Sax and the City

Chapter 10- Into The Clouds

It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, dew drops glistened on the tips of the grassy field, and a faint breeze lessened the otherwise oppresive heat. Music swelled and faded, its slow melody resounding. Polished metal glittered. The band stood at perfect attention. Yes, some would later say, they gave it their all that day. It was the best performance in their storied career, better than State, better than any concert they had or would ever give. But of course it was. The kids would allow themselves to be nothing less than perfect on this, the day they gathered to mourn the sudden and tragic death of Kayla Schneider.

It happened without warning. As Aron Bowe would later tell countless others, she had been fine until, suddenly,she complained of a headache and slumped into his arms. She died en route to the hospital, victim of an undiagnosed brain anyeurism caused by the concussion she'd suffered two weeks prior. Basically, a vein in her head burst and caused her brain to die. It was a painful way to go.

The crowd gathered there that day numbered almost 200. An astonishing amount of people crawled out of the woodwork to celebrate and remember the seventeen year old. Attendees included her old band director, Mr.Bacchman. Her family requested the band to play, and they put together a powerful three piece memorial concert with the finale conducted, of course, by Mr. Bacchman. Not a dry eye remained in the entire cemetary.

When it finally came time to bury her, the crowd silently filed into rows in front of the casket. The family gathered for once last hug, one last embrace of the dead teen. In a fitting manner, Kayla was buried with her saxophone, neatly assembled and polished for all eternity. The pastor said a few words of blessing, the casket was lowered and covered, and everyone left in complete and utter silence.

The Band Program put up a plaque on the Awards Wall, engraved with a picture of Kayla and a few sentences remembering her. The school offered a grief counselor, which far too many of the band kids found themselves visiting. Some were able to find closure on their own.

A week after the funeral, Aron Bowe visited her grave after school.

"Hey, Kayla. " He cleared his throat. "I know this is awkward, me talking to a gravestone and all, but it works. I just wanted to bring you some stuff." He fumbled in his backpack. "I, uh, I brought you a reed, in case yours breaks. It's a 3 Vandoren, your favorite. And I brought you a bag of the chocolate covered espresso beans, cause playing saxophone among the clouds is hard work and stuff and you might get hungry. " He carefully dug a small hole with his hands, buried the Vandoren Reed, and scattered the espresso beans around the tombstone. It was white granite, and it read 'Kayla Schneider, Gone Into The Clouds Too Soon". Aron stared at it for awhile, before clearing his throat and speaking again.

"Look, so I know you're gone now, and you're not coming back. And that sucks,but, I had something I wanted to ask you before you, you know, left and stuff." From his pocket, with a shaking hand, he pulled out a crumpled ticket for Homecoming.

"Do you, ah, do you want to go to Homecoming?" He waited for half a second,as if for an actual response. "I really liked you, you know, and I didn't want you to go without k-knowing that." His voice cracked and wavered. He forced himself not to cry.

OHh, shut up, idiot. Don't be a crybaby like me.

His head jerked up. For half a second, he could have sworn he heard Kayla's voice.

Come on. Get up. Go home. Practice Concert music. Or soccer. Don't just sit here moping.

"I love you." He got up, and picked up his bag. "I'll come back soon, if you like. Although, you're lucky if I do. So bossy, even now."

As he strode toward the exit, he could picture Kayla standing there, insulting him. If she was real mad, she might even call him by his middle name, which she knew he hated.

Shut up, Kellen!

THE END