Hey. This is my first story, so some comments would be nice, but no pressure. Sorry if there's too much dialogue or the funeral scene isn't really right, but the last funeral I went to was when I was 6, so not a lot of memories. Anyways, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Monster Buster Club that's property of Marathon and Disney or whatever, and I don't own the song "From Where You Are". That's all Lifehouse.
"So far away from where you are
These miles have torn us worlds apart
And I miss you
Yeah, I miss you"
-Lifehouse
Chris Evans slammed the car door shut and ran into his house. He bolted up the staircase to his attic room, blinking back the oncoming tears. Locking his bedroom door, he threw himself onto his bed. Then losing the fight with his tears, he began to sob.
Chris let everything out. All of his rage, hate, despair, and grief poured out of him in tears and sobs. It couldn't be possible; he couldn't grasp the enormity of it all. Yet in his heart, he knew it was true.
Gone. She was gone. Forever.
Never again would he see her face, her smile. Never again would he hear her talk, or laugh, or cry. Never would he tell her how he had felt, all those years. Never would she know he had loved her. Sam. His Sam.
"Why?" screamed Chris, in a sudden fit of despair. Why had she died for him? Why had she taken the shot meant for him? Why couldn't he save her? Why did she have to leave him?
Chris could hear his parents standing on his landing, softly discussing what to do. Chris found he didn't care. He didn't feel like the decisions of others affected him right now. All he wanted was to be left alone. That, and Sam.
"Chris? Honey? Are you in there?" asked Chris's mother, from out in the hall. Chris cried on, curled up in a ball, staring at the darkened ceiling of his room.
"Do you want to talk about it?" asked his father.
"Go away!" moaned Chris.
" But-" began his mother.
"Just leave me alone," he whispered, losing the will to fight.
"Not until you-"
"Just let him be, honey," said Chris's dad. "He'll be ready when he's ready."
'Will I ever be ready?' was Chris's last thought before he cried himself to sleep.
* * *
Three weeks later, Chris found himself sitting in the back of a car with Cathy and Danny. They all stared dry-eyed at their feet. They had already cried all of their tears. The car pulled to a stop, and the three fifteen year olds climbed out at Singletown's graveyard. They solemnly walked together up the path to where Sam's funeral was being held. When they reached the place where the service would take place, Sam's mom came and pulled them up to the front row.
"Sorry it's such short notice, but would you three mind speaking in the service? You were Sam's best friends" she asked.
"Sure. It's no problem Mrs. Greene," responded Danny.
"Great! Just sit here kids," Mrs. Greene gestured at three chairs in the front row as she walked away.
"Should we have something prepared?" Chris worried as they sat down.
"No time now," whispered Cathy, as the priest climbed to the podium.
"Welcome," began the priest. "We are gathered here today to honor and remember Samantha Alden Greene. She was loved by many, and losing her has left many grieving. Her life was short, but the memories of her will live long. Let us take a moment of silence in her memory."
The priest stepped down from the podium and took a seat in the silent audience. A minute passed. Sam's mom got Danny's attention and pointed at the podium. Danny nodded, stood up, and walked to the stage. Cathy and Chris followed him. Danny stepped up to the podium, with Cathy and Chris standing a few feet behind him.
"Hi," Danny started, alerting the audience to his presence. "My name is Danny Jackson. Sam Greene was one of the best friends I ever had. She was such a fantastic person, and she didn't deserve to die.
"Sam was one of the nicest people you could ever meet. She was kind and open, and there was almost no one that she didn't like. She was an amazingly loyal friend," Danny paused to clear his throat and blink back tears, "And there's nothing she wouldn't do for her friends. She was always focused and insanely determined. When she started something, she always made sure she finished it.
"Sam was an incredible influence on me, and I'm a much better person because of her. I'm gonna miss her tons, because Sam's not the kind of person you can forget. Thank you," he finished quietly. He walked back to where Cathy and Chris were standing.
"That was fantastic, Danny!" whispered Cathy.
"Thanks," he replied. "You're up." Cathy walked up to the microphone.
"Hi. My name is Cathy Smith. And I'm here to talk about my best friend in the whole universe, Sam Greene.
"I moved to Singletown three years ago, and Sam was one of the first people I met. We became friends instantly and we have been ever since. Sam was a phenomenal person. She accepted all of the things that made me different or weird. I could tell her anything. She's the only one who knew all of my secrets.
"I'm going to miss her so much. She was like a sister to me. Sam was so wonderful and she should still be with us. But she's not." Tears were rolling down Cathy's face. "And it's not fair. Sam shouldn't have died. But there's no use saying she should be alive, because it won't change anything. Instead, I'm going to remember all of the great times I had with her and smile. I hope you all can too. Thanks for listening."
Cathy walked past Chris, on his way to the podium, towards Danny. She was still crying when she got there, so Danny put his arm around her and she put her head on his shoulder.
"Hello. My name is Chris Evans," Chris began, looking both nervous and incredibly sad. "Sam Greene was one of the most extraordinary people I've ever known.
"Sam was a fantastic person. She was everything I ever wished I could be. She was brave and fearless, while still being incredibly sweet and caring. She was the glue that held the four of us together. Whenever Danny or Cathy or I would fight with each other, she would calm us down and help us sort it out.
"She was also a loyal and protective friend. If anybody ever made fun of her friends, she would get in their face and make them regret messing with one of her friends. She was strong and she was a leader; the kind of person you would look to when things got tough.
"Because of her, I will never be the same. And I will never forget her." Chris's voice broke as he tried his hardest not to cry. "That's all. Thanks."
Chris joined Danny and Cathy, and together they walked back to their seats. The service continued, but Chris just barely registered the Bible verses and hymns. Suddenly, Danny yanked him to his feet. Everyone was processing to the casket, to see the body. Chris, Danny, and Cathy joined the procession and they walked silently through the maze of tombstones, behind all of the other mourners. Soon the line slowed. As they gradually moved towards the casket, Danny took Cathy's hand and squeezed it gently. She smiled gratefully up at him. Chris looked away in pain; he wished he could be holding Sam's hand. He took another few steps forward as the line advanced.
Chris, Danny, and Cathy finally reached the front of the line, and they stepped up to the casket. The three of them looked into it, and out of the shadows gazed Sam's face, peaceful in death.
"Oh, Sam!" cried Cathy as fresh tears started to roll down her face. Danny put his arm around Cathy's shoulders as he too began to cry. Cathy openly began to sob and she buried her face in Danny's shoulder. He stroked her hair as he shook with sobs of his own. Chris walked over and put his hand on Cathy's shoulder. Tears dripped down his face, a silent 'why?' on his lips, and an expression of extreme pain on his face.
The three of them took comfort from each others' presence, and they wept together as the sun set behind them.
* * *
One Year Later
Chris Evans walked through the field of graves in the Singletown Cemetery. It had been exactly one year since Sam had died, and true to his word, Chris hadn't forgotten her. He arrived at the gravestone marked Samantha Alden Green, and he sat down in front of it. He took the black guitar case off his back and pulled his guitar out of it. He tuned it quickly and strummed a few cords.
"Sam, this is for you," he said before he began to sing.
"So far away from where you are
These miles have torn us worlds apart
And I miss you
Yeah, I miss you
So far away from where you are
Standing underneath the stars
And I wish you were here
"I miss the years that were erased
I miss the way the sunshine would light up your face
I miss all the little things I never thought that they'd mean everything to me
Yeah, I miss you
And I wish you were here
"I feel the beating of your heart
I see the shadows of your face
Just know that wherever you are
Yeah, I miss you
And I wish you were here
"I miss the years that were erased
I miss the way the sunshine would light up your face
I miss all the little things
I never thought that they'd mean everything to me
Yeah, I miss you
And I wish you were here
"So far away from where you are
These miles have torn us worlds apart
And I miss you
Yeah, I miss you
And I wish you were here."
As he set his guitar down, Chris smiled, because he knew, deep down inside, that somewhere, Sam had heard him.
That wasn't too painful, was it? Reviews would be appreciated. Let me know if you saw anything that needed corrections. Thanks a million
~Cloverhand