Paper Towns~ A Continuation

Chapter 10. Paper Memories

Let's just say that me trying to murder Lacey didn't exactly put me on the government's good side.

They locked me in a four-walled, windowless cell yesterday when I had my tantrum and haven't let me out since. They haven't said one word to me yet. Because of being cut off from all social contact, I have no freaking clue what could be going on in the outside world right now. 

A zombie virus could have broken out and infected everyone and I wouldn't know.

Firefly could have been renewed for another season and I wouldn't know.

Orlando Bloom could have thrown another punch at Justin Bieber and I wouldn't know.

You see, while I'm in this cell, I have to think about these kinds of things to distract myself from the current situation at hand. Because if I do start thinking about the current situation at hand, I might have another break down.

I guess Margo was right when she said that different people handle different things differently.

"Q?" Skylar, my interviewer, asks me. I didn't hear her come in the room. That's one silent door. "Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

"Did Orlando Bloom almost-punch Justin Bieber again?"

"Uhm...no."

"Oh."

"They're holding Margo's funeral today," she says. "You're welcome to come, if you'd like."

"Oh. I guess I'll go," I reply, my voice cracking and eyes starting to burn from almost-tears. I clear my throat. "I just thought, like, I wouldn't be able to go because I attacked a person in a police station and stuff."

"Well, we know that Margo is very important to you. I mean, of course you're going to have to attend the funeral with a few police officers if you decide to go."

"Okay. Thank you," I say.

And then she says, "We don't know how long you're going to be sentenced to prison."

And then I say, "Oh," because I don't really know how else to reply to that.

~

 We take a police car to the funeral. The funeral is being held at the cemetery closest to my house and Margo's parents' house. The car ride itself wasn't too awkward, surprisingly. Skylar doesn't start up any conversation, nor did the two police officers in the front seat. The car is just filled with sadness. And silence.

I look down at my outfit and realize that I'm not exactly wearing funeral-appropriate clothes. My blue T-shirt and jeans are gonna stand out in a group of dark tuxedos and black dresses.

While I become aware to this fashion disaster, the car comes to a halt, and I come to the full realization that I am at Margo Roth Spiegelman's funeral.

 Skylar steps out of the car and opens my door for me, but I don't move. I just stare at Skylar in total, paralyzing fear. I don't want to go to this funeral anymore.

She smiles at me kindly. "It's okay to be afraid. You've gotta face your fear sometime."

I stare at her.

"Q...are you alright?"

I slowly, slowly get out of the vehicle. "Yes."

Skylar gives me another one of her kind smiles and guides me over to a group of people clad-in-black. They're all surrounding a closed coffin, and a few of them are crying, including Margo's little sister. A few of them glare at me.

I stare at a wooden coffin which undoubtedly contains Margo's body.

I wonder if Margo still has the bullet wound, I think to myself, which is stupid, because bullet wounds just don't miraculously go away. I wonder if Margo forgives me for taking her to stupid Sea World. I wonder if Margo even wants me at her funeral. I wonder if this is my tragedy.

The way I figure it, everyone gets a tragedy, and everyone gets a miracle. My miracle happens to be Margo Roth Spiegelman and my tragedy happens to also be Margo Roth Spiegelman, which is kinda ironic once you think about it; My tragedy was caused by my miracle.

And I begin to remember Margo's smile and how stubborn she was and how complex she was and I realize I'll never be able to witness Margo being Margo again.

All I have left are paper memories.

________________________________________

author's note: That's it. That's the end of this book. Thank you all so, so much for supporting me in this story! I hope you enjoyed this book in its entirety. (If you happened to be a bit confused at the end of this chapter with the whole "tragedy" and "miracle" thing, go reread the first chapter and hopefully it'll make more sense!)

Wow! This is a great accomplishment for me because this is my first story I've ever finished on Wattpad. I'm gettin' kinda emotional...

And, for the final time, vote and comment if you enjoyed this story :) Thank you!

                                                                                        ~Holly