Free Candy: Part 5
READ THE START OF THE STORY HERE
A week had passed. Emma had spent the time in a haze of grief and anger. After being released from the hospital, there was nothing but the emptiness around her. Her friends were gone. Cassie...Cassie had been taken from her.
Emma was numb to the world. Nights of tears, days of sleep, and shouting at the ethereal sadness around her was Emma's new routine. But this day was different.
She had funerals to attend.
She had gotten a call from Cassie's brother, Jack. She had met him a few times, and he had always been very polite and pleasant while around. He worked in the town over, but always swung by on the weekends.
Emma had been deleting several messages left by someone calling himself Redding as the week had gone by until she heard Jack's voice come through. Jack spoke softly, informing her of the date and time of Cassie's funeral. He had mentioned Tony and Rosa were being laid to rest as well, at different times.
The town only had one cemetery, and it was going to be a busy day.
Emma stood in front of her cracked mirror, her black attire matching her demeanor. She took a deep breath, and left her apartment.
Emma walked a few blocks and waited at the bus stop. The sunlight was causing her eyes to water, her week inside to blame. As she sat at the bus stop alone, her mind drifted. This town, this area, used to be so special to her, such good memories.
Now it was nothing but tragedy. Over and over again. She shook her head, hoping the thought would dissipate.
As Emma leaned forward, looking down the road in hopes of her bus arriving, she found herself frozen. A few cars were coming down the road, but one in particular had caused her heart to beat fast and frenzied. The passing traffic was a black pick-up truck, and a blue SUV. One lane over, slightly obscured by the other two vehicles, was a white van.
As the truck and SUV drove past, the van moved with them, keeping up with their speed. Emma watched in horror as the convoy drove past, and a flash of red spray paint lettering was visible as the group angled along with the road.
Emma closed her eyes and tried to slow her now rapid breathing.
"No...no...no..." She whispered. Emma forced her eyes open. The truck and SUV had stopped at a traffic signal just a little bit further down the road. They were the only vehicles on the road.
Emma stood up and looked around, searching for the van. She felt suddenly vulnerable, her fear pulsating into a rage. Her face scowled and she wanted to see the van. See its empty seats once more. Find the truth that had been weighing on her since that devastating night.
Behind her the sound of squealing brakes pierced her with fear. Emma spun around and backed up, stumbling and falling to the ground.
"No! You bastard!" Emma shouted as she fell. The loud hiss of a bus door was her only reply. Emma was still on the ground as a pudgy bus driver looked out from the open bus door.
"You alright, ma'am? Saw you take a bit of a fall there." Emma held back tears and nodded. She stood up and dusted herself before getting on the bus and paying her fare.
As her coins fell into the collection box, a white van drove by once more.
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