La Façade des Plumes

Chapter III - Funeral

August 25th, 11:37 am

Eagle Pass, Texas

A cacophony of church bells, singing of broken voices, and cries of ones who grieved echoed within her eardrums, leaving her to wallow in her thoughtless mind. Everyone in the room, either hiding their eyes as they sang Spanish hymns from the program or stood silent, eyes staring blankly at the closed casket at the front. One thing they all had in common; they all wore yellow for Mia's Meniere's disease. Women's clothing contained yellow while the Men had yellow flowers pinned to their suit jackets. Though different actions occurred from each individual, their minds remained blank, for they still couldn't wrap their heads around the sudden death.

Ivey's eyes wandered around her surroundings, reading each person she landed on. Her Uncle, married to Mia's oldest sister, who died of breast cancer several months before, stood silently, adjusting his glasses before wiping his nose as a tear silently rolled down his cheek.

A few rows up, her Grandparents, Mia's parents, remained seated as her grandpa rocked his dissociated wife in his arms. Her Aunt, the last living daughter of the Grandparents, painfully sang through the Spanish hymns while her children held her hands. Ivey glanced over two seats down beside her, meeting eyes with Talva before she gave her a halved smile.

Finally, between them, Anna. Like Ivey, Anna remained silent, keeping her head forward. Still, no matter how strong of an attempt, the tremors in her fingers refused to subside. Hesitantly, Ivey glanced over to Anna's face.

Tears fighting to be free, breaks in a once-steady pace of breath, the circles under her eyes growing darker as the trembling within her fingers crept up her arms and into her chest. Sweat forming on her forehead, trickling down along her hairline as her pulse quickened. Sighing, Ivey looked back toward the casket, slipping her hand into Anna's, lacing their fingers together.

Suddenly, everyone's voices had vanished, leaving only their resonance to fill the silent air. As the priest lowered his hands, almost everyone fell to their seat. Before the priest resumed, he paused, looking up to Anna, for she had remained standing. "Anna?" Talva whispered, placing her hand on Anna's back. Silently, Anna slipped between them and the pew before walking away. Confused, everyone's eyes followed her down the aisle, watching her disappear into the hall. Talva shot up from her seat, about to follow her but was stopped as Ivey shot her hand across her chest, gently pushing back to her seat.

Shoving the large, heavy door open, a gust of cool air hit her face. Stumbling over her feet, Anna wrapped her arms around one of the many marble pillars of the front porch before hunching over the side of the railing as vomit poured from her mouth. Breathing in the hot, thick, wet air of the outside as she wiped her mouth, she cautiously stumbled backward, lowering herself to the bench behind her. The wind dried the sweat off her forehead while Anna shed her last few tears of relief. "Oh, God," she whispered, shaking her head before burying her face within her hands. Spreading her fingers, her eyes immediately met with the floor. She stared at her shoes, deeply sighing before another pair of feet came into view. Furrowing her brows, Anna raised her head, meeting her sister's dull eyes.

Quietly, Ivey sat beside her, staring at the ending sprinkle from the pass-over storm. Mentally questioning her presence, Anna followed her eyes before shaking her head, lowering it once again. Glancing down at her sister, Ivey stared with her usual blank look. Once again, the tremors appeared in Anna's fingertips as they ran through her hair. Her whimpered, shaky breaths became more audible as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Turning back toward the scenery, Ivey loudly exhaled, catching Anna's attention. With Anna's eyes now on her, Ivey tilted her head in curiosity at a pair of birds flying ahead. Curious, Anna followed her eyes again to the birds.

One of bright red feathers and the other of black feathers. They chased each other through the sky like a game of Tag. Singing as if they were laughing with each other. Anna smiled, watching the birds. The two softly exhaled a breath before leaning back. "Do you think it's partly my fault?" Anna whispered. Surprised, Ivey raised an eyebrow, slowly turning her head. "Because I wasn't there?" Anna added. Ivey tilted her head, staring at her sister with wide eyes. Anna glanced at her with a gloomy look. "If I hadn't moved out, could I have possibly saved her?"

Ivey, once again, left her in silence. Just like she has since their mother's death. Anna turned back toward the restless birds as they continued to chase each other down. Sustaining her curious stare, Ivey slid her hand Anna's, lacing their fingers together. They watched the two birds land on a tree branch, taking rest. Anna rested her head on Ivey's shoulder, "I love you, Ser," she whispered. Ivey rested her head on Anna's, following her eyes back to the birds.

The two birds stared at each other, reading each other, constantly switching which the side their heads were tilted to. However, the red robin turned away. The crow flicked his head toward the two sisters. Ivey cocked her head back as he darted toward them before swiftly landing on the railing. She glanced down at Anna, seeing she had drifted to a long-needed nap. Ivey rolled her eyes before the Crow squawked at her, recalling her attention.

They studied each other, tilting their heads to the same side in unison. Softly, sweet whistles flowed from her lips, enchanting the bird. The Crow squawked at her again, making her smile. "You're cute," she whispered. Finally, the Crow turned away from her before flying away into the rain, reuniting with his fiery friend. Holding her smile, her eyes followed the birds into the sky before something caught her eyes amidst the trees.

Someone.

Standing between the trees, he stood silently, hands pocketed in his pants. Ivey straightened her spine for a better view as fear settled in. He wasn't the stranger from that night. He was a bit shorter, not well-built. Just like the other male attendees, he wore a suit with a yellow flower pinned to his jacket. Slowly rising from the bench, Ivey stepped closer, catching his attention. The man flinched, stepping back at the sight of her as his hands fell from his pockets. Ivey stepped out from under the roof of the porch, descending the steps as he continued moving back. She raised her hand, making him freeze as they stared at each other in curiosity.

Heavy drops of rainwater trickled along the edges of their faces, enhancing their features to the other one's eyes. Looks of fear and sorrow arising in their faces. She nodded her head toward the church, inviting him in. He followed her nod toward the building, hesitating the step forward. Suddenly, he looked back at the young teen before disappearing into the woods.

Ivey stepped forward, peering through the thick darkness of the woods, searching for him before light footsteps appeared behind her. Before the person's hand could land on her shoulder, Ivey flipped around as Talva flinched. "Jesus," Talva huffed, placing her hand over her chest as she stepped back. "Are you good?" she asked, dropping her hands. Ivey lowered her eyes to the wet grass, increasingly becoming irritated by the feeling of her wet socks.

"What were you looking at?" Talva asked, pointing toward the trees. Ivey followed her finger to where he stood, however, there was still no sign of him. Disappointed, she lowered her head as she turned toward Talva. Although curiosity wandered in her mind, Talva brushed it off as the two began to walk back toward the church.

"So," Talva started, placing her arm around Ivey's shoulders, "...the service is over and everyone is headed into the dining room for food, but I figured you and your sister have had enough for today-..." Ivey stopped abruptly, slowly shaking her head. Confused, Talva dropped her arm as she stared down at her. "Anna needs food..." Ivey mumbled. Surprised, Talva came in front of her, almost appalled by the sight of her eyes. "I'm sorry?" she said. "Anna needs food," Ivey said once more. "I could say the same for you," Talva replied, looking at her thin, frail figure up and down.

Brushing off her comment, Ivey looked over her shoulder still feeling confused. Within the shadows, faint vibrancy, so hidden anyone would assume it was an illusion of the human mind. "Talva?" Anna called out. Instantly, Ivey turned around, walking back to her sister. Suspicious, Talva slowly trailed behind her before looking back. Narrowing her eyes, Talva stared at the dark, wooded area, unaware that his longful eyes were staring back.

Some go home to continue their regular, routined-lives. For others, reality continues to manifest itself. A man, innocent, let off for insanity and now locked away, for he's deemed a danger to society. A little girl, the true victim of it all, was sent to a strange place for lack of diet. However, the hill leading down doesn't end there.