บท 1: Chapter I
It was noon and the sun had risen to its highest peak in the almost clear sky. The few clouds that remained scattered were grey in color that led to a soft rain. The droplets beaded up on the line of cars parked in the grass and umbrellas slowly began to pop up over the group of individuals surrounding the open grave. The people whispered to one another and hugged as they positioned themselves to allow immediate family in front.
The grave was a deep empty hole surrounded by dirt walls and the white wooden casket sat beside it, awaiting to be rolled down once everyone had left. An easel covered in purple flowers stood next to the standing picture of a smiling young boy with curly blonde hair and blue eyes. The priest stood there, bible in crossed hands, and lowered his head until the sermon began.
Grace was planted in the grass next to the hearse door she exited from. From a distance, her eyes scanned over the blanket of black clothing, unable to encourage herself to move her legs and walk over to the gathering. She hadn't noticed the rain dampening her face and hair until someone stepped up beside her with an umbrella.
"You're getting rained on." A familiar voice stated as it placed the handle of the umbrella within her hand. The warmth of their hands touching radiated into her body as if injecting a dose of energy. She pursed her lips, lost in thought.
After a moment, she gripped it tightly and without a word, turned her head to see who it was but no-one was there. The warm familiar feeling had vanished, leaving her with just an umbrella to block the rain and no more energy. She lowered her eyes, attempting to configure whose voice that accompanied her just now.
Another familiar voice spoke to her, "Grace?"
She turned her head to the opposite side to see a boy standing there. He was sharply dressed with a smoothed hairstyle to keep it out of his caramel eyes.
Jackson, she thought, but the words didn't come out of her mouth.
He watched her, waiting for her to walk over to the grave. He studied her expression but it seemed emotionless, as if she was in a trance and it stung his heart to see her that way. The laughing, talkative girl he used to know was gone and he was afraid she wouldn't come back. With a brave gulp, he stepped over to her.
"You don't have to do this." He stated, reassuring her that this was optional. Burials were a social event, forcing familiar and unfamiliar faces to show up and provide insincere condolences to others. She could turn around and grieve in her own way. After all, she had to suffer through an hour long funeral service before coming here.
She shook her head slowly, indicating that she wasn't leaving. This was something she absolutely had to do even if it didn't give her closure. She didn't want to leave her brother alone to be with people whom she thought were basically strangers.
"Would you stand with me?" She asked him, not expecting him to say yes but he was the closest person to her right now. Despite her parents sheltering her the past few days, she still felt alone and abandoned. Jackson shared a similar bond with Gray as she did so his presence makes her feel not as solitary.
His eyes lit up when she finally spoke. Eager to be there for her, he said 'yes' and she nodded to his response.
Her feet finally mustered the courage to move through the grass and on to the paved pathway. She offered Jackson to walk underneath the umbrella with her which he politely agreed to and kept up with her pace.
Once she got there, everyone turned their heads to her. As if the spotlight of her brothers death wasn't enough, but her lips began to quiver like she was expected to say something. Jackson glanced over her reactions and took the umbrella and her arm to lead her around the group and to the front where her parents stood together.
As the priest noticed the arrival of the sister, he cleared his throat and opened his bible to begin the few words he'd speak. Silence fell over the group as he spent several minutes going over the special statements he said about Gray that made few begin to weep.
Grace shifted her eyes over the crowd, noticing her good friends Melody and Naomi in the back. They smiled at her, but she only averted her eyes. Her thoughts weren't on the sermon, but they were on the continued flashbacks of that foggy morning. She pieced images together to try and figure out what and why it happened but that part of her memory wouldn't budge.
The only prominent memory she held was the moment her eyes met Gray's lifeless body. He was so still and quiet because he had died trying to protect her. Filling with guilt, Grace quickly lowered her head to wipe the tears that unwillingly formed in her eyes on their own. Persistently, the tears continued to flow and Grace's hand that was resting at her side, reached over to take Jackson's in comfort.
His eyes looked over at her in concern, but she didn't speak nor look at him. She only interlocked her fingers with his and he willingly accepted it by returning the intimate grip.
The priest ended his words with a short prayer, "... In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen." The crowd simultaneously said 'amen' and the priest gave permission for the family to receive more condolences before leaving the cemetery.
Grace didn't move and neither did her hand from Jackson's as she stared at the empty grave. He patiently waited for her to make the decision to leave. Several more minutes passed by when most of the guests had left including Naomi and Melody. Only a few people remained standing there and the rain had dampened the grass and dirt enough that some found it difficult to leave the area.
Jackson started to speak to grab Grace's attention but her eyes were directed towards a figure standing by the tree line. It was odd to see a silhouette pace back and forth but her eyes couldn't make out the exact shape. She furrowed her brows as a slender part of the shadow extended outwards and began to wave..at her?
She took one step forward but Jackson pulled her arm back. "Gracie? They're going to lower the casket soon." The nickname they all shared for her reminded her of Gray.
Her eyes turned back to look at Jackson but then returned to the tree line where the figure had disappeared. Confusion setting in, she nodded and began to walk away from the spot when she heard a light scratching noise.
She stopped, which made Jackson stop too since they were still connected together by their hands.
"Did you hear that?" She asked him.
Jackson knitted his brows together. "Hear what?"
The scratching noise continued and her body turned slightly to look back at the grave. It became a little louder this time so she was able to narrow it coming from the casket.
"The wood noise. Scratching." She stated as she tilted her head. Jackson shook his head.
"There's no noise, G."
Blinking her eyes, she decided to shrug it off but as she turned back around, a weeping sound grew. It sounded like a whimpering puppy that transformed into a human voice. In tandem, the scratching and whine became louder.
"Gracie.." the voice sounded so familiar.
"Did you say something?" She directed her next question to Jackson again.
He shook his head, "No, we should go now." He tugged at her hand.
"GRACIE!" The voice immediately screeched like a freight train which made her release Jackson's hand and whip around.
"Who's there?!" She demanded, confused by what was going on. By this time, her parents had begun to step forward and the others that hadn't left yet stared at her.
"What is going on?" Her father looked at Jackson then to Grace.
"Gracie, help me!" That voice. It was familiar.
She stumbled over the grass, rocks and wet dirt to get to the casket. Accidentally, she fell down, covering her legs in shedding, wet grass and mud. Jackson and her father looked at each other then began to follow her.
"Save me Grace! It's so hot! I can't breath, please!" the voice shouted and shouted, ringing in her ears as she finally reached the casket and threw herself over it.
"Gray! I'm coming!" She screamed in shock, devasted by the fact that he was trapped.
"For God's Sake, get her away from there!" Her mother was now crying once again, mortified that Grace was acting in such a way.
Jackson dropped the umbrella. He was faster and steadier than Grace's father so he was able to grab both of her arms to try and pry her off the casket.
"No!" Grace shrieked. She yanked away from Jackson and banged on it with clenched fists. "I'll save you Gray! Don't leave!"
The voice whined more, "Gracie it hurts! It's hurts so bad! The fire..it's..it's burning me! Please help me!" The scratching on the inside of the casket pounded louder and she screamed at it through tears.
Different from before the service began, the weather suddenly changed with rolling grey clouds that covered the sun completely and heavier rain fell that hit the skin like a piece of ice.
"Grace!" Jackson gripped her with his muscular arms and hoisted her off the casket. When he finally sat her down on the grass, she tried to push and punch him away.
"No..no!" Her entire body was shaking under his grasp. "I have to save him! I have to.."
Jackson shook her hard, trying to snap her out of whatever trance she was in. His hands released her arms and planted themselves on her cheeks. Her face was filled with terror and despair as if she was determined that Gray was really inside the casket.
"There is nothing there!" He shouted at her. Now causing an entire scene in the cemetery. Her father had returned to her mother to console her hysterical sobbing.
Grace didn't break her gaze with the casket but the shouting and scratching noises suddenly stopped. "I have to.." she repeated over and over. Her eyes welled with more tears and her lips quivered.
"G it's okay." Jackson rubbed her cheeks tenderly with his thumbs in an attempt to wipe the tears away but she had turned pale in color as if she had seen a ghost. She was truly terrified and that made Jackson terrified.
Reluctantly, Jackson pulled Grace into his chest and cradled her as she sobbed. She buried her face in his suit jacket and attempted to absorb the event that just happened.
While everyone stared at the two of them, Jackson sat in the grass with her for as long as she needed, both being drenched in the rain.
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