Life in the cul-de-sac was horrible. Ed had recurring nightmares about his friends and family killing themselves - like Jimmy had. But even worse, he was responsible. His conscious was eating him alive, and Eddy had proven to him that he couldn't tell anyone. It was his dangerous secret…he could never tell. Never. His head had been wrapped in bandages for about a week, and he had just gotten them removed. But the wounds on the inside couldn't be removed, never. If he could turn back the hands of time, and be a little more understanding to Jimmy, he would give his own life to do so. At night he would cry himself to sleep over Jimmy, and knew that Jimmy was watching over him angrily from a cloud in Heaven, or Hell.
Jimmy had left the world in peace, and only Sara knew. In a way, she felt responsible. Responsible for not stopping Jimmy. He was her best friend…right? Of course she was. But was she really, if she had let him die? She had no idea why he had killed himself… all she knew was she was responsible. And she had to repent for the horrible thing she had done.
It was all too real. It was a nightmare…a nightmare that the entire neighborhood wanted to wake up from. A second victim to the cruelty of life had been struck. A second victim left unknown.
As the casket was pulled up the hill, one girl and four boys stood solemnly there in the rain. The deceased's face was unable to be seen, but it all became shockingly true. The one in the casket was Sara…her face blue, eyes closed. The rest of her body was pale and cold, lifeless…it was apparent she had done this herself. Eddy was the first to come up. His eyes were red and puffy, tears rolled off his cheeks and chin, landing on his soaked shirt. He opened his mouth, but the words wouldn't come out. Finally, he just fell onto the casket, sobbing. Ed walked up to his friend and patted his friend on the shoulder before picking him up and guiding him back.
"Baby sister…I don't know why you would do this to yourself. Double D said it had something to do with Jimmy's death…well, I don't know about that. You could've just came to me… It's been lonely around here since you…hung…" His lip trembled and he took a deep breath. "…yourself. Mom and Dad say we might have to move…well, I don't want to leave my friends. And I know you wouldn't want us to leave you here…" He broke out crying after the last word and covered his face, tiny drops of rain falling onto his exposed neck. Time seemed to stand still. It seemed like hours there, yet only seconds…before Double D put a hand on his shoulder. "Ed…you'd better go home now. They're going to bury her." And as Ed walked away, he whispered to the corpse, which seemed to listen…
"Protect us…protect us all."