"I'm so sorry, Trace. We're all so...shocked by what's happened," Kate said softly. She hated using the "I'm sorry" line, but it was the only thing she could think to say under the circumstances. She put a reassuring hand on his back and attempted to smile for him, but couldn't. Kim had been one of her closest friends, and having just lost her best friend, it was almost too much for Kate to take.
"She's in a better place now. She's up with God now," Chloe offered reassuringly.
"Screw God! Screw all of it! They don't deserve Kim!" Trace shouted unexpectedly. He then buried his head in his arms. The tears had ceased to flow a few minutes before, but the pain had only become more intense as the minutes had worn on. He couldn't bring himself to look into the room that held Kim's now lifeless body.
Noticing the look of horror crossing Kate's face, Chloe quickly said, "I understand your anger, Trace, but God isn't the one to take it out on."
"Why not, hmm? Isn't he the one that supposedly gives life and takes it away? Why in the h*ll shouldn't I take it out on him?" Trace spat bitterly, refusing to raise his head to look at the girls.
"Because he's the one who's going to help you get through this, that's why. Trace, you have to have patience. In time, the pain will wear off. All of us will eventually get past this."
"No!" Trace jumped to his feet, "I will never get past this! I can never forget you, and I'm surprised that you're so quick to want to!"
"We don't want to forget Kim, Trace!" Kim shouted unexpectedly. She wiped her face with a kleenex before looking at Trace with powerful eyes. "We want to be able to honor her memory. Sitting there cursing God for what happened is not honoring her memory, Trace."
"I can't take this," Trace growled as he began walking towards an exit sign.
"Trace! Trace!" Chloe called after him, her eyes filling with worry. She was worried about what Trace would do in such a vulnerable state. Everyone knew that Trace wasn't the most stable guy in town, especially when something as tragic as Kim's death had happened.
Kate shook her head and looked towards the floor. "Let him go, Kim. He needs to grieve alone."
