𝓮𝓹𝓲𝓵𝓸𝓰𝓾𝓮
—𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦—

❝ 𝓣𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓪 total of twenty-seven deaths at the Abraham Lincoln High School massacre," Brent speaks from the podium, his eyes gazing over the hundreds of people in front of him. "And I witnessed many of them, including that of my best friend. And what I know is that this . . . needs to be stopped. Odette Carswell saved nearly seventy students, and we will forever be in debt to her sacrifice as she attempted to stop the gunman."

He pauses, swallowing back his tears for the moment, "And tonight we light lanterns to release into the sky to remember the twenty-four students and three staff that we lost yesterday. To the many that saved others in their time of need. And to their families, who we'll always think of as we walk through the hallways."

Brent looked to the memorial dedicated to Odette that was surrounded by flowers and cards and pictures, to Claire's. Their picture was posted on a board for all to see, followed by that of every other's. He couldn't bare to keep his eyes on them, knowing that it would only break his heart into more pieces than it already was.

Brent took a lantern into his hands, lighting it as his tears finally became visible. Carter and Braylin stood on each side of him, a lantern in their hands, too. Beginning with Brent, everyone in the crowd lifted their laterns into the night sky, and watched as they were lifted and blended into the starlight.

There was an instance in which Brenton couldn't speak— not because he didn't want to, but because there were no words of consolation that could drip like warm honey from his lips and make them all forget.

But as he glanced behind him, his lantern floating upon the gentle summer wind, he stopped in his place; because there, just beyond the vast crowd, he could have swore he saw Odette and Claire smile softly to him, just before they, too, faded into the dark.

_______