Force You Down

Epilogue

"Police officer Jerry Homlin has something to say." A lady speaks into the microphone, stepping off the podium and letting Officer Jerry take her place.

"It is with sincere sadness that we announce the missing teen Jacklyn Cordy has passed away." He blinks against the many bright flashes in the crowd. He glances at the news camera and continues on.

"My partner and I found Jacklyn pinned down in the middle of the street by her kidnapper on June 27th, at 11:37 p.m. She was immediately taken to the hospital where she was resuscitated and place in urgent care. Jacklyn remained in a coma for a month before peacefully passing away last night. A moment of silence for the loss of a young soul." Officer Jerry finishes. A remorseful silence rang through the air.

A week later, across the city, the Cordy family huddled together at Jacklyn's funeral. The mother, April, was too filled with grief to utter a single word. The father, Thomas, hugged his eldest daughter Sabrina as she wept for the loss of her little sister. Jacklyn's two older brother's stood in silence, staring at Jacklyn's white coffin, which was decorated in her favorite flowers.

"I thought she would wake up. The doctor said she was lucidly dreaming the entire coma." April spoke, and the family looked at her sadly, shocked that she had talked for the first time since Jacklyn's death. Thomas hugged his wife tightly and kissed the top of her head.

Miles away, sitting in a cell, sat Mike Delario. He rung his hands and pulled at his hair. He had just heard the news. The loss of Jacklyn.

Mike had barely survived two gunshot wounds to his body.

Mourning, and crying hysterically, Mike realized it was him who had killed his first and only love.

Mike did not know that in two weeks time at his trial, he would plead mentally insane. He did not realize he would spent the rest of his life in a mental institution.

He only knew to mourn and fantasize about his late Jacklyn. Her beautiful face. Her sweet body. Her gentle personality.

And years later as Mike tied a noose around his neck, it was Jacklyn he thought of when he jumped off the chair, his neck broken as he swung above the floor in the simple, gray, room.