looked sad, and the same time, she looked like she believed what she said.
"but we all know julian's obsessed with the blonde haired girl."
but what piqued my ears is the girl who silently laughed away from the others.
"well, i don't give a shit about what happened. all i know is that i'm glad the bitch is dead."
i almost grinned, but i stopped myself. that would be rude.
there were a lot of mixed emotions. people were crying, people were mad, people were scared, and some people were glad.
this was highschool, and the nine students who graced this hallway left them with memories.
as i walked to the gymnasium where the main grieving was, the atmosphere felt a lot heavier and i felt a pang in my heart.
my feet felt heavy with every step as i neared the stage where they were all offered an altar.
their pictures were laid in a straight line on the stage, with beautiful arrangements of flowers surrounding them one by one as candles were being lit.
their families were crying an endless stream of tears as they weeped their loss, and i can't help but let tears slip down my own eyes.
"autumn, baby, i love you so much." autumn miller's mother whispered to her daughter's picture, almost inaudible through the tears.
josh price's family went down from new jersey at the news, and the parents almost fainted at the sight of josh's body. his mother hasn't stopped crying ever since she found out her only boy was gone.
angelie capiz picture had the most flowers around it, with letters littering in an organized mess. she was the best president they could ever have, and she was gone before she could accomplish her dreams of becoming a scientist.
"bro, why did you leave me?" kenneth san jose's brother cried out, his voice surfacing above all as the heartwrenching volume of his despair knocked on everyone's hearts. "too soon, bro, too soon."
april's baby sister still didn't want to believe all of this was real. "so sis, my crush said he liked me back. i was so happy, sis, and i texted you! did you get my message? tell me, please answer me, did you?"
zoë's parents were a no show. but lexee, nat, and zealand had eyes that were almost swollen shut after all the tears they cried. "captain, we were supposed to play for the international games. remember our goal? always fight, always dream, never go back because we will always win? remember?"
it was unfair to take their lives. they were dreaming students, who were finally going to step foot in college.
but as always, life was fair by being unfair to almost everybody. life was supposed to be ruthless and unexpected, and here it was, the great tragedy.
my feet finally took me to the last picture that was placed on the very end of the line.
the very last victim of the nine students who died in the other side of the woods that one fun night at the miller's residence.
"whoever killed all of you will be caught soon, brother. i will find justice for you. we will bring justice to you." against her tears, serris cursed the very murderer who caused this on her baby brother, sean lew.
the commonality of everyone in this room is that they wanted the suspect behind all of this to die.
kill the murderer was their goal.
and i can't help but secretly smile to myself as i think of how ridiculous and impossible that sounds.
suddenly, i was pushed forward by a body colliding with mine and i can't help but look at the person with annoyance clear in my gentle features.
"fucking watch where you're standing, florence."
