The Coffin

Slumping through the graves was hard, but it seemed very easy compared to listening to his friends at that moment. He tried his very hardest to only hear his own footsteps, but it was too hard. Mimi was there, walking through the graves. 'Maybe I finally have a chance', he thought to no avail. She began to converse with the tall man with black nail polish once again.

"It's true you sold your guitar and bought a car?"

"It's true." He tried to tell himself it was just an ordinary conversation, but he knew the truth, and he did not like it. "I'm leaving now for Santa Fe." There was a glimmer of hope somewhere hidden in the man's words. Then the mood changed as the wind shifts.

"It's true you're with this yuppie scum," the man said angrily. His name came to mind as Benjamin Coffin III overflowed.

"You said you'd never speak to him again!"

"Not now!" Her harsh words poisoned him deeply.

Then, things began to grow, more into a type of debate, rather than a private discussion. 'Oh, great', he thought to himself, 'the lesbians.' There wasn't enough vodka in the world to make him forget the past… was it a year? It had been a long time.

Listening to the fools fight was like watching dogs go after a piece of meat. Mimi didn't deserve that. She was better than that. Afraid, he let out a great, "come on guys, chill!" Mark had shared that scheme.

Benny, feeling more at home now, had a change of mood when he heard "I'd be happy to die for a taste of what angel had!" It wasn't right. Mimi couldn't die… it wasn't possible. It was then that he began to think of AIDS. It was the one thing that connected him to the rest of his "friends". He looked at his watch and saw that it was 7:15. Alison wanted him home in fifteen minutes. Benny didn't want to think of Alison. He dropped his watch, innocently forgetting it "inside the church, probably given to some charity by now."

Watching Roger squirm at Mimi's harsh words was enjoyable. It gave him the false hope he thrived on.

Roger fought back, hurting Mimi. It wasn't right. Had he not been above it, Benny would have jumped on him and done things he thought he wouldn't regret. But no, he was above that. He was above them. He didn't want to believe this, but he knew it was true; and yet he seemed all too depressed at the mention of Angel's death. "I can't believe he's gone," Collins was fighting back tears. "I can't believe you're going." Benny smiled at that, and then realized the truth of the matter. "I can't believe this family must die." Though Benny felt like the unwanted step-uncle who divorced three other wives and whipped his wife. He felt isolated. He seemed to conquer. "I can't believe this is goodbye."

He decided he had to do something. He would pay. He would pay the bill for the funeral of the man who had killed his precious wife's dog. "I always hated that dog." There was a light humor to his words.

He left without accepting much thanks to go check in on Mimi. He told himself that he was doing it in order to be a good person, but deep down he knew he was being selfish, making a move on a wounded woman… no… girl. She wasn't home. Benjamin Coffin III heard a racket from upstairs… from ROGER's apartment. Curious, (and lonely) he went to go scope it out.

"Please don't touch me," Mimi's words were cold, sharp as a knife. It hurt him. Roger had left the room. Mark seemed to lend a hand.

"I know a place… a clinic."

"A rehab." Even Benny was surprised by his own words. He had to say something. After that, he had to break the silence. He wasn't comfortable. Mark and Mimi span round and round until he was able to touch the ground. "I'll pay."

He watched as Mimi bid said goodbye to Roger. Mark had left the room. Benny longed for her. He wanted to be with her… and he told himself it was only for the greater good, but he couldn't help feeling selfish again. He began to worry – worry that he wouldn't get his shot – worried that Mimi's only "love" had left.

"Goodbye love, goodbye." Benny frowned.

It was then that he REALLY began to worry. With the thought of saying goodbye and Angel's death, out came the words that would ring in his ears for years and years to come. "Hello… disease."

Mimi fell silent and sat down. Benny followed. It was HIS turn.