Anchor Grind (H.S. / A.U.)

Chapter 34

TRIGGER WARNING: Gun Violence, Young Adult Violence, and School Shooting Violence Ahead for the next few chapters!

Alanis POV

Four days have passed.

I haven't been able to keep anything besides soup or toast down. I cry at night and refuse to shower. I think my hair looks like a bird's nest and the dark circles that surround my eyes have taken permanent residency.

It doesn't matter how much Levi and I bickered, or the fact he annoyed the shit out of me, I even sometimes wish he would go away... this is never what I wanted. He was my brother and I loved him. I had always been jealous of Levi for my whole life, but I never expected to have a life without him in it.

After Tessie's words shocked me to my core I crumpled into the ground, taking everything with me. Mom was the first to find me on the floor after knocking over a cooling rack she sat out on the counter. It was haphazardly now tossed on the ground while I was slumped with my back to the cabinets, clutching the phone and shaking. I couldn't even tell her, because I didn't know what to say.

Heaven and Poppy were close behind and they could see from the look of me that something big had just happened, and it wasn't going to be good news. Mom's initial thought was about dad of course and she too was frozen in time. Poppy had to end up taking the phone from me to try and figure out what was happening and what caused the dramatic shift in my world.

Eleven students. Eleven were shot, but only three died. One of them was Levi. A bullet had hit through his chest cavity and he bled out quickly at the hospital. At least that's what they said on the news.

It was everywhere and you couldn't escape it.

A mass shooting at a college campus.

Who would do such a thing? It was horrendous to hear and they played it nonstop on a loop. Discussing the shooter, the victims, the entire lead up to the event. Apparently being an outcast is now an excuse for wanting to take daddy's shotgun to school along with some hand guns and raining bullets down on others who never paid you mind. That was the news mentioned about the event.

That's what they called it even, an event.

The news tried not to glorify the killer, but there were some people who already had turned it into a stunt or a joke. Some believed the entire thing to be staged or a conspiracy. How is killing innocent people in any form like this able to be disregarded by some? Meanwhile, I can't remember how to shower or get out of bed. Mom hasn't talked to me or anyone since that night. I haven't seen her leave her room.

Dad came home. I don't know who called him, or when. But he was here and taking care of us both, putting his own broken heart off to the side to try and mend his family and create some sort of solidarity between the three remaining members.

Poppy and Heaven were taking turns checking on me and taking care of Domino as well. They decided to talk to Heather and Walter for me, breaking the news that I won't be able to work this week and apparently Heather paid me regardless. I still saw the crumpled bills sitting on my nightstand where Poppy laid them last night.

Tomorrow Levi's body will be here and there is going to be a funeral. I already saw that someone had picked out a black dress for me, velvet with a cinched waist, flared skirt, and long sleeves. The neckline was barely scalloped to not show off very much and overall it was more on the classy side. It was not something I would normally have owned. Someone specifically bought it and hung it up there, knowing I wouldn't have anything. My money is on Heaven because of the look.