"Thank you for joining us here today at Sarah's favorite place in the world."
The hill right in the middle of Gnott park. Green grasses, dotted with dandelions in the summer and the best sledding hill in town in the winter. The small group was clustered at the top of it, surrounding the speaker.
“At her favorite time of day."
Crepuscular. The time when Sarah would stare at the sky, calling out the pinks and the oranges swirling together to dress up the sky like it was time for the ball, before the moon rose to blanket the sky with its star companions.
"On a day special to her."
May fourth, her birthday. Certainly a better day to remember her by. Her big blue eyes bright with glee as she passed out cake, glancing at the pile of presents with each plate passed.
"We come to remember her life, short but bright, a sparkler who touched many lives in her short time."
Everyone she met got to see her big grin, a gap between her two font teeth and dimples on her cheeks. She coaxed smiles and laughter out of others too, making jokes and playing games.
"We gather to remember. We gather to remind those around us she still has a voice. We are her voices. The dedicated. We still have our pins, the fliers, and for most of us seeing a white, old truck with mud splatter makes our heart race."
Strangers too. People approaching from behind. People hiding their faces. People watching other young girls like Sarah. Those and so many more got Raymundo's heart going faster than it should.
It had been twenty years. And despite advances in DNA technology, the case was still ice cold. But Raymundo had a crazy idea to find out if it could be solved.
"You are crazy." DJ looked up from the scribblers his friend had called notes. Worse than a doctor's, and DJ spent all day looking at those.
"But it could work."
"Sure." DJ thrust the ledger paper back into Raymundo's chest. "It could work. Just like a random person saying they're a psychic could stumble on the body or other key evidence. But you're plan involves lying, stealing, forgery, risks jobs, and don't forget the possibilities you could get stuck with Sarah's killer's face and, or, expose the fact aliens landed a hundred years ago!"
"One alien landed. And just lived quietly.” Raymundo sighed. “But wouldn’t it be worth it? Justice after all these years.”
“There’s a high chance the killer is already dead or locked up. Is the answer worth the risks?”
“If everything goes according-”
“If it doesn’t you could end up in prison,” DJ started counting on his hands, “stuck in a new human body, Area 51’s next forever guest, or dead.” DJ sighed. “Even if everything goes well.”
“But-”
“Raymundo.” DJ grabbed his shoulders. “You’re on a path to self destruction and I will not help you get to the end.”
Word Count: 498
