Robin Souls | Open Novella Contest 2019 | Completed

Epilogue

The ceremony itself hadn't been grand – not that his mother had wanted it to be, that's what Damien had said.

Cameron had left ages ago but Elise was still standing at the gates, looking over at Damien periodically while he stayed crouched down in front of the only freshly dug grave.

Elise never knew what it was about graveyards that made nature itself seem to hush its sound. It was if the wildlife itself could tell there was a huge number of dead bodies of one of their greatest enemies under the ground. As though too much happiness in their song could displease the sadness the dead humans felt upon losing their life and loved ones when they died.

The rustle of Damien's clothes as he stood up pulled her out of her thoughts and she looked over to see his eyes still focused on the grave. She saw him speak but wasn't able to hear what he was telling his mother, though she could read the surprise in his body language when he turned and noticed her presence.

Damien seemed to hesitate, almost as though he couldn't face seeing her but he made his way over to her when he realised she would not leave without him.

"What are you still doing here?" Damien muttered, not meeting her eyes when he stopped beside her.

Elise shrugged her shoulders half-heartedly. "I figured maybe you could use a friend. In the absence of any others, I thought I could step in."

Damien nodded, but said nothing; she wondered if he was grateful she was still here. "She deserved better." Elise barely heard Damien, but she was sure that's what he said.

"Sometimes life doesn't end up playing out the way we expect it," Elise said, looking over towards his mother's grave. "We have to accept there's nothing we can do about it if that happens."

Elise's words had been meant for Damien - to cheer him up. But as she listened to her own words, she realised maybe she was saying that somewhat to herself as well.

Damien sighed and reached his hands forward, leaning against the wooden fence that ran around the graveyard, staring out far into the distance. His mouth never opened to convey to Elise just what he was feeling – all the thoughts that must be running through his head right now.

"I just don't know what I'm supposed to do now," Damien admitted, his mouth the only movement on his body. "That life is all I've done and all I've known for years."

Elise had never been great at comforting people, and she knew the death of a parent was one of the hardest things you could try to console another person for. This time it was her thoughts that caused the silence between them.

Then, she lifted a hand and placed it on his arm, finally earning herself a look from Damien's heartbroken eyes. Even now it was strange that they were no longer the amber colour they were when the two first met.

"Then let me help you," Elise said softly.

For the first time since the death of his mother, a small smile graced Damien's lips.