This first stage of grief helps you survive each day after what happened. You might feel numb for a while after the incident. Life doesn't make sense, and the world becomes overwhelming and meaningless. You wonder how you can possibly go on, why you should go on. You are in a state of shock and denial. This helps you to cope and makes survival possible.
John slowly opens his eyes, squinting in the bright light of midday. He is in Sherlock's room wearing a black t-shirt and a pair of red pants. It's only been a week since Sherlock… he can't even think the words. It's too painful. John is about to curl back up in the bed when he hears Mrs. Hudson calling his name from the living room.
"John, darling, it's time to go! You don't want to be late, do you?"
Why doesn't she go bother Sherlock, he's probably sleeping on the couch again. He really needs to stop doing that, John thinks as he slowly gets up and trudges over to the closet. Although he hadn't moved any of Sherlock's things, he had unconsciously brought some clothing of his in so he could feel closer to the man who never seemed to be around anymore. As he pulls on his cream colored jumper and a pair of jeans, he shouts down to Mrs. Hudson, "I'll be right there! Where are we going, again?" He trudges to the kitchen and sees her dressed in a black blouse, black skirt, black shoes, and a black jacket. "Why all the dark clothing?" He asks her.
"You don't remember? Honey, it's only been a week, did you really forget? Sherlock's funeral is today." She looks at him with kind eyes, sadness obvious in her posture and tone of voice. John stares at her in silence for a moment, trying to get a sound around the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat.
"I… what?" He manages to choke out before sinking to the ground.
As you start to ask yourself questions, and start to accept that what happened actually did happen, the denial starts to fade. But the feelings you were hiding before start to come out, and then comes the next stage of grief.