Elder Price knows something is wrong as soon as he walks into the room. No one is talking or laughing or playing card games like they usually are. In fact, everyone looks like they've been crying.
What's going on? Elder Price wonders. Since no one seems to eager to volunteer the information, he asks. "Um…did something happen, you guys?"
Elder Poptarts stands up and clears his throat. "I'm the district leader now, Elder Price."
"What? Where's Elder McKinley?"
"He's dead." No sugar-coating, just those two words hanging there in the air.
"You're kidding, right? Elder McKinley can't possibly be…" he can't get the word out.
"He was shot by a warlord this morning. I'm sorry. I hate to be the one to tell you, Elder, but it's hard on all of us, so…"
"Shut up! I don't want to talk to any of you!"
He stomps to his room and slams the door so loudly that even Elder Cunningham knows not to disturb him.
Elder Price lies face down on his bed and thinks about the last time he saw Elder McKinley.
It had been the night before, and they were tangled together as always. Elder Price regrets taking it for granted now—if he had known, he would have taken an extra minute to look at Elder McKinley's face or held him closer than normal. He would have told him that he was the first person he'd ever loved.
But now it's too late. Elder McKinley is gone.
Elder Price hopes he ended up in whatever heaven he wanted. He hopes wherever he is, he's happy.
Most of all, he hopes that Elder McKinley's heaven includes him.