Side by side

Pose

It rains. The sunlight is soft. Easy when it is let through; pleasant even if it isn't. A rainbow could be seen if searched for. It's the kind of weather Sara would've loved.
Yet she lays there. Silent. She can't use her words anymore. It's closed. The casket. A grievous accident. Yet such is life. I promise to remember you on days like this.
Its calm and quiet. Her girlfriend stands and cries beside her; her loss palpable. It stops raining.
They're starting to leave. I should talk to Hannah. She's sitting by herself now. I go over. As I sit down. Both of our phones ring. It's not polite to check...Hannah takes out her phone. The notification.... That notification... Hannah checks her phone and keeps it down again. I look at Hannah. She doesn't move. No reaction at all. I turn and rummage through my bag and there it is....the notification. A video?
"Did you.. did you?"
Hannah turns to me. Its an angry face. Almost evil. I can't think like that, she's grieving. I'm unable to think about anything. Its the first time I'm talking to her. My words....I can't find words. We sit there in silence. Say something. Ugh! What's with the notification. I'll have to make an excuse. We sit there. I look at her. She's searching for words too, by the look of her.
" Please excuse me"
Hannah nods. I can't think. I SHOULD BE GRIEVING. I can't do it like this either. I stand up and walk towards the trees. There's no excuse for this behavior.
*unlocks phone*
*clicks on notification *
The hand slowly recedes from the camera. They start staring. Its uncomfortable. Small lights reflect from their eyes. They're still. Completely still.
3 minutes..... 4 minutes....
-crunch-
OH MY GOD! Calm down! Calm down. Just a squirrel.
6 minutes.
Just 2 minutes more.
The sitting figure speaks up -" You could've said something, you know. "
The standing figure lowers her face and brings it close to the camera. There's not much light but you can make out. Its a woman after all! What's with her face?
Half of her face was avulsed. It didn't look real. Like a mask hung over. Flesh hanging.
She says, " It wouldn't have been this fun"
-End of video-
Oh my God. Is it? Is it?
I got to get back.
But the trees are converging and the path is ridden with obstacles. The way back seems longer. It feels like those dreams,where you chase after something but no matter how fast you go, the thing you're chasing after is faster. Must get back.
Suddenly the funeral site is reached. It's so sudden it's startling.
But no one's here?
Did everyone leave?
It was just eight minutes.
No wait.
There's two of them still.
*straighten dress*
*put on a smile*No wait! Its a funeral. *remove smile*
*calm down *
*start walking *
I'll leave too,then.
Okay just a few steps more.
.....
Wait a minute.
There are two figures. One is sitting and one is standing. They have a smile so terrible, their faces are twitching. The woman who stands has her face avulsed and yet she smiles.
* heart beat so fast you can hear it*
*lose muscle control *
If I fall I won't get up.
*falls down barely ten feet from the happy couple *
Mercilessly, they stare.
Someone's shouting "WAKE UP, WAKE UP, WAKE UP"
I want to.
Sara's mouth moves, pulling her already avulsed face in all directions -" You can visit us anytime, we'll be here "

WAKE UP. WAKE UP. WAKE UP.

Mercilessly, they stare.