Mirror You

M.Y.C.20

Terrance Welmaker

The morning of Mariah's funeral was cold and pitch black. The sun was seeping through the thick clouds in the sky but not enough to provide a decent amount of sun light.

It was freezing in my bedroom but I didn't care, I've left the window open these past few nights hoping that Mariah would sneak through it like she use to do. Hoping that she'd sit at the foot of my bed and stay a while, just talking about what new drama she had going on in her life.

I turn my head when I hear a knock on my door. Amma smiles small and walks over to me. "We're going to be late if you don't hurry" she says as she begins fixing my tie.

Amma was great aunt, she was my father's aunt that I've never met until some weeks ago. She knew about the history between my family as well as Jayln's and so did my father. My mother on the other hand, was unaware of it all.

"Jayln's going to attend the funeral but the both of ya' need to keep your distance, ya' understand" she says in her thick southern accent.

I nod, "Okay good now let's go" we link arms and begin walking out the house, grabbing an umbrella on the way out just in case it decides to rain.

---

Reaching the cemetery my mother parks the car. The three of us slowly get out and make our way up the muddy hill, it had just started to rain. My mother and aunt Amma both had their umbrellas to shield them from the rain but I didn't. I didn't care about getting wet, that was the least of my worries all I cared about was my best friend and wishing that she'd be alive, wishing that I didn't have to attend her funeral.

"You're okay baby, you're okay" my mama says rubbing the side of my arm as we reach the top of the hill. Looking to my left I see Mariah's parents and a few other of her family members, her mother was wearing a black pants suit and one of those hats you see the elderly wear in church ever Sunday except hers had a big vail on it covering mostly her face. Her father was wearing a smokey gray suit and brown church shoes that were beginning to get covered in mud.

You could tell that he had been crying but not as much as her mother. He stood tall with his chest raised high and his arm draped over her shoulder. He was trying to be strong for the both of them and it showed.

Looking over at Jayln, I see that she's surrounded by all her family members including her fake parents. After finding out that she was a caster I was beyong confused, I didn't even know what a caster was until I googled it. Turns out its a witch minus the broomstick, pointy hat, and black cat.

Casters for the most part were good immortals except her family due to the curse put upon them hundreds of years ago. I step forward to her but I'm stopped when my mother grabs my arm.

"Now's not the time, wait until the service is over" she whispers to me.

---

After the service, I watch as everyone begins to walk back to their cars. I let my mother's hand go then approach Jayln only to be stop in my tracks, I look at Macon and see that he's staring at me with his hand slightly raised meaning he was the reason I wasn't allowed to move.

Terrance go home please

A voice in my head says to me. It sounded exactly like Jayln. I look over at her and see that her head is lowered but she's looking up at me.

Go home please

The faint voice says again, I shake my head no and try approaching her again. Two of her relatives step in front of her, I watch as one of them grabs her hand and begins leading her way.