Bertha's POV
The moment my eyes fall upon Rose—her lifeless body splayed beneath Mr. Hewitt's feet—the world comes to a standstill. Her crimson hair, once so bright, is now tangled and darkened with blood. The metallic scent invades my senses, wrenching my stomach into knots.
A scream tries to claw its way up my throat but dies before it can break free. My lungs feel like they have collapsed. My hands shake uncontrollably, my legs threatening to give out.
"No," I murmur, my voice barely audible. It's real now that I say it out loud: Rose is dead.
The silence is broken when Cara surges forward with a strangled sob. "Rose!" she screams, her voice shattering into raw, broken notes. "No! No, no, no!" She falls beside the body, clutching Rose's hand as if willing life back into her.
The ot
