Dreamcatcher

Chapter Fifty-Seven: Moving On

One would've expected to not attend any classes but interviews for the next few hours, given that that was a police officer's duty, but due to the fact that they were paid off by Sean Prescott, there was no interviews or detective work into the death of Kate Marsh. Had they not been influenced by the Prescott's, the authorities would do everything in their power to bring the perpetrators to justice.

But now, Blackwell was in ruin; and so was Kate and Max and anybody else who looked inside of themselves and realised how their seemingly harmful actions were taken too far.

The memorial outside of the girl's dormitory had a large board with messages from students who wished to send their thoughts and prayers with Kate. There were flowers, a large wooden cross, dozens of candles and a portrait of Kate smiling.

By the time it was sunset, the Blackwell and American flags were hung at half-mast. Clark Price was sitting all by himself at the steps of Blackwell Academy, staring at the orange blur beneath dark clouds while a cool breeze swept through. In between his legs was the cage of Kate's pet rabbit, Alice. In his hand, Clark cradled the white-furred rabbit with black ears and black eye folds.

For hours, he was incapable of calming down as the recurring thought taunted him that he had failed to protect Kate Marsh, somebody whom he loved like family beyond anything else. And he let her down. Clark sorrowfully stared indirectly at the blank emptiness and void warmth of the sun setting. By wallowing in grief, Clark began to reach certain levels of loneliness and depression that he believed was what Kate herself experienced similarly.

The teardrops that lightly patted Alice's back left the domestic pet unbothered as it also came to experience loneliness from her late mother, Kate.

Ring, ring...

Ring, ring...

Ring, ring...

Ring, ring...

Ring, ring...

Ring, ring...

Ring, ring...

The never-ending stream of phone calls left Clark unbothered as he watched a circular silhouette slowly block the sunlight. The unexpected eclipse brought mystery as to what typhoon of chaos would tear Arcadia Bay to shreds in the following days remaining. Others who came to notice this didn't think much of it, rather believing it to be a once in a lifetime occurrence.

"Clark?" A voice rang out, drawing the boy's attention from his wallowing to a familiar face approaching him.

Slowly, he craned his head around in the direction of the voice and smiled weakly at Warren Graham approaching him.

"What are you doing out here all by yourself?"

Clark sniffled and ran his forearm across his eyes. "Just... just grieving."

"I heard about how close you were. It's a real shit go, man."

He sat down beside Clark and looked at the rabbit in his hands.

"What's its name?" Warren asked.

"Alice. Her name is Alice."

"She's beautiful."

"She was Kate's. Now... I'm going to look after her. Hey. Do you think it's weird... the snow, the eclipse... do you think something bad's coming?"

Warren let out a long exhale and ran his hand through his hair. That same hand went down to his cheekbone where he once got punched by Nathan Prescott for getting up in his business.