Paradise

Chapter 4

        I hesitated, cautious with the fact that I barely knew this boy and he wanted to take me out into unknown territory. I knew enough to know that this wasn't a good situation. After standing there for a few minutes, Joseph turned around and looked at me. "Are you coming?"

        I paused to choose my words. "I don't know if that's a good idea."

        Joseph walked back over to me. "You have nothing to worry about. I just want to show you something. I'm not going to do anything, trust me." Something about the way he looked at me made me trust him. I knew that this was exactly what they always warned you about in school during sex-ed. But I nodded and began to follow him. As we got closer to the waterfall, I noticed another trail leading back around the cliff. We started walking along it, and I soon noticed a black iron gate. I realized getting closer that the point where the path and the gate met up, there was a door. It was locked with a chain and padlock. We approached it, and Joseph turned to me. "We're here."

        I walked up and looked through the bars. Inside was an old cemetery. It looked forgotten, every flower dead and weeds growing all over the place. I saw bright colors in the distance and noticed that there were living flowers on a gravestone that was pretty far out there. It seemed to be the only splash of color in the whole cemetery. "What is this place?"

        "This is Harwood Cemetery. It used to be a gold mine for gravediggers and robbers. They haven't buried anyone here in fifteen years. Most people have forgotten about it by now. They made the trails lead away from it to keep people away. People started complaining that they had family here, so the city was nice enough to make memorials for all of the people buried here and put them in other cemeteries for no charge. Eventually those people forgot that the new cemetery isn't where their loved ones are buried." Joseph paused, and I continued to stare silently. He looked up at me and continued, tears in his eyes. "There are three people in here that didn't get that service."

        "Are those the people with the live flowers?"

        Joseph nodded. "I come here every day. That's why I go to the waterfall. On the way back, I stop and reflect, and that seems the best place. I see you there all the time, but I never said anything. I didn't want to scare you." Joseph reaches into his pocket and pulls out a key. "This opens the gate."

        "Where did you get the key?"

        "Let's just say I'm a lucky guy." Joseph came over and opened the gate. "Come with me."

        We began to walk slowly along the pavement in the cemetery. I glanced at the names as we passed and began to feel terrible for these people. Their families can still mourn over them, but their bodies lay deep in the earth, forgotten. I had never thought about what things would be like when I die, but I knew one thing: I didn't want to be forgotten.

        The dead flowers seemed to look up as us walking past, as if begging to replace them with new ones or nurture them enough to bring them to life. A mouse watched us pass, not running as they usually did. I suppose it thought it owned this territory. We kept walking in silence. Joseph glanced at me occasionally, but didn't say a word. He just let me take it all in.

        Before long, we got to the gravestones with the live flowers. Joseph knelt down in front of the stone, and said quietly, "Lord, watch over them. They are safe in your care, and I know that Thou watches over me. Bless me with the courage to complete this task. Amen." He looked up at me. "These people... They are my world." He stood up. "They did everything for me. Took such good care of me. They still watch over me and protect me."

        I nodded, tears coming to my eyes at the love that Joseph had for these people.  "Were they..." I sniffed. "Were they family?"

        Joseph nodded. "They are still my family." He hesitated, then looked over at me. "They are your family too."