SUNSHINE POV

It was eleven thirty two, and the heat topped out at ninety six degrees on July eleventh 1969 (A/N I'm not precise on the dates.) I woke up confused because it was Smalls that was shaking me awake.

"What? What time is it?" I mumbled sitting up and glancing at the clock. "Why didn't anyone wake me?" I demanded now wide awake.

"Toni-"

"Seriously it's almost noon, why didn't Benny come get me?"
"Toni-"

"Jesus and I still need to eat and-"

"SUNSHINE!" Smalls yelled at me, I immediately stopped talking and stared at him. He looked devastated and for a second one stupid second I thought he was upset about something Hailey did.

"What's wrong?" I asked. Smalls looked up at me his eyes clouded as tears fell down his cheeks. "Smalls." I said getting worried, smalls was the most emotional out of us but it was rare to see him cry these days, I shifted and sat on my knees in front of him. "What is it?' I hesitantly asked. He slowly lifted his eyes to look at me.

"Mr. Myrtle's dead." he whispered.

I don't think I breathed for a few minutes, my blood ran cold and his words echoed in my mind even though I refused to believe it. Mr. Myrtles dead. Words I never thought I would ever hear.

"What?" the word was out before I could think about it.

"He's dead." Smalls choked out voice filled with tears and anguish.

"No, he, he can't be he-"

"He is." I turned from him running a hand over my hair, then digging my fingers into my hair and pulled. No, no he was lying. He couldn't be dead. I turned to look at Smalls, hoping, praying to see him smiling or laughing at my face but he wasn't. He still looked broken.

"How?" I croaked out.

"He was sick."
"With a cold! He said it was a cold!" I said getting up not able to sit anymore I needed to move do something, anything.

"It was more then a cold, Benny and I went to visit him." Oh god Benny. "They're taking the body away now, I ran here to tell you." Smalls said keeping sobs in his throat but unable to keep the tears at bay.

I wasn't crying, but I knew it was because I hadn't processed it yet. I didn't feel sadness, I felt nothing. Mr. Myrtle was a great man, he treated us like his own kids, he was a hero, and he taught me things my father never did. He was a hero, a legend and Legends weren't supposed to die!

"Benny?" I asked, Benny loved Mr. Myrtle I knew he did, he loved him like his own dad and this would crush him.
"I don't know." Smalls shook his head. I ran for the window and smalls followed me close behind, I didn't care that I was still in fabric shorts and a flimsy off the shoulder cut shirt and bare foot I needed to see Benny. I ran to his house and knocked on the door.

His mom opened the door she had glistening track marks down her cheeks.

"Benny?" I asked she shook her head to let me know that he wasn't there. "When?" I asked.

"About twenty minutes ago." she said answering the question I didn't need to ask. Twenty minutes ago Benny and smalls went to see Mr. Myrtle, Twenty minutes ago they had found him dead.

I turned and ran, I ran as fast as I could to Mr. Myrtles house, the police had already arrived and were surrounding the house. Caution tape surrounded the property and a large crowd had Gathered.

I could see Benny in the middle of the Property he wasn't moving just stood there like stone.

"Benny! Benny!" I yelled but he seemed Numb like he couldn't see or hear a damn thing. I ran towards him but the tape and another officer Blocked me.

"Whoa there Toni you can't go in there." he said. I looked up and noticed it was Yeah yeah's dad.
"Please." I begged. "Please I need to see Benny." I pleaded with him. He looked at me for a moment and then nodded letting me go under the tape. I rushed towards Benny and he still hadn't moved. "Benny." I whispered. Only when I put my hand on his arm did he react only then. And he wrenched away from me like I had burned him. "Benny." I whispered again, I didn't know what to say, what do you say to someone at a time like this.? You can't say you're sorry cause that makes it seem like it's someones fault, I wanted to help him but I couldn't, not unless I could bring Mr. Myrtle back.

"He's not dead." Benny spoke so low I almost didn't hear him. He started to shake is head frantically trying to hold back tears. "Hes not dead."

"Benny, just relax okay?" I went to touch his arm again but he jumped, looking up at me. His eyes were blood shot, he looked crazed and for a moment I was scared. His head shot back down squeezing his eyes shut.

"NO!" he yelled. "No! He's not dead, he can't be dead!" he screamed at me, his fists were clenched and he refused to look up.

"Benny look at me." I pleaded placing my hands on his cheeks lightly, his skin was cold despite the heat and I knew he was torn up inside.

I looked to my side seeing them taking out the body of Mr. Myrtle on a stretcher a white sheet covering his face and body. If you had not known who was dead you could think it was anyone.

Benny looked up too, and I could not read the expression on his face.

"NO!" He yelled, and turned to walk towards the stretcher but I grabbed his hand.

"Benny don't" I begged, but he pulled away from me and ran towards them.

"HES NOT DEAD!" he screamed at them grabbing onto the stretcher. "TAKE THE SHEET OFF HE'S NOT DEAD!" Benny said, as two men grabbed onto his arms and pulled him away but he held on, his knuckles white trying to hold onto Mr. myrtle for as long as he could, gripping the sheet it came off revealing Mr. Myrtles face. I choked out a sob and turned from his body, almost knowing if I looked I would break down. "LOOK HE'S BREATHING LOOK AT HIM! HE NEEDS HELP SOMEONE HELP HIM!" everyone just stared at Benny, I had never seen him so hysterical. "SOMEONE DO SOMETHING DON'T JUST STAND THERE!" I looked at Mr. Myrtle then and I understood Benny's words, Mr. Myrtle didn't look dead, he looked peaceful like he was sleeping and that just made the thought of him being gone so unbearable. But he was dead, the pillow on the stretcher was sunk in from the weight of his head and his eyes were closed, and his sunglasses were off, he was motionless, if he was alive he would have been demanding them to let him go, saying he didn't need help but he wasn't. He just laid there.

I didn't feel anything, I felt empty, I couldn't feel anything, and it was the worst feeling in the world.

They had managed to pull Benny away and called me over to help. Benny was gasping for breath, thrashing in the police officers arms. Sobs escaped his body in loud shrill yells.

"Son are you okay?" a man asked him, he was clad in uniform but I knew he wasn't from our town. The other two still holding him just trying to keep him from falling or doing something dangerous.

Benny paid him no attention he just cried.

"Kid?"

"Sir." I whispered. The man looked at me then back at Benny, the screaming Benny, then to me, he walked over leaving the others to hold him, not really knowing what else to do.

"Are you. . .?"

"I'm his girlfriend, he'll be okay." I couldn't get my voice to sound strong or convincing but he took it anyways.

"Alright." he nodded then left. I walked close to Benny.

He was broken and I had to swallow a large lump in my throat to keep from joining him.

"Benny." I said standing in front of him wanting him to look at me, When he looked up I noticed that he hadn't in fact been crying he had just been screaming in agony at the situation. I tried to look him in the eye but his were glued to the body of Mr. Myrtle. "Benny look, look at me Benny." I said my voice breaking at the look on his face, his eyes were shining with tears but they didn't fall, he looked so defeated.

He had stopped struggling and was now looking into my eyes, the men let him go, and he fell to the ground on his knees, I followed with him and held his face forcing him to look at me. But I didn't have to force it anymore he looked at me willingly never breaking my gaze.

"He's dead." he choked out. I couldn't talk, Benny needed me to be strong and I knew if I said something I would break down crying. "He's dead." he repeated I managed to nod admitting it for the first time to him and to myself.

"Come on you don't need to see this.' I whispered helping him up. He held my hand in a death grip.

"Oh God Toni." he whispered holding my face in his hands. "He was like a father figure to you." He was gripping my face a little too tight and I placed my hands over his to have him let go.

"I'm okay, let's go." I whispered. He did noting but nod as I pulled him down the road. I made sure he didn't look back at the ambulance speeding down the street.

. . . . .

I'll update soon :'(