EEnE-Smooth Criminal-Chap. 19

The place: Peach Creek
The Time: July 28th, 1926 11:32 a.m.

Her hair swayed back in forth as she walked down the busy market streets, the blonde catching the sun light just right and making it shine. It had been a year since that night at the auditorium and May could remember it like it was just yesterday.

A few people bumped into May as she tried to get to a cart filled with apples. She was low at the shelter and needed to stock up. As she grabbed a few apples she looked around her and sighed. It was amazing to her how calm everyone seemed to be. The police had managed to keep the massacre at the theater under wraps and out of public knowledge fairly well, and no one seemed to notice, or care.

But May could remember it so easily. She sometimes felt that the people of Peach Creek should know what happened. How friends became enemies and enemies became friends. How one person gave up a part of themselves to save others, and how one person lost themselves in their own hatred.

The Vexations broke up only a few months after that night, mistrust overcoming them. Kevin felt betrayed by Marie and Nazz felt betrayed by the Vexations constantly underestimating her. Jonny, shaken up by seeing Plank in the Crimson Renegades, left Peach Creek to start over. Rolf decided to try and live a clean life, no longer being a member of any gang. May could only hope that he could stick to it.

The Heretics were still together, but in the shadows . They were keeping quiet, still trying to recover from the blow they had received. Ana and Double D had managed to recover fairly enough, but Eddy still had nightmares of that night, waking up in the night screaming, covered in his own sweat. Despite knowing that Ed had turned into something cold, something terrible, Eddy still had trouble overcoming his guilt. Even after hearing the news of Ed's whereabouts, Eddy still had trouble coming to grips with his past.

Ed survived that night. Despite being shot by Eddy, Ed was saved by a few stragglers in the aftermath of the massacre, before any police had arrived. It's rumored that it took months for Ed to recover without any professional care, but has managed to get back on his feet. It's uncertain if Ed will attempt to restart the Crimson Renegades. Those who would join; young gang members and general criminals, had heard about that night and the disaster it resulted in and have stayed far away from Ed. May could only pray that Ed would realize that Eddy and the other Heretics had learned the error of their ways and perhaps begin to forgive them. May felt that deep down within Ed there was still a glimmer of hope that he could turn his life around.

May paid for her apples and other groceries and began to head back to the shelter. She inhaled deeply before exhaling and giving a slight smile to the world.

"All I can do is hope that the worst is in the past and the future holds nothing but good things. For everyone." She said aloud, walking off into the busy streets of Peach Creek.



The End.