Luminary

Chapter 1

"Although the circumstances of Ms Grey's death are unknown, let her live on in our memories as the brave soul she was."

I hear people sobbing, overcome with grief. I just stare blankly ahead, the musky smell of the church smothering me, creating an atmosphere where noise is non-existent. I understand the importance of paying our respects to the dead, but Aunt Nadia's body was never found, making it hard to feel the pain of her loss. I'm bored to the point that I've started counting the number of times the woman in front of me pushes her glasses back up onto her nose, but as the older sibling I have to set a good example. It would only take one hint that I was bored and the twins would start finding ways to entertain themselves, ways that would be loud and not at all suited to a funeral. Plus, we all know who would be blamed for that mess - me of course.

"Could the following people please stay behind for the reading of the will..."

I stop paying attention, focusing instead on the stained glass windows lining the walls. I feel an elbow poke into my arm. I turn my head, expecting to see Elliot and Natalie nudging each other, as is one of their usual games. I always feel a bit left out when it comes to their closeness. Instead I see Elliot looking at me expectantly.

"What?" I say.

He gives me a strange look. "Your name was called, that's all," He replies before turning to whisper to Natalie.

I sit in the pews as the rest of my family, as well as most of the crowd files out of the church. I don't recognize any of the people remaining. The lawyer explains that most of the items can be picked up from the church now, or any time in the next week then begins to read out names.

"Tristan Danvers, I leave to you my house and my heart." I hear a thumping sound on the other side of the church, and look over to see a man with dark hair who appears to be in his early 40s tearing up. He looks like he just hit his head on the pew in front of him. I don't know whether his tears are from the pain of hitting the pew or from his sadness at losing Nadia.

I sit there waiting, now that the situation has sunk in anticipation is starting to run through my veins.

"Madison Grey," he says having finally reached my name, "I leave to you the only necklace that I kept with me always, and a letter explaining it's worth."

After the will is read I join the line of people receiving their entitlements now. I am handed a black velvet box and a sealed envelope. I open the box, and inside on a leather string is a green pendant around the size of a bottle cap. It looks like a precious stone, but it has stripes of lighter and darker colour and looks like nothing I have ever seen before. It's disappointing really, considering some of the stuff she gave other people but I slip it over my head anyway. I turn over the envelope and see written in large letters: Open when you are alone - Nadia

I guess that means I won't be opening it here with all these people milling around. I walk into the foyer, to where my family is waiting.

"What did you get Maddy?" Natalie asks.

"Just a necklace," I say.

My mum motions us out the door and into our car, she was never close with dad's side of the family. I think there was some sort of argument between them years ago. My dad glances back at the church before getting into the car and driving off. He was close to Nadia, she was his older sister after all. I just wish we knew what killed her, he needs the closure. Not knowing what happened to her is driving him crazy.

The drive home is silent, the mood is to sombre to play music and even the twins are quiet. We pull into the driveway of our house. As soon as we enter the house the twins run off to their rooms, my parents go into the backyard and i am left alone in the hallway. Even after spending a whole day together nothing changes, we've never been one of those families who spend much time doing things together and i don't think that will ever change. I walk into my room and collapse onto my bed, it's been a long day. A yowl escapes from under me, and I sit up to see a disgruntled cat half asleep on my blanket.