Flowers for you

Epilogue

Nathan.

My heart constricts as I trace the name on the gravestone. Nathan. I don't think I can ever learn to forgive myself for what happened. Even until the end he had tried to protect me. Even until the end, he was there.

I taste the saltiness of my tears as I leave a bouquet of roses on his grave. Wiping the tears off my face I stand up and feel a small, yet reassuring hand grip my shoulder. I turn and find the brightest shade of red hair. Her eyes still held the sadness and fear of being a captive but in her eyes there was also my hope, and relief.

Jasmin smiles at me. A small smile that is both reassuring and comforting. Scars adorn her wrists from where she was chained but they were healing, now. It's been months since the rest house. I still couldn't wrap my head around all of it but what mattered was Jasper was gone. It was by luck that his uncle had managed to call back up before he went down. Me and Jasmin wouldn't have probably made it. Or maybe I wouldn't have, if the cops didn't come the moment they did.

New outlets gobbled up the news like it was the first food they have come in contact with after years of starvation. My face was plastered in every news article. Jasmin's. The rest house was sold by Nathan's parents. Then they moved somewhere far away. I don't know much about them now. I close my eyes, willing the tears to stop. I feel Jasmin's hand take mine and grip it tight.

When I open my eyes again, I see the blue sky. The sun had no right to shine so bright that day. Maybe I just felt like I had no right to see it. I feel Jasmin tug at my hand and I look down at her. She looked worried, but she masked her feeling with a smile bright enough it could rival the sun. I smile back. She was here now. She was safe. At least Jasmin was safe. I send a silent prayer to Nathan, thanking him before we walk out the cemetery hand in hand.

No one had answers about why Jasper had become who he was. I just knew it had everything to do with Rosemary. I still held the scar of my sins inside me. Jasper had given me a real scar to remember it. Sometimes I think I could feel the wound on my back reopening. I had dreams where blood kept coming out and I couldn't stop it. We got inside the car and Jasmin leaned her head on my shoulder. I watch the world move outside as my mother drives us to our last destination before Jasmin and I move out of the town to live together at Uni.

We passed by the cafe Jasper took me. I couldn't find it in my heart to go and tell her about Jasper. She had probably already read about it. I just wasn't brave enough. I look away from the window and watch my mom drive. The ride was silent, and I actually preferred it that way now.

I find myself being woken up by Jasmin, saying we arrived. I look out the window and see hills with headstones sprouting out of them like flowers. We get out of the car, my mother carrying the bouquets of roses we had bought with us. She asked the caretaker where we would find the burial grounds and he took us to it.

We walked under the sun for a while, until the caretaker stopped and pointed towards a small tomb. We walked towards it and when we entered, I felt myself freeze. A woman was leaning over a headstone, cleaning it up. Her hair was fading, but it was no doubt the same color as Jasmine, only it had seen more years. The whole place was filled with flowers. It almost looked like a greenhouse, if it weren't for the pictures placed on a mantle high above.

Jasper smiles at me from the frame and I felt something in my heart break. I had actually really loved him. Beside him was a picture of a little girl I would now know anywhere. She smiles at me and I felt the guilt weigh me down. Rosemary.

The woman before us turns and I see a resemblance, but couldn't really be sure so I kept quiet as my mom initiated a conversation with her. Me and Jasmin walk over to the graves. I look up at Jasper's photo again. He didn't look like someone who was capable of murdering 6 people. We came here to pay our respects, despite what happened.

I still couldn't wrap my head around all of it, but the least I could do was this. Jasper was in so much pain and somehow I felt like it was my fault. I crouch down to touch his grave. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't help you. I'm sorry for what happened.

I cry. I feel Jasmin holds me as she let me sob against her. I didn't care that they could all see me. Jasper had been a victim too.

When we leave the cemetery. I feel a little lighter than before. I watched the cemetery become smaller and smaller as we drove away from it. I look back at the front and watch the road ahead. Jasmin falls asleep on my shoulder. I look at her and look down at our clasped hands.

My heart does a little kick as I see what she was holding in her other hand. I had not remembered her picking it out of the tomb.

Clasped between her fingers was a single budding daisy.

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Authors note: It's finally done!! Thank you so much for being on this journey with me. I hope I'll be able to improve my writing, especially when it comes to thrillers or mystery stories. I hope you guys enjoyed reading this. I'll be releasing the alternate endings one of these days. (The other choices). Thank you again, for sticking with me and this story. I really truly appreciate it. 

Also, I am going to be releasing a prequel to this. The title will be : Rosemary. 

It's already obvious what it is going to be about. I hope you look out for it. :)