The Catacombs

Chapter one

Conner Foley fought back an avalanche of burning tears.  The casket was blue; His favorite color. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't look at it. His dad just laying there, Gone.  It was too soon. Too...Final.

As family started to arrive and say their final goodbyes, Conner hid further in his corner. It sounds strange but comfort was the last thing he needed from them. His mom was no different, she sat frozen at the dinner table.                                                                                                                          She hadn't stopped crying in the three days since Conner personally delivered  the heartbreaking news from his fathers bedside. At first it was wailing sobs but had dried to trickles running to her chin. "Conner?"  He heard a familiar voice. Jude.

 Judith DeFranco, Conner's longtime girlfriend sounded concerned.  "Why are you hiding." As if on cue, The tears he was trying so desperately to hide came rushing to his waterline and started spilling down his pale cheeks. He turned slightly so Jude and his mom wouldn't worry but i was too late. "I'm not hiding, I'm avoiding." he said wiping the coming tears with his suit sleeve.  Jude sighed and held back tears of her own. " Avoiding what?" She replied weakly. "Everything," He said back still turned to her.  Jude's bottom lip trembled. Conner had always been so strong; seeing him break down was heartbreaking.  She didn't know what to do, all she wanted was to hug him and relieve all the hurt he was feeling but right now she barely even recognized him.  His usually perfectly tousled sandy hair, was tangled and matted against his scalp and his bright dancing green eyes or Baby greens as his mom so affectionately called them, where sunken and hollow. He was devastated. Organ music began to play, signaling the beginning of the memorial but everyone remained still. Conner in his corner, Jude didn't leave his side. Andrea Foley remained in her grief stricken fog. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Conner Foley straightened, coughed roughly and turned to face Jude. Her round eyes where solemn but sweet, she tried a smile but quickly reversed it. It seemed inappropriate somehow. He took her hand and squeezed it lightly. This instantly comforted her. The smile returned briefly as she whispered "i love you" and entered the chapel. 

The chapel itself was beautiful. It had been there since 1940 and had all the charm of a vintage Victorian-Style mansion.  The casket at the front of the room was open to the blank, no longer there face of James Foley, The pictures surrounding the late, paranormal investigator told of a life, for the most part, well spent. His college days, His wedding day, Conner, one day old, swaddled in a blue baby blanket, his dad's lips tenderly kissing his newborn forehead.  These images caused Conner's eyes to sting again. He was here, He thought, How can he be gone? Aside from the pictures, there where letters, mostly headed: Dear, Jimmy or Dear, Daddy from his days spent travelling , hunting the strange and unusual. As the funeral commenced all eyes were on Conner and Andrea, Mostly with pity but some with morbid curiosity, Wondering how they would react, knowing how close a family they were. But to everyone's amazement, they took it in a numb stride. There faces blank and expressionless. It was only afterwards, while everyone was conversing and mingling over bland sandwiches and tasteless fruit punch, Mother and son, the remaining members of the broken Foley family gathered beside the still open coffin, And sobbed in each others arms.