Free Bound by Sin: The Beginning of a Prophecy (Prophecy #3) by Stevie J. Cole Page B

she’d seen God Himself.
    “Claire?” He grabbed her hand, bending down closer to her face. “I’m – I’m so sorry.”
    “How did you…” her voice stalled and he pulled her against him, holding her tightly.
    He whispered to her, “I should’ve stayed. I shouldn’t have left the way I did. I just… thought it best.” His eyes darted up to Brooke’s casket before he continued. “I had to come, to see for myself. Not a day’s gone by I haven’t thought of you – the two of you.”
    Ms. Davis collapsed into his chest , her cries muffled by his suit jacket. That entire encounter was odd.
    “Doll,” Jared grabbed my shoulder. “You want to go sit down or somethin’? You look kinda weak.” He gently pulled me in the direction of the doorway.
    “Yeah – y eah, sure.” Just as I was tearing my stare away from Ms. Davis, the man looked over her shoulder, glaring at Jared. “Do you know him?” I asked Jared.
    “Who?”
    “That man. The tall one. The one that was in front of me.”
    Jared took a quick look. “Uh-uh,” he said, and shoved me toward the parlor.
    We s at in the parlor, watching as visitors came and went. Jared had to leave to get ready for work, so soon it was just me and Colton left in the lobby.
    “We should probably go, Con ,” Colton said as he rose from the bench.
    “Yeah. I guess. I t just feels weird, you know. I don’t want to leave her here.” I said, staring into the near-empty room.
    Col ton put his hand on my shoulder, his eyes narrowing sympathetically at me. “That’s not her. She’s not in there. She’s gone. These things are for the living anyway.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet.
    “ I’m gonna go say goodbye to her parents.” I made my way back to the doorway, my stomach turning with each step. That damn smell hit me again and the nausea rose in my throat.
    Ms. Davis was sitting in one of the chairs, her head on Melissa’s shoulder. Mr. Davis stood at the foot of the casket, his fingers rubbing the petals of the roses and his tramp standing next to him. I could barely make out the little bump hiding behind her loose dress. I was tempted to go give them both a piece of my mind, for Brooke, but I refrained. The only other person in the room was that strange man. He was standing in front of the table, holding the picture of Brooke and Gavin.
    Taking one last glance at the unusually broad man, I turned to Ms. Davis. “I’m gonna go. If there’s anything you need me to help with –” I stopped in an effort to keep myself from breaking down into a sobbing heap again.
    Ms. Davis turned to face me. “Thank you, honey. I just – I’m not even sure what to do.”
    I nodded and leaned over to give both her and Melissa a hug. Hugging Melissa was the hardest because she wore the same perfume as Brooke, and breathing that scent in was like twisting a jagged piece of glass into my chest.

    I sat in the passenger seat of Colton’s car, tearing the tissue in my hand to shreds, watching the pieces float down to the floorboard. I felt so lost. Staring out the window, I just wanted to curse the sun for deciding to shine on this day. I hated every person we passed that was laughing or singing in their car, completely oblivious to the fact that my life had been ruined, that it would never be the same. I just thought about how badly I wished I could bring her back, how much my life was gonna suck without her. How unfair this was. I’d never actually realized until the past week that death was so final, that we all would die eventually – and that thought made me sick.
    The car slowed, stopping at a traffic light. Looking out the window, I saw a man walk out into the middle of the road. He looked absolutely creepy as he made his way between the cars. All I could think about was how damn huge he was as he leaned down, peering into each car he passed.
    My skin crawled just watching him. I pushed the lock on my door and sunk down into my seat, my knees bumping