Flash Of Life

Epilouge

I don't know how to do this. I found her diary when I was going through her stuff last week. So I guess I'll start with how she started this. But bare with me...

Hi there! My name is Kelly Elaine Chase. Call me Kelly, I guess. I'm a little emotional, especially after reading through this and now finishing it for Mary. Oh, by the way, before I continue, that was me at the end of the last part. I had gone to stop Mary, but I was too late. And when I saw that Kayla jumped with her, I fell to my knees at the sight I saw. They were holding hands. I called 911 while on my knees, bawling my eyes out. I was so devastated.

The ambulance came, or rather two of them. They tried to revive Kayla and Mary but it was to late. Because they committed suicide on a Monday, the district decided to close school on Tuesday so the kids could have time to grieve and talk with grief counselor's if they wanted to. I stayed home. I was too upset.

About half way through the day, at about noon time, Eileen and Holly came over. We just stayed in my room and cried together. They even spent the night. They were too shaken up to drive home.

About a week after Mary and Kayla committed suicide, the services occurred. Kayla was first, with her wake on a Tuesday, and her funeral on a Wednesday. Mary's wake was on a Thursday and her funeral was on a Friday. I guess Kayla's guardians didn't want a joint wake and funeral, but they agreed for the girls to be buried next to each other. Kayla's guardians bought a spot next to Mary's.

Kayla's wake and funeral were extremely crowded. She had friends from her previous school there and nearly her entire town. I guess she was popular in York; her old town. One of her friends gave an excellent eulogy. I think her name was Ivy but I forget. I just know it ended with some sort of 'e' sound. It was short, also. Two of her friends, Lea and Ava, twins, performed a song for Kayla. Let me tell you, they had the whole church in tears. They had beautiful voices. Now of course I'm sure they sound better when they're not choking the words out over tears. They sang a song called Ten Thousand Angels Cried by Leann Rimes. It was a beautiful song.

Mary's funeral was just as crowded. When I got there, I tried looking for her aunt. I couldn't find her, so I figured she was to sick to make it. Anyway, I sat with our friends up front and the mass started. When it came time for the eulogies, Ms. Burke and Ms. Osgood from school gave them. Apparently, Mary left them a note in their room. The eulogies were short, but I feel it's important to say some of the important things in here.

-Ms. Burke-
"Mary was my one of my Honors English students as a sophomore. I loved having her in class. She was the smartest one. I'll never forget how she always came to myself or my fellow colleague, Ms. Kathleen Osgood, if something was troubling her. I can't express how much I thought of her as a second daughter to me. I thought the world of her. I loved her so much." She started crying. "But me being her teacher, I could never say that to her. I wish I had. Now she's gone and she will never know. I feel so bad, like I should've known something about this. I could've stopped her or at least been there for her. This is going to be a nightmare. Without Mary, I don't see any point in moving forward." She paused. "But I have to, she would've wanted me to. And I have to be strong for my family. For myself, too." She looked up like she was looking at heaven. "I'm going to miss you so much, Mary! Watch over me. I love you!"

Of course that wasn't the whole eulogy. I just took parts out of the 3 page eulogy. But that last part was really emotional and got the majority of the church in tears. If nearly everyone was crying, I can't imagine what Ms. Osgood is going to say.

-Ms. Osgood-
"Please excuse me, but my eulogy will be similar to Ms. Abigail Burke's." She took a deep breath. "I had Mary in Honors English when she was a freshman, and this year as a junior. She always maintained the perfect average of a an 'A'. One of the smartest ones in my class. I had mentioned her moving up to A.P but she didn't want to." She was now shaking. "I can't believe I'm not going to see her again!" Now she's crying. "It's going to be so hard for me to teach the rest of her class without her in it. Aside from that, my family and I were planning to adopt her so she wouldn't have to go to an orphanage. I don't know what I'm going to tell my girls. They were so excited to have a big sister." She paused. "I loved Mary like she was my own. I'm going to miss her so much!" She looked up to the heavens. "I love you, Mary!"

Same thing as Ms. Burke's, I didn't write the whole 3-page thing, I just took parts out here and there.

Both eulogies got the church in tears. It just showed how much Mary was loved. I don't know why she couldn't see that. I wish she told me she was suicidal; I could've helped her or at least shown her that she was loved. The worst part, Mary's mom didn't even come. She had the option to be escorted by police, but she chose not to.

--

Anyways, it's now Monday, April 20th, and I am at school. Mary and Kayla were just buried on Monday because the ground was obviously frozen in January, February, and part of March. I guess the people in the cemetery decided to wait. Apparently Mary's aunt died the day after she found out about Mary's suicide. I guess her heart gave out when she heard the news. So now Rebecca is on Mary's dad's left, Mary is on his right, and Kayla is in her own spot to Mary's right.

Believe it or not, I got a schedule change. I am now in Mary's Honors English class with Ms. Osgood. I'll be the first to say that she is a wreck. She can't think straight and is having a hard time teaching. If she's this worse, I can't imagine how Ms. Burke is doing.

I, myself, am currently in a therapy session with Holly and Eileen. Well, not exactly currently. I'm in class. What I mean to say is that we go once a week. I really don't know how Mary did this, I can't even write correctly. Well, it's last block and I'm in English. Ms. Osgood is getting better but she's still a wreck.

The bell rang and class was dismissed. I waited until everyone else was out to go up to Ms. Osgood.

"How you doing?" I asked her.

"Miserable!" She said with her head in her hands.

"I don't know if this will help, but they are engraving her into the headstone today. I'm stopping by on my way home today."

Ms. Osgood started crying. So I went behind her desk and patted her shoulder. I kept telling her that it's alright and that we will get through this. She told me thanks and I left. I went up a flight of stairs to Ms. Burke's room.

I walk in her room and she has her head buried in her arms on her desk. I could hear her stifled sobs.

"You're just as bad!" I said walking in.

"Kelly!" She looked up. "What are you doing here?" She asked wiping her tears away.

"I came to see how you were doing, and from the looks of it, just as bad as Ms. Osgood." I answered.

"I just miss her so much!" She said with tears streaming down her face again.

So I went over and did to her what I did to Ms. Osgood. Patted her back, told her it would be okay, and that we would get through this.

"I don't know if you're interested, but the cemetery is engraving Mary into the headstone today. I'm stopping there once I leave."

"I'm definitely going. Thank you!" She said.

I walked out of her room and down 2 flights of stairs. I went to my locker and got my stuff. Then I walked out the front door.

--

I arrived at the cemetery and found Mary's spot. I walked up to it to see that they already engraved it. But I read Kayla's first. It was just a little stone in the ground.
"Kayla Emma Green
July 13th, 1997-January 16th, 2014
Taken too young."

Then I read Mary's aunts engravement.
"Rebecca Ann Larson
September 23, 1975-January 18, 2014
Forever will be loved."

Then Mary's dads engravement.
"Mark Joseph Larson
January 12, 1972-July 26th, 2008
Loving Husband and Father."

Finally, Mary's engravement.
"Mary Casey Larson
February 3, 1997-January 16th, 2014
Loved by many."

I know she wanted "Forever will be missed" but I couldn't deal with that. So I took a deep breath and went back to my car. As I got in, I looked back at her grave and saw something. I looked harder and realized it was Mary, or her ghost, or spirit or whatever. She was looking at her engravement. She looked up at me after about a minute. She smiled and gave me a thumbs up before blowing a kiss my way and disappearing.

Did my eyes just see that? Well, either way. It's all going to be okay.