
In the days that followed, grief settled over the campus like a low, unshakable fog. Flowers piled against brick walls; candles burned down to stubs in trembling hands. Students walked in clusters now, speaking in hushed voices, flinching at every sudden noise. Parents called more often. Security lines grew longer. The podium where Charlie Kirk once stood became less a symbol of debate and more a reminder of how fragile a life — and a moment — can be.
