Mystical Words: A Short Story Collection

Paranormal: The Funeral Of The Alive

Life has always been filled with surprises, both good and bad. Sometimes, life presents us with a surprise so wonderful and yet so strange we don't know how to react. Jennifer Jentil can relate to this.

Jennifer's hand touched the coffin, hoping to ruffle the man's curly brown hair as she had done some many time before. Joseph would always grin back, but this time he remained motionless. Unable to share their favourite moment together one last time, Jennifer walked back to her chair in the stands with heavy steps, her vision blurred.

So just like that, he's gone? My only pillar of strength, my favourite companion? Jennifer thought, shaking her head dejectedly. Yet, it had to be true, because he wasn't moving...

She lifted her head to gaze at the coffin, where the last few in the queue were waiting, when she sensed something off. There was something moving in the distance, next to the toilets. Squinting her eyes in frustration, Jennifer did not miss the curly brown hair and the gleam of the blue eyes in the sunlight.

"Brother...?"

Jennifer cocked her head sideways. Joseph's alive? She wondered. He's alive! She gave a small smile in joy. But it turned into a frown when she glanced back at the coffin. It couldn't be possible, Joseph died two days ago, she was hallucinating, Jennifer thought as she turned to talk to Joseph's colleague.

Little did she know, it wasn't her imagination tricking her...

From behind the toilets, Joseph Jentil stared at the ongoing funeral, his brow furrowed with creases of suspicion. Having just returned from the afterlife, he needed to make sure he could not be seen. Seeing Jennifer's eye fixated on his, he swiftly ducked behind the wall.

His death was no ordinary case. As he has been taken to the afterlife within minutes, Joseph did not have sufficient time to explore the scene more clearly. Now, while he had time, he could find out what really happened.

It was time to solve his own murder mystery.