This Year

Chapter 8

My sister always said to leave red roses for the living and white roses for
the dead. She told me that the white represented a better place, I didn't believe her at first but now I see why. Red reminds us to much of blood, and white makes you think of the clouds. A better place.
I'm much more of a see to believe person, and I see red.

I sat on the edge of the cliff, dangling my feet as I threw white petals down and on top of our friends.
"They're gonna come back, they always do." I whispered to myself. "They won't be human, they'll be freaks."
I angrily threw down the rest of the rose and started walking down the hillside.

"Sheesh Ave, what took you so long?" Echo asked smiling as I walked through the building door.
"Finishing the job." I said wiping blood from my face.
"Oh." She spoke looking down. "Well that's depressing."
"I guess." I spat.
"You don't have to be such a jerk about it!" She angrily yelled.
"And you don't need to be poking through everyone's business." I retorted.
"I don't even understand why we listen to you!"
"Because, the rest of you can't get it through your thick skulls, that we're all going to be dead!" I screamed. "The only person who actually has the slightest grip on that idea, is Liza!" I finished my raid panting.
"Well if that's how you feel? Fine. I'll leave!" She said storming out of the room.
What just happened? Did I just say that? Oh, God damn it Avery, get your head out of your ass.
I ran out the building in search of Echo.
Coming around the corner I ran into a friendly face. It was Zeus.
"Woah, going somewhere?" He said grabbing my shoulder.
"H-Have you seen Echo?" I heavily breathed.
"No. Why?! Did something happen?" He said, now shaking me a bit.
"Y-Yes. We got in an argument and she stormed off." I pouted.
With tears now streaming down my face, Zeus and I both turned our heads in the direction of a high pitched scream.
"No." I whispered.
I was sprinting now, Zeus was only a few feet behind.
"H-Hurry!" I panicked, almost tripping. My heart was pounding so loud I didn't even hear his reply.
I was now running so hard my vision was blurring.
"I-I've got to save her. I can't lose her to." I reminded myself.
We made it to a dark alleyway, only a few gurgles could be heard. As we neared the end I fell to my knees. My best friend, gone.
"N-No." Zeus said walking into the alley. "H-How could you let this happen?"
Was he yelling at me?
"W-What?" I said turning my head ever so slightly. He wasn't looking at me, he was looking at his hands.
"It-it's my fault." He said crying.
"No Zeus, it was mine." I started crawling towards him. "She ran because of me. I did it."
He looked at me in disbelief.
"It was both of ours." He said looking down.
I didn't know what to say. Instead, I brought him into a hug.
"It was not yours." I whispered. "Only mine."
As Zeus walked back, I stayed. Don't worry, I gave him my weapons.

"I'm so sorry, Echo. It was my fault. You didn't deserve to die, I did. Rest in peace kid."

I pulled the white rose out of my pocket and set it on her. The white was soon gone and all there was, was red.
I understand now Han. We leave white because the dead themselves can turn the roses RED.