It felt odd, standing there…Both Jolly and Pinky were six feet under. Most adults who had come for the funeral had fled. Fled as fast as they could after necessary painful “paying the respects” was done. My parents had left too. But we hung around…A small group of kids bewildered…and scared…Not just by how close death came to us…But…Also about how the word murderer suddenly became more than something in a novel or the headline in a newspaper. Guess that’s how things work. Nothing’s real unless it happens to you.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7UAXP8JDb
683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxjWo45vBk
I stood in the living room of Jolly’s house, my eyes fixed on Jolly’s mother. Guilt was eating my heart even though I kept telling myself I had no reason to be. I wasn’t some superhero on television. My power was close to useless.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6DJVsKk5nL
683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvPj9f98lA
A small figure, huddled in a corner groaned. I couldn’t look at her, at Jolly’s mother, without wanting to scream. Aunt Daisy whom I had known since I was a little girl, the kindest, sweetest woman I had ever seen. She didn’t deserve to have her heart broken like this. I couldn’t even imagine what it would feel to lose two daughters…That too…683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLB9FpqgQ51
683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPw5AF0IdKP
“Daisy…”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpOV4Ba2rU
683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHKtSJKLOW
Jolly’s father, Uncle Elias, had once been an energetic charismatic man. He looked old now. Too old. Innumerable lines were etched on his face, as if an inexperienced carpenter went haywire with the chisel. His legs swayed now and then as he moved towards his wife.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIzejL6xMtH
I turned away, anticipating more tears and words that would cut into my already aching heart. But…683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡErw7bbdOjP
683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6lG6SckrGA
I didn’t expect her to get up. I didn’t expect her to face him with blazing eyes and spit out the words,683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqAeRaYWaz
683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTceQDnBiOz
“You killed them. You…”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVy0hlFc7hh
To be continued...
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