"Memories of children's dreams
Lie lifeless
Fading lifeless
Hand in hand with fear and shadows
Crying at the funeral party"

October 17, 1983

She was dead.  Victoria Parker was dead....

Well, that's what the Hawkins Police Department had filed.  Even the Parkers accepted the fact that Victoria was gone.  It has been almost two months and the only trace of her was her jean jacket that was covered in blood and a trail of blood that was identified as Victoria Parkers with animal tracks.   They had all they needed to presume that she was dead and the cause of her death?  A wild animal attack.

"We wonder why?  Why God would take someone so young, so filled with life away from the world too soon?"  The priest spoke as family and friends stood in the graveyard, looking at the casket in front of them.

"The answer to that is many things.  What I believe is that he needed an Angel back early."  He continued.

"What's he doing here?"  Tommy whispered to Carol.  "I don't know.  But it's weird."  Carol eyes Jonathan down as he was standing next to his mom.

"Carol!  Shhh."  Heather whispered as her eyes were red from crying.  "They are-"  she stopped herself and swallowed before continuing.  "They were friends.  If you two even knew Tori, you would have known that."  Heather glared at the two.

"Oh, yeah?  Then why-"

"Stop it!"  Steve whispered shouted at them.  "This is not the place."  Steve shook his head as he looked at the coffin then back to Anthony who was beside him, Stacy on the other side.  Anthony, of course heard everything they were saying.

"And now her brother, Anthony would like a special request for Victoria."  The priest stepped away as Steve gave his friend a pat on the back before he walked in front of the casket.

"Uhh.  First I wanted to thank you all for coming.  It's nice to see people here who cared for my sister.  And if you knew Tori you know how she liked to do things a bit different."  Some laughter went around before he continued. 

"So instead of the dirt, each of us are going to leave a fingerprint on...on her casket." Anthony cleared his throat before he continued. "Each fingerprint is a way of leaving your impression, showing the deceased that she mattered to you." Anthony nodded as he finished speaking, taking a few steps away as his parents went first.

"Uh...Heather, can you go next?" Anthony asked as tears started to build in his eyes. "Of course." Heather nodded, rubbing his arm gently as she went up and placed her finger on a space, leaving an impression.

Anthony didn't want to go yet. No, he didn't want to. If he did, then this meant that she was truly gone, and he just couldn't believe that she was really gone. "It's ok." Stacy reassured him. "I'm right behind you."  Steve then said to him.  Anthony nodded as he stepped forward, placing his thumb on the casket.

"I'm sorry, sis." He cried out as his eyes built up with tears. "I should've walked you home that night. It's all my fault." Anthony's voice cracked as he didn't take his thumb away.

"It's ok." Steve put a hand on his shoulder, the other on his right arm.

"It's not!" Anthony almost yelled as a tear fell from his cheek. "I always told her I would protect her and I failed." His eyes travelled to the large picture on the stand of her. "We couldn't even find her damn body. She's not even in here. It's just...empty." His eyes never left the picture. "I'm so sorry for letting you go...I'm sorry."

Anthony finally tore his thumb off the casket, Steve was trying to comfort his friend while placing an impression on the casket as well. "I need a drink after this. A few drinks." Anthony laughed, trying to make himself feel better.

"I'll get you as many drinks as you want Tony." Steve patted his shoulder as he walked him over to a chair so he could sit down. People lined up to do the impression, Jonathan was one of the last people to do it, his mom never leaving his side. Once people were done doing their impression they would tell the Parkers they were sorry for their loss once more than were on their way.

That night, Mr. and Mrs. Parker would mourn their daughter. Anthony would be drinking his sorrows away as his best friend, Steve was their to comfort him. Jonathan would be looking at the last pictures he took of Tori while his mother asked if he needed anything and apologize for the lost of his friend again. Then lastly, Heather would be laying on her bed, listening to Tori's favorite songs.

~~~

The high schools halls were filled with chatter. Students talking about the death of Victoria Parker. Of course, teenagers and their rumors were flying around. Such as the parents did it and her body is buried in the backyard. Or she isn't really dead and just ran away. Then of course there's the one where she got kidnapped.

Anthony slowly took the missing picture down of his sisters face and threw it in the trash can.  Anthony put his back pack on before he walked down the hall.  His eyes glanced to his sisters locker where there were old photos of her and paper flowers taped on it.  Curtesy of Heather Holloway.

The first bell rang, indicating that it was time to go to first period.  Anthony didn't make his way to history however.  Instead he just sat in the dugout of the baseball field, drinking his sorrows away.  Alcohol was what he found comfort in now. It took his pain away. 

The more he drank, the more he felt free.  The more he drank, the more he wasn't upset.  The more he drank, the more his mind went somewhere better.

Anthony placed the edge of the half empty bottle on his lips once more, the liquid burning his throat as he chugged it down.  His eyelids were dripping slightly as he looked at the diamond in front of him.  He got up, stumbling slightly before making his way out of the dugout.

He grabbed the fence with his free hand as he turned slightly, almost tripping on his own feet, laughing.  "Whoooops!"  He kicked the dirt before walking to the middle of the diamond.

Anthony mumbled to himself, his tongue sticking out of his mouth slightly while he squinted his eyes.  The sun shinned down on him as he moved the bottle up and down a few times in the air.

When he finished the bottle he looked at it, gripping it tightly in his hand before he let out an angry scream, throwing the bottle as hard as he could.  He watch it fly before it hit the ground, breaking into pieces.

Anthony sniffed before wiping his nose with his sleeve then turning around, his arms out to his sides as he looked at the bleachers where a grey bunny sat at.  "What?"  He asked, chuckling then pointing at the bunny.  "Don't look at me like that."  He told it then sat down on the field before laying down and looking at the sky.

"Tori loved bunnies.  She had one when we were kids.  Named it Booney...such a stupid name."  He chuckled once more before running his hand over his face.  "God I hated that bunny."  He looked over seeing the bunny was now right beside him, sniffing the ground.

"She loved that bunny so much though.  She really liked that bunny."  His voice cracked, but he quickly cleared his throat.  He turned his head again, looking at the bunny who was just starring at him.

"What are you looking at?"  He asked it with a bit of attitude before looking up at the sky again.