The scent was intoxicating. A rich odour of earthy soil had arisen from the ground, attacking the weary diggers. Beads of sweat formed on their heavy brows. With fatigue consuming their bodies they persisted to dig. Their work was far from over.
Misty fog surrounded the burial site. Admittedly, the smell of freshly dug earth had been a pleasant change. Wheeling the bodies to the site had left fragments of decay stuck in their nostrils. It had taken hours to for them to liberate the foul stench, untangling the scent from their noses.
It had been like this for some time now. The Lifestream had closed her doors on the souls of this world. No longer, when a body had died, would its soul return to the soul of the planet. The body had remained, so to the body of the earth, the dead would return.
An outbreak of a disease had torn through the planet. Geostigma had returned. A mutated version of the plague had been birthed from a source of the infection that had not died. The symptoms often went unnoticed. After months, the tell tale black mark would taint the flesh. Rumour had spoken of the pond of an Ancient in Midgar. Murmurs had told that victims of Geostigma would bath in the pond to receive the healing powers of Lifestream. Many travelled to the broken lands of Midgar in a desperate quest to be restored. They travelled in their many flocks to the city. Residents, of the ruined city, pointed fearfully to infected roamers the direction to the sanctuary. The church could be spotted from the centre of Midgar. The damaged pinnacle provided a much needed hope to the weary sickened travellers but upon arrival their hope was shattered. Men and women, children, friends, and family hugged and wept by the door, the blackened mark still stamped on across their flesh. Some turned back while others ventured forward, their faith still intact. The outcome crushed whatever faith had remained. The healing waters would not heal.
A period of darkness swept over the Earth. The sickness had taken many lives and the Lifestream would not accept their souls. Their bodies stayed on Earth. A burial ground was built near the edge of Midgar, near the city where they had journeyed to find hope. It was there that their bodies found a new way to return to the planet.
Tifa leaned over the basin in the kitchen. Her mind had wondered from her, she was unaware of the time. The intrusive clicking of the wall clock shook her from her thoughts. She turned from the sink to the window near the front door of the bar. The sun had sunk into the sky. Its retreat left the sky stained a bloody orange hue. She used to find that kind of thing beautiful.
A cool chill entered the room breezing through her hair. Tifa headed towards the door to check the windows. They had been sealed shut but the breeze remained. A whisper caressed her ears. She spun around quickly hoping to see the shadow of one of the children on the stairwell or behind the bar. Neither could be seen. Tifa cleared her throat. Anxiously she climbed the stairs to the children's bedroom. A near silent squeak could barely be heard when her palms pressed against the door. Through the crack she looked in the room. The children were by the window yet again, waiting for something. Tifa backed away from the door then climbed back down the stairs. Sighing, she laid her head against the wooden door arch. She had been waiting too. For what, she often wondered. For a miracle maybe, but what was that exactly?
Tifa shivered. There it was again, the chill then the whisper. She turned her head quickly. Nothing was out of place, no one was there. Without warning the front door of the rusty bar was kicked open. Tifa gasped. Barret shuffled in followed by Cloud. Dirt had marred their faces. Streaks of sweat ran across the necks. Barret threw Tifa a half smile before slumping his bulky form down on the wooden chair.
'How are you guys?' She already knew the response.
'I swear Teef the number of bodies keeps growin' an' grownin' how are we suppose to bury them all? Soon we'll need a bigger site.' Cloud sat down next the Barret. Tifa went to the bar to grab some glasses. Carrying three tumblers and a bottle, she made her way back to the table.
'We need a bigger site now. There won't be enough spaces up there in a few days.' Cloud refused the glass. Barret took his and cracked open the bottle. He poured the drink into the three glasses.
'I don't mind if I do.' Barret clanked his glass with the one intended for Cloud then gulped down the contents.
'What are we going to do?' Tifa cupped the half filled tumbler between her palms.
'What can we do? We have to keep digging holes.'
'But what about the water? There has to be a reason why it's not healing. Maybe someone could look into it.' Barret slammed hit two cups on the table.
'That holy water failed us Teef. It doesn't work anymore. There's no sense figuring out why. That's just wasting time.' Tifa lowered the glass from her lips. Her eyes peered into it watching the ripples fade. They stayed silent for a while neither looking at another, neither able to speak. Cloud was the first to stand. Picking up his rucksack from the coat rack he opened the front door then left. The closing door left the pair in piercing silence. Running feet interrupted the unspoken conversation. Marlene followed by Denzel ran down to greet Barret.
'You're home.' Marlene threw her tiny arms around him. Barret stood embracing her in a deep hug. Her picked up the girl in one hand then wrapped the other around Denzel.
'Get over here.' Barret turned his head to the side. Tifa laid down her glass. Barret brought her close. Together this little family had been through it all but it was all, far from over. Geostigma had no cure.