The Flags

Next of Kin

He knows his parent's friends and coworkers, and he will not cry in front of them. It's a beautiful day - it makes it harder. At least if it were raining everything would be wet, not just his cheeks. The priest raises his hand, and Mr. Dorian nudges Kasper to look up at him. "Let us commend Benson Daniel Meritt and Casey Ava Meritt to the mercy of God..." he hears an old dusty voice preach, but that's all he pays attention to before shifting focus onto his parent's coworkers folding flags over their caskets. The sounds of seven men pulling the trigger of seven rifles make Kasper's ears ring, and once the other seven men start shooting he covers his ears.
The soldiers are rigid and precise, moving together as one team. They do every action in sync, from the steps they take when they carried their coffins, to the tears that tumbled over their eyes for their fallen friends. When they finish, they hand the flags over to their Sergeants, which everyone salutes. They don't lower their arms when the Sergeants take careful steps towards him. Kasper's parent's friends are also saluting, but not towards the Sergeants. All of them, including the soldiers who folded the flags, have their eyes downcast towards him. The Sergeants stop in front of him and kneel.
"We therefore commit their bodies to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life." The priest sadly states as the caskets begin to sink into the dirt. "Your mother and father fought honorably. As a representative of the United States Marines, it is my high privilege to present to you these flags." The one holding his father's flag speaks first, then lowers his head to the ground for the other one to speak. "Let it be a symbol of the appreciation this nation feels for the distinguished service rendered to our country, and to our flag by your loved ones. Please accept these flags as gifts from the President of the United States." When the one holding his mother's flag finished, he also looks at the ground.
When Kasper doesn't respond, the Sergeant holding his father's flag reaches out to touch his shoulder. "I need you to hold these for me, son. Your parent's souls are in here, and it's not my place to hold them. They belong to you now." The Sergeant moves his hand from Kasper's shoulder to his hand, and opens Kasper's fingers so he can place the flag in his hand. The Sergeant holding his mother's flag follows, and when Kasper holds them both to his chest the Sergeants stand and salute the boy as they both begin to silently sob.