The Crescent

Chapter 36

September 9th, 2017

The Crescent's surrounding woods grew green, in the evening the summer heat parted for the chill of Autumn. Zacari felt it through her brand-new Handleton hoodie, which had a picture of her hands miming they lyrics from Hamilton's "Say No to This." She could barely believe her subscribers had wanted custom merchandise from her videos, but they had. She was crossing her fingers for her newest video she'd put out just yesterday, where she detailed the story of Will Drachman and his descent into Baker's hospital. She traced the little scar on her calf. Will wouldn't have cared one way or the other if she told his story, but she wanted to.

Lela poked her head out the front pocket and surveyed the excavation of Will's hardly-grave.

Zacari, her father, and Javier were permitted to observe the archeologists a distance away. Javier stood close to Zacari with his hand intertwined in hers as they watched men and women carefully dig the site, unearthing hundreds of milky jars of tissue, and eventually, the remains of a skeleton with faint shells of laced boots.

Will's life had ended abruptly, but Zacari was eased to know his bones were finally being relocated next to his parents, where he could rest easy. In the hotel's foyer his camera and film were displayed for guests, along with articles from The Cellardoor Journal and grainy pictures of Will smiling his half-grin and token bowtie.

So far, Allison had told Zacari, researchers knew little about Gloria except that she was a Gloria Johnson and survived by a single daughter. Research was currently underway to uncover more information on her and her life before Baker's hospital. In fact, there was a growing collection of exhibits aiming to detail the lives and deaths of patients that had checked into the Baker's hospital and never left. People are more than their demise.

Zacari laid three yellow daisies at the edge of the site, one for Will, one for Gloria, and one for the patients that might never be found.

Lela yipped suddenly.

"What's Googles barking at now?" her father said. He scratched the chihuahua under the chin. He wasn't nearly as thin anymore. In fact, he even had the beginnings of a little dad belly. Zacari smiled at him. He wasn't the same father he'd been a few months ago, but he wasn't the same father he'd been in her childhood. He was somewhere in between. Zacari was fine with that, so long as he was trying. He didn't live with her and her mother of course, but he'd moved back into town so he could see Zacari more often. He'd even asked her mother out on a date, which was happening tomorrow night. Zacari had never seen two adults so awkward.

She turned in the direction of Lela's barking, and her eyes widened. She tugged on Javier's sleeve.

Will stood at the edge of The Crescent's boundaries. He was nearly transparent, but Zacari knew that punch pink bowtie and vomit-green sweater anywhere. He smiled and lifted his hand in an awkward little wave, then stepped past the boundary and began his journey down the road before becoming a single bright smear and vanishing completely.

"Bye, Will," Zacari said.