The worst truth.
Life did not stop to honor the dead. It went on, forcing those left behind to carry the sorrow of what had been cut away.
I trembled. “Zo. . .”
"She was. . .killed?”
“Yes.”
“By who?"
"The other side—”
"How?"
"They didn't tell me."
"Where's her body?"
"Here. On the island."
"I want to see her."
"I'll ask Kenji."
A light breeze blew more petals down.
The little girls laughed, telling me that one had caught the other.
Zo closed his eyes. "How are we going to bury her?"
"I don't know." My voice cracked. "Maybe we’ll. . .ask someone to help us. . .”
“We have to do it. She has no family.”
“I know.”
“But. . .she has so many friends and. . .they deserve to say goodbye.”
“I agree.”
He opened his eyes. “Are you sure she’s dead?”
“Yes.”
“Did you see the body? It could be someone else—”
“She died right in front of Kenji and Hiro. They were fucked up about it.”
"Maybe this is some sort of plot where they're trying to find a spy or something and she's really in Tokyo hiding too. . ."
I shook my head.
"Or she got out. People get out. I've seen it happen on TV. Someone gets reported dead and then they turn up three weeks later in a hospital somewhere with no ID and—"
"Zo."
He stopped. "She's. . .reallydead?"
