And there lay the body of the beautiful boy of ten, with dark auburn hair and sharp dark green eyes that stared into the nothingness. The blood was cold, the warmth of life stolen by the cold embrace of death… he was gone. Layla screamed and cried at the same time in a loud audible crack full of pain and hurt. The pain of losing a child… only a mother knows! She held close onto the lifeless body as she wept and wept and shook and cursed! The two brothers synced along with their wails; they had never witnessed something like that ever before in their lives- death itself!
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"We lost a son, we lost a brother… we lost a friend. My son was a loving person, he was an adventurer, and he was wild and wanted to make friends whenever he could… he wanted to live, and he did. In his short life, he had his fun, he had his ups and downs but in the end, he lived. He will be missed by family and friends. I want you all to remember Dylan as the best thing that ever happened to me and my wife and our children. I want you to remember his legacy, however short it may be. And one day, we will meet there in heaven, in a land where God has prepared for him. He's in a far much better place now. He's at peace… let him be. Because he deserves it." Paul Purcell talked to the mourners present at the burial sermon.
Paul's parents were present as well as Layla's stepfather. Her step-sister and her husband hadn't attended due to court restrictions that prevented them to be near their son, Karl Stine. Paul's own family sat at the front bench with friends and relatives stretching far back. He noticed his remaining trueborn son Ethan crying all the while when he spoke. Death was something complicated for little children his age to grasp and understand, yet he knew what was going on. Karl was also there, dressed in a matching black suit to his brother. They locked hands and tried to comfort each other. At the far bench, he noticed Jenna Clara, now a married woman, mourning for his own son. She was here for Paul despite their differences since the college days. Everywhere his eyes fell upon, the eyes looking back spoke the same message of grief. He got down from the podium for the Father in Charge to close the mass before the casket was lowered.
Ethan remembered his brother's last moments of life, how sad and painful it had been for all of them. When he screamed for help and mercy… when he begged for his life. In a flash, he remembered his happy moments. When he ran through the summer wind and the tall grass, stretching his arms as he breathed in the fine air. He was happy… and Ethan was happy whenever he was with him. And the event reminded him that he was alone again. He burst into tears terribly! And when the casket went lower, Ethan remembered him all over again. He couldn't really believe that he was really gone and was never coming back. The ground was covered with red-brown soil afterward and he stood there by the grave as he read out the gravestone writings silently.
DYLAN PURCELL.
LOVING SON OF PAUL KLAUS PURCELL AND LAYLA HAWTHORN PURCELL. BROTHER TO ETHAN AND INGRID PURCELL.
28TH JANUARY 1990 - 15TH AUGUST 2000.
TILL WE MEET AGAIN IN THE LAND GOD HAS PREPARED FOR YOU IN HEAVEN.
Karl noticed his name missing from the gravestone, but he didn't mind at all. He knew Dylan was like a brother to him in his own heart and that he treated him like a brother all the same. The day passed slowly until everyone left, and the Purcells stood there looking at what had remained of their family. The slow wind swayed in the cemetery, as it welcomed the dark. After thirty minutes they left too and headed home. The journey was silent and the following days would be even quieter!
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A few days later, the police came to interrogate the two remaining boys, in order to get a clear understanding of what had happened that day at the river bank, from their own point of view. Karl gave out his side, while Ethan gave his too. Karl admitted to having convinced Dylan and Ethan to play with Zayn that day despite their fears and nothing more than that. This really hurt the parents. When Ethan confessed, he pointed at Karl for being an accomplice to the murder of his twin brother. He stood his ground and would not change his statements no matter how many times he was questioned; no matter how the questions seemed to favor Karl. And that took Karl by surprise. It didn't feel like accusations coming from Ethan, it felt like a betrayal.
"It was him! He helped Zayn tie us on the trees before he killed him! It was him!" Ethan would cry out over and over. "He knew what Zayn was going to do and he helped him… he killed my brother, they killed my brother!"
"Okay, you can excuse us now, boys." The police told the two lads and they remained to talk with their parents. They were still in mourning but had to get justice for their dead son.
"Paul, I'm obliged to inform you as the D.A that what Karl is saying is true and whatever your other son, Ethan is saying is a lie." The older man talked to the young couple whose eyes had been sore and red from sleepless nights.
"Why, why do say so?"
"We managed to get Zayn Somerhalder in our custody and the boy confessed to committing the crimes on his own. He had no assistance from either of the two boys. He says that he was getting his revenge on your son, for the earlier accident." He said and kept quiet for a long time. He looked worried.
"Is everything alright?" Layla asked, grief in her voice.
He cleared his throat, "Karl's parents are winning back the custody for their child. The only thing remaining is whether you two can release him to go back if you're okay with it. His parents say that they can be able to raise him on their own and want to take him far away as possible from here after all that has happened."
The couple took some time to discuss whether they wanted to keep the boy further. Paul was up for the idea from the get-go, as he had no really special ties with the boy in comparison to Layla. With a heavy heart, Layla agreed that Karl going was the best decision for everyone. Paul wasn't so welcoming around the lad after the death of Dylan since he knew that Karl had led his son to an early grave by allowing him to play that day with Zayn. Layla was the one holding him back from making sure that Karl paid for it, despite being only a child. And she loved and supported her husband. She wouldn't oppose him now.