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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN! ( DEATH OF AN ANGEL. )
JO HEARD HER name being spoken and felt herself being shaken awake softly. She pushed the person off and buried her face back into her pillow. Was it morning already?
She finally decided to look at the person when they didn't leave. It was Charlie. He had tears streaming down his face. His eyes were red.
"Charlie. Charlie, what's wrong?" Jo questioned, sitting up. She had an awful feeling in her gut. She looked at the doorway to see Knox and Pitts. Violet was already awake and crying with Meeks' arms wrapped around her.
"What happened?" she asked again, panic rising in her throat.
"Neil. Neil's dead," Charlie said shakily, taking her hand into his.
"No he's not. No, he can't be," she shook her head and pulled her hand away from Charlie's. Jo stared at Charlie for a moment, still shaking her head. Charlie only began to cry more and he stared into her eyes with a pained expression. The look on Charlie's face told her heart that it was true, even though her mind wouldn't let her believe it. A few warm tears hit her bed-sheets, but she hardly noticed. Jo's heart was pounding in her ears and her vision was growing blurry.
She stood up suddenly and left the room, needing air. It was still dark outside, not a person was in sight. She rushed down the stairs and out into the courtyard. The tears were falling freely now. Neil was never anything less than an angel, always striving to make those around him feel loved and included. And he was gone.
She knew Neil would crack under the cruel pressure of his father, she just never imagined it could go this far. Jo sank to her knees and stared up at the clouds that sailed rapidly past the moon as she tried to control her erratic breathing. Everything felt terribly vivd now, the blurriness was fading into pounding, wild colour. The shadows of the buildings stood out like cutouts on the trodden snow, the damp wind whistling through the trees felt not at all melodic, but agonizingly erratic, the moon, usually giving such a soft ethereal glow, shone into her eyes like a flashlight.
After mere seconds the door opened behind her and Charlie stumbled out. He immediately wrapped his arms around her and the world crashed back into its normal softness like a tidal wave. She hugged back as she sobbed into his shoulder.
After both of their crying subsided, they decided to go for a walk. The walk was mostly silent, neither one of them wanting to speak. The sounds of the river and the trees were enough to soothe Jo's mind for the time being.
"Did you tell Todd?" she finally asked.
"I did, he just really needed to be alone," Charlie stated. Jo nodded and took Charlie's hand in hers.
"You're brave," she said.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, telling everyone about Neil. I wouldn't be able to do it," she admitted. As soon as she said Neil's name another tear fell down her cheek. Charlie squeezed her hand tighter. The sky was slowly becoming brighter. The heavy overcast blocked most of the sky, but Jo could tell the sun was rising now.
