Bouquet of Lilies

  Prologue:

   The woman sobbed on my shoulder as the casket was closed on her sons face. "Why," she wailed. I placed a comforting hand on her arm, "shh Carol. He's in a better place." This only escalated her cries. "He is only seventeen. He needs to be he...here," she stuttered. Carol was using present terms, I could see his death was going to suck her dry. 

      Her eyes were already bleached out and her hair had lost It's shiny glow. Carol hasn't eaten in the days of preperation for the funeral. She said she was to busy making preperations to worry about food, but I could tell it was something more.
         "I'm so sorry," an attractive young woman hugged Carol, "I'm here if you need me honey." Carol managed a weak smile. "Come darling, we must see your son off,"I urged seeing the crowd disappate toward the graveyard. She hid her face in her frail fingers. I guided her, whispering in her ear, to the six feet deep hole.
       

The preist said a few words, "Let us pray. Dear God...," he began and everyone bowed their heads. I stared at the black casket deep in thought. It shouldn't take long to dig up this hole, I figured, only a few hour..maybe less. I couldn't help but smile. Soon I wouldn't be so alone.
      

"Amen," the priest said. A tear rolled down his cheek. He swipped it away quickly. Carol's boy was incredibly special to the community and that included the priest. I never saw what they did in the brat. He always was rude and wild. But I would soon have my chance to set him straight.

 I helped Carol down as she placed a bouquet of purple calla lilies onto her sons casket. She retreated immediatly into my arms and sobbed. "Why him!? Why him jonathon, why!?" I held her stiffly as she cried. I watched the people walk off. After about an hour the diggers had to run us off.
       

I drove Carol home in the pouring rain and made her supper. She nodded toward me as I placed a plate of mashed potatoes, chicken, and maccoroni on the coffee table. She picked it up and stabbed the chicken with her fork making no attempt to eat it.

"Darling, you need to eat."

 She glared at me, hair in her face, but said nothing. I brushed her hair away, "please." She growled in defeat and shoved a piece of chicken into her mouth. Carol chewed it with pure distaste and anger.
     

I left her to torturing her meal and went into the kitchen. Dipping a large helping of macorroni and chicken, I sat down at the table. I chewed the juicy chicken and stared at the clock. Finally it struck ten o'clock. I smiled and swallowed my last bite. Just a little while longer, I told myself.
       

I returned to the livingroom and smiled. The plate lay, half empty, on the coffee table. And there lay Carol fast asleep on the beige couch. I grinned at her and picked up her frail body. Climbing the stairs quickly we entered her bedroom. I tucked her into the soft blankets and kissed her on the cheek. "I love you. I'll be home soon, dove."

                           ---later that night---

      I yawned as the workers finally left the site. It was atleast midnight and the gang was jumping to see the newest member. "Cmon man. They're gone for sure now," urged Nick. "No, we leave when I'm ready," I told him. "He has a point Jon. And so what if they catch us? We could always have a little snack," James flashed his teeth. "No! and its Jonathon to you, kid," I spat. They quit complaining and plopped down on the soggy ground.
     

It was raining like God knew what I was up to and he was trying to drown me. You'll have to try harder, I dared  the higher power. At that comment a bolt of lightning struck just inches from my finger. Mark bounced away from me in fright, "What the crap!!!" The ground was sizzling around my hand. I know I looked utterly insane, but I smiled. "Challenge accepted."
      

Pumped, I jumped over the nicely trimmed bushes and into the yard. My sidekicks tramped along behind me. I came to a stop infront of a pile of red dirt. "This is it," I looked the boys in square in the eye.
        
 "Then what are we waiting for?!"

    Mark chucked me a shovel and I twirled it in my hand. "Dig in boys," they grinned and got to work. Mud was caked inbetween my fingers and the rain limited my vision, but I kept going. I sucked air in violently, I'm going to have to feed soon. After what seemed like years, Nicks' shovel hit home. Letting out a breath, I stopped digging. "Alrighty," James danced around. 

         "Stop your ballet, we don't have him yet," I snarled. He pouted and jumped into the hole. Him and Mark gripped the side of the box and tugged. "Cmon, cmon, cmon," Mark muttered as he pulled. Finally, the top section came up to reveal the pale face of Carol's son. His skin looked like glass, breakable. I flinched as the rain penatrated his face, scared that it would crack.The boy's black hair carrased his forehead, just long enough to touch his closed eyes.
    

James burst out laughing, "th-th-this is the kid you chose!?" He slapped his thigh and chuckled. I growled and climbed down into the grave. "What's so funny," Nick asked, eager to get the joke, he was right at my heels.  James just pointed at the dead body and kept laughing. Nick picked up a strand of the boy's inky hair and said, "Where'd you find this cutie? Match.com?"
   

I began to snarl, anger coursed through me. The smile wiped from their faces. Mark paled slightly, but returned his focus to the body. "So who's going to change him," he didn't look away from the corpse. Nick jumped up eagerly in sync with James. "No...and no," I pointed at them. They frowned and dropped back down at the same time.
      

  I put my hand on Mark's shoulder, "you do it." If he was pale before, he was practically clear now. "Why me," he stared at the boy he would turn. "Because I trust you," I murmured. He perked up alittle at my comment. "I guess I will then," he looked at me, "under one condition." I sighed, "what would that condition be?"

"You have to leave, all of you."

"Why?"

"I don't want everyone to be leaning over my shoulder. To much pressure."

"You poor baby!"

I glared at James. "Shut up before I make you cry like a poor baby," I threatened. He held up his hands in surrender. "Alright," I said to Mark, "whatever makes you comfortable." He smiled at me, "thanks." I nodded and turned away.
    

"Let's go guys," I herded the others out. Nick was able to climb out using just upper body strength and threw us down a rope. James made it out within five seconds then it was my turn. Turning back I said, "don't worry, you'll be fine." He gave me a thumbs up. I gripped the rope and pulled my weight up.
     

The three of us sat, soaking wet, outside the grave. Nick was drawing in the mud, James was humming while moving his head to the beat, and I was twisting my ring around my finger. The silence was ended brutally by screaming. James jumped a good three feet into the air while Nick scrambled to his feet. "Help me shut him up," Mark hissed.
   

   I lept down to see Mark struggling to contain a thrashing boy. He hasn't woken get, It was just the pain of the venom. James threw a hand over the boys open mouth. Mark gave him a look of thanks. Nick grabbed the legs and grunted as one hit him in the nose. They looked incredibly stupid dodging flailing limbs.
     

Altast, the kid laxed. He appeared asleep as his chest rose and fell. "My God," Nick exclamed as everyone released their grasp. James fell back against the mud wall and sighed, "okay, so he's stronger than he looks." I chuckled, "yeah."
    

Suddenly, the boy's eyes shot open. His blue eyes faded from lively to icy in a few seconds. He sat up scanning the area around him in confusion before resting his gaze on me. "How...," he faded off. "you'll understand later on," Mark reassured him. "In the meantime," I said.

"Welcome to your new life, Derek."