Concerning Death

Chapter 23 - Concerning Apollo

The green vastness spreads out before me, joining hands with the light blue sky far out on the horizon. The sun lights the scenery you'd expect the hills to come alive to sing you a lullaby.

"Hey," she says from behind me as if I was expecting her.

"Hey." I smile. It's good to see her again.

"How are you doing?" Her smile is wide and pure, and I can't help but smile back, even despite it all.

"I'm okay," I say.

"You wouldn't be here if you were okay." She has a point. Still, though.

"I like it here," I disagree. "It's peaceful." The most peace I have known in a long time.

"That's what you think." She starts walking towards the sun that is slowly setting, giving everything that golden glow.

"How have you been?" I ask her, not wanting to be the focus of the conversation.

"Same old same old. Nothing much happens here, I just wait for your visits. But you're not here to talk about me, so what's on your mind?"

"I don't know, I just came to say hi." I've missed her.

"You always come here for a reason," she accuses.

"No, I don't," I insist, knowing I'm lying to her.

"How's Lindsay Evans doing?" The name stirs something in me. Memories. Curled up papers, crossed out notes, stacks and stacks of print outs, lists of lists...

"The funeral is over," I whisper. "She only has work to keep her occupied now. She keeps calling the lawyer too, she wants to know what is going to happen to Michelle. Karl is worried. I don't think it's crossed her mind that it's a conflict of interest. I don't blame her though, a sister is not someone you just let go of."

"What about you, are you worried about her?"

"I think she might have reached the limit of what she can handle." I step around one of the big gray stones. "I think she might be trying too hard to be okay. She's not grieving, she's going over her to-do list."

"So what are you going to do?" she asks as if it was the most natural next step.

"Do? I don't really think it's my place to do anything, I barely knew Robert, I never met Michelle. I barely know any of them."

"That's your choice." She sits down on one of the stones. "If that is what you truly want."

"What else is there?"

"I don't know," she admits. She looks over her shoulder at the setting sun, only it's not setting anymore, it's set. "Time is almost up, I have to leave now. I'll see you later."

"See you later Zoe." She jumps up and gives me a hug. Her fading figure smiles at me, and the first streak of light from the rising star banishes her for now. I look down at her gravestone seat.

NICAA HARPER

REPETITIVE BUT USEFUL

I wake up with a jerk.

The green pasture spreads out like a picnic blanket at my feet. The blue sky cradles the red star in a blanket of yellow clouds. I start walking, feeling the soft grass on my bare feet, listening to the birds sing the sun to sleep.

"There you are," she comes running up from behind me. "Slow down, what's your hurry."

"I'm sorry, just had a bit of a bad day," I admit.

"Oh, how come?" Her tone is light as a fairy, and I almost smile. This is how I want to remember her. Happy and carefree.

"I'm not sure."