The Death Kiss (Nanowrimo)#wattys2017

chapter 17: The funeral

The clouds wept a silent rain among the unfortunate people who gathered around to bid farewell to our beloved Marie. I was standing near the uncovered grave watching the coffin. The tears were falling from my eyes, getting mixed with the rain droplets trickling down my cheeks. I couldn't forget the sobs of Marie's mother and father when they said few words for their daughter. She was their only child, and today, they lost everything.

I was feeling so guilty that I couldn't raise my eyes to see Marie's picture placed on a board near her Grave. I recalled her beautiful smile that vanished away forever, only because of me. Though everybody has to die someday, but it wasn't her time. Adrian took her soul away just to give my soul back to me. But why Marie? He could have taken anyone's soul. But why he had chosen her? I bombarded my mind with so many unanswered questions.

The grave was covered soon. I saw Marie's parents walking together arm in arm, away from the graveyard. Chase placed his arm around me, and I rested my head softly on his shoulder. I was feeling so numb that I forgot how the pain of losing someone actually felt like.

I kept staring at her grave in disbelief, and lots of old memories returned. I was a little girl when my father died. My mom convinced me that he went to heaven, to look after my baby brothers. And somehow, I agreed to that. May be, I wanted to disbelieve my loss at that time too. I wanted this to be an illusion too. May be, I would open my eyes and she would be standing there right in front of me like Chase.

"Gabriella must be tricking me again!" I whispered.

Chase squeezed my shoulders softly without saying anything.

"Yeah, she's tricking me." I told myself again.

Chase spoke," Let's go, Lily. The funeral is over."

I looked around, and everyone was gone except me and Chase. I saw a man in black suit standing at a distance. He adjusted his black hat and started walking away.

"ADRIAN! You can't do this to me." I shouted at him.

But he kept walking away. Chase grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him.

"Lily, calm down. Marie slipped from the stairs and broke her neck. It's not anyone's fault."

"You don't know. Adrian is the Grim Reaper.He took her soul just to save me."

Chase shook my shoulders. "You need to calm down. You're losing your mind."

I touched the butterfly pendant around my neck.

"I am scared, Chase. I really am."

"Of whom?"

He brushed back my wet hair behind my ears. The rain droplets trickled down my eyelashes to my lips.

"I'm scared of Adrian. I thought, I was in love with him. But this isn't love."

I saw a tinge of color in Chase's pale cheeks. His lips twisted into a little smile.

"I'll take care of you, I promise. You don't need to be afraid of anyone."

He opened the door of his car for me and I sat in.

As Chase drove through the graveyard, I saw Adrian watching me from behind a gravestone with his intense smoky eyes. I knew, he wasn't happy to see me and Chase together.

"Will you believe me if I told you something?" I asked.

I had to tell Chase everything about Adrian. He should understand the danger I was about to drag him into.

"I'll believe you." He replied.

"Promise?" I touched his arm softly.

"Promise, Lil."