No Signal
D -
Damon had been driving for most of the day, trying to make up for lost time. Cassie had snipped at him for the first two house of the drive, sparking his usually dormant temper. He'd finally turned around to take her back, his patience growing thinner by the mile, even after he'd dropped her and her bags in front of her apartment. He felt a small pang of regret as she slammed the door, but as he pulled back onto the highway, even that was overcome with sudden worry.
He tapped the bluetooth feature on the car, wanting -needing- to talk to Sari. In his mind's eye he could see the outline of her, strangely fuzzy, kneeling beside her car. The bluetooth beeped back at him. No Signal. He frowned, wrangling the phone from his pocket to try manually. Still, no signal. Anxiety increasing, he punched the gas. Punched it again when anxiety veered toward panic. All traffic seemed to fade away as his car screamed toward home. But somehow he knew, with dusk brushing the sky, he wouldn't be there in time.
S-
The funeral was two days later. I wasn't sure how that time had passed; even now the world seemed dim and gray. Damon was silent beside me, pristine in his new suit. I wasn't alone, nor had I been since I saw those smoky clouds rising toward the sky. Even before Damon had arrived, I could feel them. A soft invisible hand on my shoulder, squeezing with sympathy or reassurance. Damon and I were not grieving alone.
The fire department had declared the fire electrical; upon hearing that, I went very carefully numb. Carefully blank. I couldn't think of possibilities. There weren't that many to choose from, and they all seemed to lead back to me.
Damon gave a solemn and tearful eulogy at the funeral home, followed by a private burial with only the few essential people needed to officiate.
I tried hard not to look at the newly engraved double headstone. Mom and Dad, together again. Or were they? I wondered. I'd never given much thought to the afterlife; not even my own. Somehow it seemed absurd that I would even have one.
Damon had spoken little more than me since he had arrived, hours after the fire had been smoldered. The chimney and walls were all that was left, aside from the back shed, though that contained little more than saved-up donations. Some of my old clothes, some of Damon's. Some of Mom's.
We stood in silence, hand in hand until the urn had been covered, the sod replaced, masses of gifted flower arrangements placed artfully around the headstone. Dusk was quickly creeping in, stealing the light. Damon released my hand with a final squeeze and stooped to light a double-wicked candle that made me shiver to see dance light against the enscripted stone. 'May Angels Guide Your Way'. As we turned to leave, it seemed there were two shadows by the grave, out of place in the dark. But when I looked back, the only movement I saw were those two flickering flames burning together in the twilight.
a/n: Reviews are always welcome and appreciated! :)
