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.749Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCdRPH2YsKD
749Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGPnhZmh44c
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.749Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTjQzaTDDW
749Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNt7Xm6vNUq
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…749Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRGb96C17w2
749Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTvdVmDwTV0
“Daisy…”749Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJS6HRxh1Hw
749Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtYgS3p5Wu
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.749Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkYhiE1OAXP
I turned away, anticipating more tears and words that would cut into my already aching heart. But…749Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrrMaHBgZpc
749Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4nxSGEz4R
I didn’t expect her to get up. I didn’t expect her to face him with blazing eyes and spit out the words,749Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6oWvJx3nd
749Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU0ST2xO19Y
“You killed them. You…”749Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLh0X1fDPE
To be continued...
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