It Lives In The Woods

Chapter TwentyFour

The turnout for Bee's funeral was bigger than anyone could have anticipated, they hadn't taken into account the amount of friends and family she had in New York. Her parents were shocked and devastated, Noah was an old friend, someone Bee loved deeply, how could he have done this ? Within the week News Stations and Newspapers were printed with his face as the front story, "Wanted for suspect in a murder" The other six of them were happy to see it, they all thought he deserved whatever was coming to him, in their eyes, though Norah had issued the final blow, it was Noah who had taken Bee by the hand and led her to her deathbed. They were all dressed in their funeral clothes, black dresses and black suits, it was their day of reckoning. The church Norah's memorial too was held was overfilled with mourning individuals, all mourning the same, amazing woman. They were standing, and sitting, and filling out every corner of the church, Bee lived a life worth living, a life loved. Bee's father stood at the front of the building, his bible shaking in his hands as the place quieted. "My wife and I would like to thank each and every one of you for coming today. We know it would've meant a lot to Bee, she loved you all. I know you're probably all angry at the man who did this, but Bee wouldn't want us to wallow in our anger and our grief, she would want us to move on, and be happy. She'll teach the angels a thing or two up there in heaven. One of her friends would like to say a few words before we begin the final ceremony." The room exploded into applause as Tanner slowly approached the podium, adjusting his tie nervously, hsi fingers dwindling as he looked out over the crowd. He wondered how Bee felt, standing in this very spot all those years ago, just a teenager, barely that. He closed his eyes and opened them again, looking out at the pews, and only seeing her, sitting there with a confident smile, giving him a cheerful thumbs up, just like she always did, pushing him when he needed it. "I um, I met Bee when I was only fourteen, I was the new kid in a small town, I was scrawny and awkward, and I wanted to be friends with King Andy," he said, motioning to Andy who laughed painfully, flinching at his purple and blue nose. ", and Bee, she took me in. Kind of like a stray puppy." He paused, laughing. "She was the nicest girl I'd ever met. And when I got," he paused and swallowed hard, thinking of all the drugs, ",when I got sick, she took care of me. She encouraged me even when I didn't deserve it, she loved me even when I didn't love myself." He sniffled, trying to hold back his tears, "We all used to call her our bumblebee, the little one, she was adored by all, especially me. I'd like to show you all a video we made now, my friends and I, and Bee's parents. We feel like it really captures her essence as a person. Thank you."

Tanner hurried to sit down as a large screen was pulled over the baptism area, and Bee's father pressed play on the projector beside him. It was refreshing to see her smiling face again, just as they remembered it at sixteen. She was dressed in a short denim skirt, with a black tube top she had borrowed from Stacy, with Andy's varsity basketball team jacket hanging loosely around her shoulders as she backed away from the camera, allowing Andy into the frame. "Happy four months baby, I love youuuu." She cooed, kissing him in front of the camera. "Why are you recording this ?" Andy asked, in his cool teasing tone, before leaning down and whispering in her ear. Bee laughed, her neck flushing red on the screen, "So we can always look back and remember how in love we were silly." Andy sniffled, his tears stinging the welts on his face as the screen changed to Bee, Stacy and Lily, just pre-teens, holding hands at the edge of a big pool, the blue water reflecting on their faces. "READY, SET, GO!" Norah yelled from the other side of the camera, and they all watched as the girls jumped in, sending splashes of water into the air. The video went on for several more minutes, displaying moments in Bee's life, her senior prom at the school she attended in New York, her dress all pink and petals, her first birthday when she got cake matted in the small black curls wisping on top of her head, she and Norah's joint twelfth birthday, where the theme was halloween even though it was the middle of July, her high school graduation,where smile lit up the whole building, her first live concert, where you could hear fans cheering in the background, cheering her name. Finally the camera was zoomed out on a group of teenagers, walking in the fading evening, all dressed in fine attire, Bee in the center, arms linked with Norah, she looked back at the camera and flashed it a grin of adoration, "Come on Tanner, join the party new kid, we only get a first homecoming once." Then the screen went dark, and they were left, alone.