The Game of Life

Chapter 13

The world was a place that offered no answers. Ariel assumed that was how it was meant to be. Nobody ever explained anything to her. It seemed that every moment she searched for some sort of truth and comfort it was ripped away from her. No details were given. A simple statement was the only closure she was allowed.

"Nate's dead."

It cut deep. It really did but, her heart felt nothing. She had become so disassociated with him that she felt that it was the only option to end his suffering. Her mind on the other hand was rampant with questions on what had happened. The world swirled in all its complexity in her brain. The storms that festered over the same places brought electrifying headaches. A constant pounding that was incessant as his silence.

The funeral was long and drawn out. The casket was half open as a line of visitors of unfamiliar faces pushed to get a look at the freshly dead. The scars on his face showed an insignificant amount of damage to have caused this. A layer of deep makeup was added as he would not look too flushed. You know, being a dead person and all.

Carol had decided to place Nate in a large and obnoxious casket of royal blues and purples with gold linings. Not that she actually cared about Nate but there was a show to be done about it. The amount of people there were strong enough to raise her reputation as a wholesome person for a very long time. Her overdramatic wardrobe contained a black sleek dress with black feathers and black jewels. Her ugly face was hidden behind a light black veil. Her vulgar cries of attention were not obvious but Ariel knew. She knew her dirty little secret. A piece that surface level people can not see. She didn't care.

Ariel would have liked to say she stayed in the back and watched everyone simply walk in and out as she waited for an alone moment with him. However, she arrived early to the funeral to see Nate be pulled out for display. She entered the line firstly as a formality with everyone else. After she exited the casket area she would return to the back of the line as to go back and see if he was still dead. Her mind a constant circle of this repetition until Carol walked over.

"Nice to see you Ariel, its been a while." Carol's voice was soft and calm.  It didn't sound like her. This couldn't be her. Her eyes were bloodshot and her cheeks were stained with tears fresh and old.

"yeah..." Ariel was still quite uneasy about her new tone.

Carol reached out to rest her hands on Ariel's shoulders. Ariel shrugged away from them.

"Alright, I understand the hesitation. Mind if we take a walk outside?" Carol spoke softly.

Ariel looked back at the dwindling crowd over by Nate's casket. She seemed to wait for some sort of permission from him. When none came, she turned back towards Carol and the two began to walk outside.

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"I know I shouldn't expect any sort of kindness from you but I've really been trying to become a different person. I was not a good mother. I know but, I am trying to get better. I swear." Carol's voice had a tint of desperation.

"Listen Carol. I understand that we have a lot of differences but lets just settle to never talk to each other after today."

There was a steadfast and affirmative tone that Carol knew there was no way to change Ariel's mind about her previous actions.