My Super Depressing Story About How I Became The First One

Chapter Ten

We arrived at the small stone church on the outskirts of the township, where the service was being held. The church stood behind a small ancient graveyard, with headstones so worn that the engravings were barely a whisper of the faded words. The stone and marble crumbled after a century of weather wearing them down. Some had stood there for longer than a century. But it was hard to tell which ones they were with their dates almost completely gone.

I knew every tombstone. Their cracks, their tales of death or who laid beneath them. I had spent a lot of time in the graveyard, when my adoptive mother went to church. I don't believe in God, or a holier being. I believe in science. Karen had respected that and had not forced me to Bible bash every Sunday.

I always enjoyed walking through the graveyard, imagining the lives of the people that laid beneath my feet. I never thought it was morbid. I wasn't thinking about their death, but the lives they had led. I really enjoyed looking at coupled graves, eternally together, even after death. Lucky for some I guess.

The only ones I found hard to look at was the little graves. The little cherubs that represented a tiny little one that passed far before their time. Unable to for fill a full life or legacy. It made me sad. It was a life cut far too short. I would always quickly move onto an old grave telling tales or bible scriptures that their loved ones carefully picked just for them.

Even though I don't believe or care to believe in God, I do appreciate some verses in the bible. Not the ones that contradicted others or ones that showed sexism or racism. No the ones that encouraged love and strength, a reason to live. I was always able to find the beauty in them. Giving reason and hope to live, especially for those who need it the most.

The crowd that came to wish Andy goodbye, spilled out of the church and amongst the familiar tombs. I knew there was a seat reserved for Cain and me near the front of the church, so I didn't have to worry about not finding a seat. We were ten minutes early, and that many people there already, warmed my cold dead heart.

A lump caught itself in my throat and my eyes burned. Crap. They haven't even started the service and I was already about to cry. I needed to pull myself together, otherwise I wasn't going to make it to the end.

The problem with that much of a great turnout, meant there were hardly any parks. Cain managed to find a park two blocks down from the church, on the side of the road by a grazing paddock.

I cursed myself for the shoes I had chosen to wear. After a few steps of them sinking in the surprisingly soft ground and after passing on Cain's offer to give me a piggy back ride, I decided to walk on the road. It wasn't the city, I would see a car coming and just move out of its way. There wasn't the danger of being hit by a double decker bus.

The crowd at the entrance of the church was so thick, I couldn't see through it. I guess most the church would be the same. It wasn't a big church, and it made me wonder why Andy's farther didn't make it a closed funeral, or move it to the town hall.

I knew why he wanted the church. It was where Andy wanted to one day get married. It was his way of giving his princess her wedding she always wanted. Except, it wasn't a wedding.

I cursed Mr. Williams, Andy's father, as I started to push my way through the crowd. I saw a lot of familiar faces of the villagers, and they noticed me. Some of them nodded and pointed. The faces of the crowd turned and looked at me, most were over the shoulder glances, but some just plainly stared like I was a circus freak. An important circus freak, because they all moved for me, creating a path towards pews at the front of the church. I gripped Cain's hand and led him through the crowd to our seats.

Abby was seated in the seat next to the ones reserved for us. I hadn't seen her since the night I had my first meeting with Cain. I hadn't spoken to her since the night of Andy's death.

Abby looked up at me with blackened tears trailing her face, making a mess of her perfect makeup. I felt a little pity for the six foot tall model. It was probably her first real loss. I couldn't help but feel a little empathy towards her. But I couldn't tell whether to buy into it. I didn't know what was real emotion and what was for attention.

Cain came up behind me placing his hand at the small of my back, sending warm tingles of energy up my spine, causing my palms to itch. I had to fight not to jump. It was like the static shock you got sometimes after jumping on a trampoline and touching the metal bar. I looked up at his smiling face, "What was that?" I asked.

"I don't know," he shrugged as he removed his hand. I will ask Evelyn later.

I smiled down at Abby as I took my seat next to her. Like hell was I going to let Cain sit next to Abby? He would probably charm her out of her pants or vice versa. I have never known Abby to be the subtle type.

I never did understand why I disliked Abby so much. Maybe it was her rude bitchy personality? Maybe this wasn't the time to be so harsh. We both have just lost a best friend and a sister.

I grabbed Abby's hand and held it as the pastor walked up to the altar. He raised his hand to hush the crowd and started to recite scriptures from the bible, before he spoke of Andy's life.