Dream Catcher

||Mae Park|| Chapter 23

Mae stands, dressed in black, next to Kennedy, a black scarf wrapped around her head to cover the scar that's currently visible despite the amount of time that has passed. Her hands are folded together, a solemn expression on her face as she stares at the casket that holds Kennedy's younger sister. Mae has never been to a funeral . . . Although her parents have left her before to go them.

Death doesn't ever feel real, until it's staring you in the face. That's what Mae is thinking now. That could have very easily been her in there. A little while longer, and it wouldn't be her standing on the crunchy, autumn grass. It would be her family.

There's nothing she could have done to protect Melany, is what Kennedy is whispering into Mae's ear. Mae just ducks her head and attempts to believe it, but was there really nothing?

"I want to thank you for coming. . ." Kennedy starts, Mae turns, about to protest saying there's no need to thank her. That it's common courtesy, but Kennedy speaks again before Mae can get a word out. "You didn't know her, and you barely know me. But, you showed up anyways. For that, I'm grateful."

"I've lost all the girl-friends I used to have. If you could even call them that. . ." Mae picks at the skin around her thumb nail. "You seem nice enough now. We've both been through crap. I figure we can call each other more than acquaintances." She gives Kennedy a half smile. "On that note, my real name is Mae."

"You lied about your name? Why? Never mind. That's not important now." Kennedy shakes her head. "What's important is that son of a bitch that killed Melany is dead. And Melany is no longer hurting."

Mae nods. "Right."

In the official reports, the ones that were in the newspaper, it was disclosed that Vanessa? Roselyn? fell on Alex, and whatever Alex was holding punctured her. It's so messed up that it feels like a dream. But that goes to show why Mae is able to stand at Melany's funeral today. It's because Alex did what he thought he had to do to save her.

Of course, the reports left out Vanessa's main motives. There was nothing about Dream Catchers mentioned. . . Her thoughts and plans were passed off as delusions; A symptom of being mentally ill. Only the people that were there know the real reason. Canaan has done his job flawlessly, despite the current pressure he's under. As head of the DCC something like Vanessa slipping past him reflects badly.

People, on their own time, gradually gather up their wits and walk away, sniffling, in the directions of their cars. Mae's parents wait patiently for her to wrap up as well. It still seems too early to leave. Melany's and Kennedy's parents are the only ones left standing beside the two girls, Kennedy's mother leaning on her husband, hand clutching the black jacket he's wearing. How horrible it must be to have to bury a child, no matter what age.

Eventually, it too is Mae's turn to leave the burial site. Kennedy walks beside her silently, until out of nowhere, right before they get to Mae's parents car, she brings up Alex.

"Why haven't you been to see him?" she asks. Mae sucks in a breath and shakes her head.

"I hardly think that's appropriate to be talking about right now . . ."

Kennedy shrugs and then says, "Melany wouldn't want to see everybody sad. I'm tired of seeing everybody sad. So, one last thing for her. She'd want to know how it ended between you and Alex. Thirteen year olds. . ." Kennedy rolls her watery eyes. "They never want the gloomy stuff. Heads filled with thoughts of love, and boys."

As if sending a message, some rays of sun start peeking out from behind the gray clouds. Mae stops; they're almost to the car, and this is one thing her parents don't have to hear. "I haven't been to see Alex . . . not just because my mom and his mom have some issues. But because I'm worried, no, more like scared that he's going to be different." She clears her throat. "Alex flat lined once while in the hospital. . . And I haven't felt that tug that I used to feel since. I woke up and it wasn't there. . . It took forever to get the reason why out of my father."