Just Another Normal Day | ✓

+60h

🕊️

Xander felt his heart clench. All he could think about was the cafeteria.

The blood. The bullets. Vanessa.

His best friend's funeral had been the day before, and Xander was still reeling in pain.

It could have been him.

The bullet had been millimetres away from him, but it had hit Vanessa.

Xander burst into tears. He couldn't take it anymore.

He remembered all the times Vanessa and him had spent together. There had been no bullets then.

Xander was sitting on the sofa, sniffling. His eyes were unfocused as his mind wandered back to the cafeteria, where everything went wrong.

If only they had decided to play basketball or something during lunch that day.

Then, Vanessa wouldn't have died.

And Xander wouldn't have seen her leave the world right before his eyes.

The 14-year old let out a sob, clenching his fists. He just wanted things to go back to the way they used to be.

Please, God, get me out of this nightmare.

☮︎ ☮︎ ☮︎

Felix felt empty. Like a deflated balloon.

He stared off into space, his eyes playing tricks on him.

It was a Friday. Ryder and Felix should have been at school, Ryder annoying the hell out of Felix and excited for soccer practice. He should have been with Felix, laughing and smiling and joking and alive.

Felix could hear his twin in his head, making fun of his mismatched clothes and just anything in general.

Felix could imagine his brother walking into the house after soccer practice, drained of energy and asking Felix for some water.

Felix could feel Ryder slapping him on the back for being too sensitive.

Well, would you have said I'm being too sensitive if you knew what happened?

Felix looked up at his room's ceiling which was filled with glow in the dark stars.

Ryder loved them... Well, used to.

The remaining twin turned to his side, the bed sagging underneath him. He faced what used to be Ryder's side of the room, tears pricking his eyes.

His eyes wandered from the drawings on the walls, to the clothes on the floor, to the books on his desk.

Felix could feel his heart clench, as bile rose up his throat.

He let out a choked sob.

I miss you so much, Ryder.

☮︎ ☮︎ ☮︎

Janelle's room felt too small. The walls felt like they were moving in on her.

Janelle felt like she was being suffocated. Her room was too small. Too small.

Like the broom closet.

Janelle fell to her knees, her mind swarming with memories from that day.

The feeling of suffocation. Of being strangled.