I must say, I'm a little dismayed. Though I suppose it was the 4th of July, so perhaps 4 reviews for the last chapter is a bit permissible.

Graduation day came for the seniors at H. G. Wells Jr./Sr. High School, and Ashley couldn't have been more relieved. Mandy hollered out to her that they had to go as she made some last-minute adjustments in her room.

"I'm ready, Mom," he called back, running down the stairs.

"Finally," Keely sighed, as they hopped into the car. "How long does it take to put on your graduation gown over something?"

"I don't like this thing," Ashley sighed, looking down. "Purple just isn't my color…"

"That shade of purple isn't really anybody's color. Don't feel too bad…"

"Yeah, thanks," Ashley said, rolling her eyes. "Really making me feel better about this whole thing… I just can't wait for it to be over…"

The class of 279 graduating seniors sat in the center of the auditorium directly in front of the stage, while other attendees sat on the sides or behind the class.

"Good afternoon, seniors," the principal of the school announced, "and congratulations. You've all managed to survive those twelve years of school you thought you'd never finish… many of you have even spent six years at this very school. I've gotten to know you all well… some people I'm very familiar with," he added, giving a glance to a select group of particularly rowdy boys. "Regardless of that, you graduates have a bright future ahead of you. I know that each and every one of you is capable of great things in the future. But in order to have a bright future, we need to make wise decisions… those decisions can greatly alter your path ahead of you… they can change who you are, or who you are not, in your future life. And while today we celebrate the senior class of 2006 moving into the 'real world', today we also take time to look back at the world the students of H. G. Wells lived in for so long. However, it was requested that I leave the stage, so now I leave the stage to Keely Teslow, a tenth-grader here at H. G. Wells."

A round of applause sounded as Keely and three other people took the stage. "Thank you," she said to the principal. "Our band," she said, gesturing to the other three people onstage alongside her, "Hansen Falls, was asked if we wanted to play a song to dedicate to my sister, who committed suicide this spring… At first, we thought it was a nice idea. But then I realized, Bonnie already knows how much I miss her. Why should I waste my time whining to a whole crowd of people when I'm only speaking to somebody that isn't even physically in the room? It would be selfish. So, the band and I discussed this for a while, and we decided on playing the song we're just about to. I'd like to thank the video productions lab for setting up the clips to go along with the performance…" Keely nodded to the band. The lights went off, and the video projection screen came down.

Nearly 2,000 teenagers die from suicide each year, read the projection on the screen as a soft guitar started to play. Keely adjusted the microphone and began to sing.

"This world, this world is cold
But you don't, you don't have to go
You're feeling sad, you're feeling lonely
And no one seems to care
Your mother's gone and your father hits you
This pain you cannot bear…"

Every day, approximately 80 Americans commit suicide.

Each year, nearly 4,000 Americans aged 15-24 die by suicide.

An average of two out of every twenty-five high school students have attempted suicide in the past year.

The chatter had completely stopped in the audience; the only thing audible was the music coming from the stage. Keely appeared to be trying very hard to maintain composure onstage.

"But we all bleed the same way as you do
And we all have the same things to go through…"

The picture on the projector changed from the black backdrop to shots of students from the school. The first picture of the sort showed a short redhead with jade eyes, sitting on the school bleachers.

Jen Handal
Lost a father 3.21.87

The next picture showed a petite blonde, sitting in the corner of a dimly lit room.

Sarah Vollbrecht
Lost a sister 6.15.99

Following that was the picture of the high school basketball team with the caption:

Lost a teammate 12.12.04

Showing after that was the frame of a tall brunette standing in a dark room, looking at her feet. The font read:

Julia Sweeney
Lost a boyfriend 7.10.05

"Hold on, if you feel like letting go
Hold on, it gets better than you know…"

As similar pictures continued to pop up, Ashley was obviously visibly affected by the performance.

"Your days, you say they're way too long
And your nights, you can't sleep at all
Hold on
And you're not sure what you're waiting for
But you don't want to know more
You're not sure what you're looking for
But you don't want to know more…"

The picture of another girl appeared on the screen, though this time, the writing beneath the light-brown haired girl simply read, Saved.

At this point, Ashley got up and left the auditorium, and didn't return for the rest of the day.

"But we all bleed the same way as you do
And we all have the same things to go through…"

A few pictures of the aforementioned suicide victims appeared on the projection, including one of Bonnie Teslow. Keely made sure not to look at the screen at this point.

"Hold on, if you feel like letting go
Hold on, it gets better than you know
Don't stop looking you're one step closer
Don't stop searching it's not over
Hold on…"

The music stopped at this point to allow the audience to hear Sarah Vollbrecht speak.

"I… I wonder all the time what my life would be like if my sister was still alive… I know my life would be completely different… and so much better… but I got left behind… she was only fifteen..."

Julia Sweeney was the next to speak.

"Chris was the last person I suspected to commit suicide… he was seventeen… he was always so cheerful and outgoing… he never showed any signs of chronic depression… The last thing he said to me was, 'I'll see you tomorrow, Julz…' …My tomorrow will never come…"

On the subject of her father's suicide, Jen Handal said:

"I never got the chance to get to know my father… I regret that every day of my life. All of my friends have dads that are great role models… but I'll never follow in my dad's footsteps… I just wish I had a chance to get to know him. I only wish he was still here."

At this point, the music started up again.

"What are you looking for?
What are you waiting for?
Do you know what you're doing to me?
Go ahead... what are you waiting for?…"

The following clips showed the teary-eyed friends and siblings of suicide victims talking to each other, comforting each other, and hugging each other. Tears began to find their way out of Keely's eyes at this point.

"Hold on, if you feel like letting go
Hold on, it gets better than you know
Don't stop looking you're one step closer
Don't stop searching it's not over…"

Then the camera cut back to the girl who was "saved," named Amanda, who gave the camera a feeble warming smile.

"Hold on, if you feel like letting go
Hold on, it gets better than you know
Hold on…"

Keely stopped singing, and once again, the audio from the display kicked in. Amanda's voice came out of the speakers, saying:

"I can't imagine not being here. I used to hurt myself, but… I realized that there was always a way out… no matter what, there was always a way out, and suicide wasn't it."

The song ended, and Keely, now with tears running freely down her face, left the stage. The audience, whether still shocked from the video, or unsure if applause was appropriate, slowly began to clap for the performance. The slow applause began to turn into a tumultuous uproar. Had Keely not already exited the building, she may have even came back onstage.

Well then. You know what to do from here.