A/N: This chapter is double the normal length. A bit over 6,000 words! Yikes! It's the funeral and I didn't want to drag it over one chapter. However, I didn't want to gloss over it lightly either, so I ended up with this giant chapter! Hope you can get through it, OK! Also, I've been squeamish towards funerals since my uncle passed away a few months ago. I certainly wasn't prepared to write one, so I apologize in advance if the writing is off.
BorderWolf: The sign was still there. It was just too dark to read it! Too bad there was no one around to shout TIMBER!
CandyApple8: No no no, lol. That tree would have squashed Rick no matter what. She was just unlucky enough to be there to see it. It was gonna fall no matter what, and Rick was sitting in it.
PacificTwist: so you're a cliff fan, eh? Lol
Krazie4Christ: The past is coming up. First the mary and gray thing will get wrapped up and then we'll work towards that.
Lioness Blackfire: thanks! This chapter is a long one! I hope you like it too!
Elpitha walked awkwardly towards Karen, unsure of what to do. Karen was hugging herself and pacing back and forth, muttering.
"Hurry. They have to hurry. Rick needs help. Help. He needs help." Karen whimpered, her voice coming in whispy gasps as she continued to sob.
Elpitha placed a hand in the crook of one of Karen's elbows and began to pull her away. "Karen, come with me. Come away." She said gently.
"No! Rick!" Karen cried, her voice threatening to turn hysterical once more.
"Rick is…Rick…Let's give Rick some air!" Elpitha said quickly.
"Yes…air…he needs air." Karen mumbled. She allowed herself to be pulled away.
For a while they just stood there, Elpitha keeping her grip on Karen for no other reason than the fact that she did not know what else to do. Karen seemed to have strayed from the bounds of sanity. Rick was…
A high pitched scream made both women turn their heads quickly. Popuri had arrived, her hair disheveled. She was still in her nightgown. Despair, pain, and a desperate need to disbelieve personified themselves in a piercing wail that echoed through the surrounding forest as it escaped Popuri's throat. Even Karen temporarily forgot her grief as she stared. Her eyes became focused and she hurried over to Popuri, Elpitha a few steps behind. She stooped down and grabbed Popuri by the shoulders, pulling her roughly to her feet when she would not stand on her own. Popuri continued to scream as she struggled to get free. A constant stream of incoherent lamentations escaped her from which only "Rick" and "No" were discernable.
"Shhh. No, honey. No, come with me. Don't look. Come with me. Easy, now." Karen said soothingly, dragging Popuri away so that Rick was no longer in view. Popuri was becoming weaker and weaker, sinking slowly to her knees. Karen followed her and pulled her into a closer hug as they reached the floor. She began to ask Popuri direct questions in the hopes of keeping her calm. "Where is Gotz, honey? Where is your mama?"
Popuri took a shuddering breath and swallowed. "Harris and the Mayor came to the ranch." She choked. "Gotz was alerting the others and they came to…to tell us."
"Where is everyone else, baby?" Karen said quickly as Popuri threatened to fall back into hysterics.
"Mom wanted to come, but they said…they said the shock would kill her. They held her back…but…but I snuck out…and…oh…oh my g…" She began to tremble violently, another scream building up inside of her.
Karen hugged Popuri tightly, rocking her back and forth slowly. "It's OK, baby. It's OK." She said soothingly. Her eyes strayed to the fallen tree and began to tear. "It's going to be OK…"
Elpitha sat down next to Karen and placed a hand on her back. She knew the motions well. The moments of lucidity lost in eternities of disbelief. The brief bursts of calm swallowed by overwhelming grief. It was pain so intense that it dominated all feeling. The reasons for the pain were lost as wave after wave of sadness washed over her. However, a great deal of the feeling inside of her was empathy. She had known Rick for three years. They had known Rick their entire lives. Sweet Lillia…that was her son! Poor Karen! How she loved him! Popuri… Poor Popuri… It was driving her mad.
There were voices on the path and more lantern light. Elpitha turned her head and saw a group of townspeople coming, Gotz leading them. It looked to be the entire town except for Ellen, Stu, and May. Even Lillia was among them. The women gathered around Karen, Popuri, and Elpitha. Sasha attempted to comfort Popuri, but she clung to Karen, refusing to acknowledge anyone else. Mary ran over to Elpitha and Karen, tears pouring down her face. None of them were able to speak. It was as though they were participants in a horrible nightmare, and if no one acknowledged the horror that had loomed before them, they may just wake up to find it had never really happened at all.
The men gathered around the tree, lashing ropes around it. They threw the ropes over various sturdy looking branches of other trees and formed a pulley system, lifting the tree long enough for Harris and Doc to drag Rick from underneath it. The men let the tree fall gently into place before gathering around Rick. The doctor knelt down and examined him. The tree had been kept from crushing Rick completely by a boulder on which it had landed. However, the blow he had received to the head was enough. Poor Rick was no more.
Lillia could not be dissuaded from coming. However, the women boxed her in, preventing her from rushing forward to her son. The men blocked him from view. It was not cruelty that caused the townspeople to deprive her of a mother's right to mourn her son. Lillia was frail and weak from her illness. Stress, strain, and exhaustion were the deadliest kind of poison to her in her current state. Sasha tried to hug Lillia. She tried to soothe and comfort her, but she wouldn't be calmed. She struggled and fought her way towards Rick no matter how tightly Sasha hugged her and regardless of the gentle admonitions of the rest of the women. Each of them was aware of the kind of horror that losing a child would bring to them. Each of them still remembered the little blond haired boy that used to run around town with Karen in tow. He had been like a son to them. All the mothers of Mineral Town had cared for their neighbors' children as if they were their own.
Finally the doctor, who feared that Lillia would work herself into a worse state if she continued to struggle, insisted that she be set free. The men reluctantly stepped aside as Lillia stumbled forward, Sasha following quietly in her wake. She stopped as she finally saw him, ten feet away from her in the dirt. He was pale, lying on his back as though he was resting after a long day. His one hand lay on his chest while his other was at his side. Everyone had fallen silent. Even Popuri had stopped sobbing, her eyes wide with fear and concern as she watched her mother.
Lillia took a few more steps, stopping just before her son. Her mouth was open as though she wanted to scream, but the sound had died before she could release it. In a swift motion, she fell to her knees, her hand moving just over his face as though she were afraid to touch him. Fingers trembling, she finally felt his cheek, but her hand shot back as though she had been electrocuted. He was cold. There was no warmth left in him. There was no life left in him. With a sudden cry, she fell forward onto him, sobbing into his chest. She could find no words to express her grief. It was personified in her wailing. It was written in her actions.
Zack finally stepped forward and lifted her to her feet. He held her, using his bulk to hide Rick from view as the men closed in and lifted him onto a stretcher. They carried him towards the clinic, and though Lillia wanted to follow them, Zack held her back. He turned her so that she faced her daughter, and Lillia found some of her sanity as she saw Popuri shuddering as Karen tried to calm her down. She hurried forward, catching Popuri in her arms. Sasha took Popuri and Lillia back to her house, insisting that they stay with her. The women followed, and soon all the townspeople gathered there, offering their condolences and any comfort that they could. With trembling hands, Lillia wrote a letter to her husband, Rod, and Zack promised that it would be at the post office box that forwarded Rod's mail the next morning.
Finally, everyone left except for Elpitha and Mary, who stayed for Karen's sake as well as Lillia and Popuri's. No one was eager to sleep that night. They sat around the kitchen, offering each other support as the night wore on. Jeff sat in a chair against the wall. Karen sat next to her mother at the kitchen table, her head resting on Sasha's shoulder as Sasha stroked her hair and quietly murmured comforts to her. Lillia sat at the opposite side of the table, her pale face resting on a frail hand. Popuri sat on the floor against the wall behind her mother and opposite from Jeff. She hugged her knees to herself and trembled. Elpitha had never seen her so pale. It was a common sight with Lillia, but Popuri always had color. Mary had everyone in view as she sat at a third edge of the table, her eyes teary as she stared from one pale face to another, empathizing with each and struggling with her own grief. A lantern sat on the kitchen table, lighting the room, and Elpitha was just out of its reach. She slunk in the shadows, her back against a corner of the room as she stared at the floor. This was not the way it was supposed to be.
They fell into complete silence. The clock ticking away the minutes was the only noise to disturb them. It seemed like an eternity. It seemed as though time had stopped, and the ticking of the clock was a mockery, a jeering, taunting mockery that served to remind them that they were trapped forever in a never-ending nightmare. It lasted so long that Elpitha began to wonder if sound had died as well as time. It was quite a shock, then, when a piercing scream broke the silence. Everyone jumped and turned quickly towards Popuri who was sobbing uncontrollably. Her right hand was clutching at her hair as though she was going to tear it out. However, before anyone could move to stop her, she removed it, her fist closed over a ribbon that matched her hair.
"I…I…" She sobbed. "Where is Rick?" The hysteria that had been dormant inside of her since the woods began to show itself once more. "Tell them to bring him back! Where is he?" Lillia stood up. "Please tell them to bring my brother back! I never thanked him for…for…this!" She held up the ribbon.
"It's alright, Popuri." Lillia said gently.
"Why did they take him away? There was going to be another town meeting! They were going to let him come home!"
"It's OK, darling." Lillia walked to her daughter, reached down, and helped her to her feet.
"He's not gone, mommy. Please tell me he's not gone. Please make them bring him back…"
"I'm so sorry, baby. They can't bring him back." Lillia pushed the hair from Popuri's face and placed a hand on each cheek. "He's gone, baby. He's gone."
"He isn't! You're lying! He can't be!" Popuri screeched, avoiding her mother's gaze. She clutched the ribbon to herself. "They…they just took him away! Make them give him back! He's sick! He's in the clinic! We have to go and see him!"
Lillia placed her hands more firmly on Popuri's face and forced her to meet her eyes. "He's gone, baby." She repeated quietly.
Popuri was silent for a few moments. Finally, she burst into tears and fell forward onto Lillia, sobbing into her shoulder. Lillia held her and allowed her to let out some of her grief.
"I don't want Rick to be gone…"
"I know, darling. No one does."
"I don't…I can't…"
"Come on. It's time you got some sleep. You're exhausted."
"I…I don't want to… I don't need to…"
"Yes you do, honey. Come on, now. At least lie down for a while. Can you do that? For me?"
"I don't…oh…alright, mommy, but I can't…not when Rick…oh Rick…"
"Yes, dear. It's alright. Come on."
Lillia ushered Popuri out of the kitchen. The rest of the group could hear Popuri sobbing all the way. After some time had passed, silence fell once more. Lillia returned to the kitchen looking pale and exhausted.
"Are you alright, Lillia?" Sasha asked with concern. "I think it's time you got some rest as well."
"I'm alright." Lillia said weakly. "I have to be strong…for my family." However, it appeared that Lillia had used the last of her strength. She collapsed. Jeff carried her to the clinic as quickly as he could, Sasha and Karen following at a distance. Mary stayed behind to look after Popuri who was still sleeping. The look in Doc's eyes as he opened the door to find Lillia unconscious was not comforting. He took her from Jeff quietly and brought her into an examination room.
"Is there nothing that can be done?" Sasha asked desperately. The doctor had spent over an hour with Lillia. When he returned, it was with a very somber expression.
"She's dying, Sasha. Her disease was sapping her strength. Her only hope was to remain as strain and stress free as possible until her husband found that cure. She was doing well, but there is only so much we can ask of her, and now with this…now with Rick gone… There is nothing more that I can do for her. I've studied the properties of the flower that Anna found. I've also read everything I could about what is known of Lillia's disease, and, of course, I have my own data. I have already developed a compound that I believe can cure Lillia…but it's missing a component…it's missing…" Doc sighed.
"It's missing the flower…" Sasha whispered.
"Without it…I would say she has no more than a few weeks left." The doctor replied, sadly. "I'll do my best for Lillia. You have other worries. Popuri."
Sasha gasped. "Oh, the poor dear! In my worry, I almost forgot her! We don't even know where Rod is! Oh, what that child has to deal with… I don't know how she can be expected to bear it… You know Popuri, doctor! She's sweet and innocent…still more child than woman! I don't know if she can take much more…"
"I know, Sasha. I know…" The doctor sighed.
Elli emerged from behind the curtains leading to the examination rooms. "Lillia's stable, doctor. She's resting." She looked tired.
"Thank you, Elli." The doctor replied. They retained a professional air within the clinic…most of the time. "I realize that today is a terrible day for everyone." He looked particularly at Karen when he said this. "But the best thing for everyone – emotionally and physically – is to get some rest. Sleep. We all have long days ahead."
Sasha put an arm around Karen. "Thank you, doctor. We will. Elpitha, you're welcome to stay with us."
Elpitha looked up as though she only just realized what was going on. "What? No. No, thank you. I'm just gonna…gonna go home." She said quietly. Karen walked over to her and hugged her. "Karen, I'm really sorry. I'll be around if you wanna talk, OK? I'll see you tomorrow?" Elpitha said awkwardly. She backed away towards the door.
"Thanks, Elpitha. Definitely." Karen said. She turned and looked at the curtains, taking a few steps forward. Was Rick in there somewhere?
As though she could tell what Karen was thinking, Sasha stepped forward and put an arm around her daughter. "You heard the doctor. It's time for rest." She said quietly, steering Karen in the other direction.
Elli kept a sympathetic eye on Karen as she reluctantly left with her mother. When they were gone, she turned a concerned gaze towards Elpitha, who continued to stare at the floor. Just as she opened her mouth to say something, however, Elpitha headed for the door.
"See you tomorrow." Elpitha whispered. She left, closing the door quietly behind her.
For a while, Elli shuffled around the counter, straightening files, and doing little odd nothings that didn't really need to be done. The doctor had disappeared behind the curtains, but now he returned, carrying two clipboards with charts on them. He placed them gently on the counter and stared down at them.
"Why don't you go to bed?" He asked. "You look exhausted."
"So do you." Elli replied gently. "You need the rest more than I do."
"That's not true. You have someone else to think of now, you know."
"I know." Elli replied, placing her hands over her belly. "Another season and a half and you'll be a proud papa. What's that, little one? Yes, your papa does need his rest as much as you do."
"No…I…I have more work to do. Lillia…Lillia needs me. I have to find a way." He whispered. Doc flipped through the charts on the counter. "Weak. Getting weaker. I could try an extra dosage of turbojolt…but it won't be enough. Maybe I could…maybe I could…" He sighed, and stared at the counter. Then he cleared the counter with a sudden sweep of his arm. "Nothing." He said, breathing heavily. "There's nothing I can do."
Elli put down the bottle that she had been holding and walked quietly to where the doctor stood, hunched over the counter, his hands curled into fists. She slipped her arms quietly around his waist and placed her head on his back. "It's hard for us all, dearest. No one blames you for Lillia's illness. You shouldn't blame yourself." She said soothingly.
"I'm responsible for the health and care of everyone in Mineral Town." He said, turning around to face Elli and drawing her closer. "It's me they all depend on."
"There's only so much any doctor can do. You're not a miracle worker." Elli replied. "Now, doctor, I think you should follow your own advice. Rest."
"I have work here, and…" Doc began.
"And an exhausted doctor is no good to anybody." Elli finished with a soft smile.
"You're right. You always are." The doctor said, smiling as well. "I'm as eager as anyone for this terrible day to come to an end. I'll see that Lillia is still stable, and we'll go to bed."
Elli glanced at the door. "I'll be back in a little while." She said.
"Elpitha?" The doctor asked.
"Yes. I'm just going to check on her, and I'll be back." Elli replied.
Elpitha was sitting in the sand just out of reach of the crashing waves, staring as ripple after ripple disturbed the sea water. The sky was already becoming lighter as dawn drew ever nearer. She felt numb and as though a fog had fallen over her mind, blocking all thought and feeling. Her eyes followed the waves. Now they crashed, foaming and rushing towards her, but just before they were able to reach her, they were yanked back. It was a cycle that repeated itself, and Elpitha concentrated on it, refusing to allow anything else to distract her. A hand on her shoulder made her jump.
"I seem to remember the doctor telling everyone, which, unless I am mistaken, includes you, that they should get some sleep." Elli scolded gently with a soft smile. She sat down next to Elpitha, but Elpitha didn't answer or even acknowledge her. "Can't sleep?" Elli asked. Elpitha nodded.
Elli moved closer to Elpitha and stroked her hair gently. "You know, sweetheart, it's really late. I promise you'll feel at least a little better after a decent amount of sleep."
Elpitha didn't answer. Unwelcome memories were seeping their way into her mind and she was fighting them. Elli saw the distance in her eyes and became even more concerned.
"I know you've had a rough past, Elpitha." Elli said quietly, causing Elpitha to finally turn and look at her. "I know you came here running away from that past. It was plain to see from the start, and you have no idea how happy it makes me to see you finally settling down. I know you don't want to talk about it, but please just hear me out. There will come a time when you'll have to face that past. I just want you to know that if you want to talk about anything, I'm only up the path from you. You know where to find me." When Elpitha didn't answer, she continued. "This is hard for everyone… You shouldn't be alone like this. I'm asking you now to do something for me, as your friend. I want you to come with me, and I want you to get some rest. Can you do that for me?"
Elpitha didn't answer, but she stood up and allowed Elli to lead her away. She was emotionally and physically exhausted, much like the rest of the town, and she didn't have the strength to argue. As they left the ramp, Elpitha instinctively turned left, but Elli pulled her towards the right.
"I want you to stay over at the clinic tonight." Elli said.
"I'm not sick!" Elpitha said defiantly.
"I know you're not sick, silly." Elli replied, laughing softly in spite of herself. "You do know that Doc and I live above the clinic, right? I want you to stay with us tonight."
Elpitha frowned. "I'm OK. You don't have to…"
"But I want to." Elli finished. "I know you're a big girl and can take care of yourself." She teased. "Please just let me worry about you for now. It's just for a little while. OK?"
Elpitha wanted to argue, but the words were jumbled up inside her head. "Whatever." She said quietly. Elli smiled and led on.
The next couple of days passed in a torrent of grief and emotion. Popuri behaved so hysterically that many feared that she would earn herself a bed beside her mother in the clinic. The doctor was forced to sedate her. Lillia was not faring well either. Her strength was leaving her at an alarming rate, and everyone who visited her knew that it would not be long before she joined her son. It was not a lack of the will to live that made Lillia lose her health so rapidly. She fought to survive, knowing that her daughter and husband would need her. However, her sickness seemed to thwart her attempts at survival.
Rod was another concern for the townspeople. Would he receive the letter in time? Would he make it back in time for the funeral? Would he return to attend a double funeral? They delayed the funeral for as long as they could. However, the clinic was not equipped to store the dead for very long. On the third day, Carter prepared Rick's body for burial. The entire town attended the funeral, filling the pews in the church. The doctor watched helplessly as Lillia clung to Popuri for support as they exited the clinic. It was a double edged sword. It would be cruel to deny her the right to attend her own son's funeral, but at the same time, it would only sap more of her strength. She would accompany the casket to the graveyard as it was being carried in regardless of what it cost her in terms of health. Zack, Jeff, Harris, and Jack had volunteered to carry Rick on his final journey. Carter spoke words of comfort to the congregation and recited the funeral rites solemnly. Afterwards, the volunteers gathered around the casket, preparing to carry it to the graveyard where everyone would pay their final respects, and the service would be completed. Each man grabbed a corner and lifted it carefully. Popuri helped her mother to rise from the pew. When they were stationed behind the casket, the men began to move slowly down the aisle. The church fell silent, no one daring to even breathe. However, the procession stopped suddenly.
An ominous creaking and scratching echoed off of the walls of the church in the absolute silence. One of the great church doors swung slowly open and sunlight streamed into the room. A figure stood in the doorway, barely visible as the bright sun blinded those inside. As their eyes adjusted to the light, however, he came into view. He was tall and muscular with dirty-blonde, shoulder-length hair. Popuri screamed and Lillia nearly fainted from the shock. It was Rick. His face was the same, except for a few age lines. His hair was identical except that it was graying in some areas. He was more muscular, but his basic frame was that of Rick's. It wasn't Rick. It was Rick's father. Rod had returned.
His face was pale as he approached the casket. "What is…this is…" He ran his fingers over the wood. "Rick…" He gasped. "My son…" Rod looked up and saw his wife and daughter. When eye contact was initiated, the two women ran to him, and the three of them shared a few moments of reunion poisoned by grief.
Popuri and Lillia returned to their places behind the casket. Jack stepped back and allowed Rod to take his place next to Jeff. Father and would-be father-in-law stood at the front of the procession. Rod's face was set, his gaze fixed. The only signs of his grief were the tears that fell from his eyes and stole down his cheeks. As they resumed their journey to the graveyard, Sasha and Karen stepped behind Popuri and Lillia, the rest of the town slowly filed in behind them. The graveyard was small, but everyone managed to crowd in. The casket was placed beside an open grave, and Carter recited the last of the burial rites.
One by one, the townspeople filed past the casket. Each of them carried a goddess drop, a flower imported in from Forget-Me-Not Valley which was said to have the Harvest Goddess's blessing. It was a tradition to cover the casket with these flowers so that the spirit of the goddess would follow the spirit of the deceased up to heaven. Each of the villagers stopped in front of the casket, placed the flower on top of it, and took a few moments pay their respects. Some of them even said a few words about Rick and shared happy memories of him.
Finally, only Karen, Popuri, Rod, and Lillia remained. Karen was the first to approach the casket, goddess drop trembling in the shaky hand that clutched it. She dropped the flower on top of its brothers, staring down at the mound of flowers as though she were frightened of them. Her legs suddenly could not support her weight, and she sank to her knees before the casket, tears streaming down her face.
"…I love you…" She whispered. "I…always loved you…I'll always love you…" Karen took a few raspy breaths. Her whole body trembled now. "I'm so sorry…all my fault…you should be here…I should be…there…"
Jeff stepped forward to collect his daughter. He placed his hands around her waist and half lifted her to her feet. He tried to pull her away, hugging and hushing her as he did so, but she fought him.
"No!" She cried. "This is all my fault! He pushed me out of the way! It should be me! He shouldn't be gone! It should be me!"
"That's not true, dear." Lillia protested, tears streaming down her face. "You can't think that way. It was an accident, a terrible, terrible accident. No one meant for it to happen."
"You can't blame yourself, Karen. It isn't right. He wouldn't want you to." Rod added.
"Don't, Karen." Popuri whimpered, furiously brushing away tears.
"You don't understand!" Karen cried, struggling to get back to the casket. "If I wasn't there that night…if I didn't fight him when he told me to go…if…"
Gotz stepped forward and everyone fell silent. "It wasn't your fault. It wasn't his fault. You told us what happened, and as an experienced woodsman, I can assure you of that. That tree was going to fall that night. The only thing you staying away that night would have accomplished is that you wouldn't have witnessed the accident. He was sitting in that tree and he did so of his own accord. He didn't know the tree would fall and neither did you. The sign was lost in the dark. He was sitting in that tree and when it fell, he was in front of it. It would have fallen on him whether he pushed you out of the way or not. If you hadn't come, he would have been in the tree when it fell. If you had left earlier, he would have gotten back in the tree. You told us that he sat in that tree all night and snuck back before morning, normally. He saved your life, Karen. He wouldn't want you to blame yourself."
"I…oh Rick…" Karen sobbed. She pressed her face into her father's chest and allowed him to lead her away.
Popuri was next to step up to the casket. She placed her flower along with the rest and stepped back, brushing away tears as she did so.
"Goodbye, Rick." She whispered. For a moment, it looked as though she was going to retreat quietly. However, with a sudden movement that startled everyone, she screamed and dove onto the casket, knocking the flowers to the ground. She wailed and pounded on the casket until her father stepped forward and lifted her. She struggled for a few moments before fainting in his arms. Carter stepped forward and replaced the flowers atop the casket as Zack took charge of Popuri so that Rod could pay his respects.
Rod dropped his flower among the others and placed his hand on the casket as tears continued to steal down his face. "I'm sorry, Rick. We shouldn't be reunited like this. A father shouldn't have to bury his son." He whispered. "I'm sorry I abandoned you…" He stood there for several minutes, tears pouring down his face as he silently said goodbye to his firstborn. Finally, he turned to help Lillia forward.
Lillia stepped around her husband, stumbling towards her son's casket. She placed the goddess drop with the others and then bent down and kissed the wood where Rick's head would be.
"Goodbye, my sweet boy." She whispered, kneeling down and resting her head on the wood. She stayed there for what seemed like ages. Finally, Rod stepped forward and began to pull her away.
Lillia shoved his hands away. "No! They're going to bury my boy! I heard the doctor! I know I'm dying! Let them bury me too! I want to go along with my boy!"
"Lillia, darling, this is madness! Come with me, now. Come on, dear." Rod said, lifting Lillia to her feet and pulling her away.
The townspeople looked away. No one had told Rod that Lillia's condition had worsened considerably. No one could bear the sight of her desperate attempts to have some form of her son back.
"They can't put my boy in the cold, lifeless ground! I won't let them! Oh, Rick…I'll be with you soon…Rick!" Lillia sobbed.
"There's nothing more you can do for him, Lillia. He's gone!" Rod cried, his voice cracking as the tears streamed from his eyes.
Lillia seemed to snap back to reality. "Yes… I'm sorry, dear. I just…"
"It's OK." Rod said, hugging her tightly.
"Popuri…did she see…is she alright?" Lillia asked, glancing around for her daughter.
"She'll be fine." Rod assured her.
Popuri came to as the graveyard finally emptied. Zack left her with her parents and went to help Harris and Carter inter the casket. Elli and the doctor joined the family as they walked towards the clinic.
"We were worried you wouldn't receive the letter in time." Doc said as he opened the door to let them into the clinic.
"What letter?" Rod asked, settling Lillia and Popuri on a bench.
"The letter telling you about Rick." Doc replied.
"I didn't get a letter…I heard the news in town just before hiring someone to ferry me here. I was on my way back." Rod said.
"I see…well I'm afraid there is more bad news." Doc said somberly. "Lillia's condition…has worsened. She doesn't have much time left…"
Lillia nodded and Popuri paled and covered her mouth in shock. No one had told her either.
"I forgot about it in my grief…that's why I returned…" Rod said, smiling. He removed a gorgeous flower wrapped tightly in plastic wrapping from his pocket. It was a small flower that fit in the palm of his hand. It had a brilliant blue stem and petals that were so brightly crimson, one almost had to shade his or her eyes to look at them.
Doc took the flower from him with trembling fingers. "This is…I need to get to work on this immediately!" He cried.
Lillia smiled sadly, and Popuri didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Rod had found the cure to Lillia's disease.
"I may need a couple of days to work this into my compound, but I am very confident this is the answer to your problems, Lillia." The doctor laughed.
Lillia laughed softly. "Is it the answer to my problems?" She asked.
"It's a miracle!" Rod cried. "It was a legend, a myth! It supposedly grew once every ten years! I had no hope of finding it! Lillia, it's a miracle!"
"If I had known that God was handing out miracles, I would have asked Him to give me back my boy and to keep his flower." Lillia replied quietly. She sat on the edge of the bench, her hands clasped in her lap. Her head was bowed, and tears began to drop from her eyes, falling on her hands which were clenching into fists.
Elpitha was lost in thought as she wandered slowly back towards her house. Her mind raced with all that had happened. She was still caught between her own grief and empathy for the grief of others.
"Hey!"
"Hey!"
Elpitha turned first to her left and then to her right. Jack and Cliff ran towards her.
"I'll walk you home!"
Both Cliff and Jack had spoken together. For a few moments, there was an awkward silence. Jack was the first to speak.
"I, uh… well, I better get back. Let me know if you need anything. See ya later, Cliff!" He said, embarrassed, and walked off.
"Are you OK?" Cliff asked as they began to walk.
"I'm fine." Elpitha replied.
"OK, but if you need to talk…" Cliff began.
"I'm fine." Elpitha repeated.
"Good, good." Cliff replied. "Actually, I'm…I'm feeling guilty." He said sadly.
"Really? About what?" Elpitha asked.
"About how I treated Rick…" Cliff said, sadly.
"Oh, well everyone was angry with him after what he did to Karen." Elpitha said. "You can't worry over that now."
"I know…but…I was…I did something…" Cliff stuttered.
"What did you do?" Elpitha asked.
Cliff hesitated, but then he rushed forward as thought trying to get it all out in one breath. "Well…Duke asked me to bring Rick his food sometimes, and I was sorta mad at him for what he did to Karen, so instead of…instead of regular bowls for his food, I used…I used…oh, Elpitha, I used the bowls that I wore…you know…my boobs! Do you think the harvest goddess will forgive me!"
Elpitha almost smiled and stifled a giggle. "I think so. They WERE nice boobs, after all.
There was a soft breeze blowing that day despite the growing cold. As Elpitha and Cliff walked towards Elpitha's home, it circled them, bringing the scent of autumn leaves to their nostrils. It was a reminder that life went on. The leaves were falling from the trees now, and soon they would be barren and dead. Come spring, however, there would be new growth and new leaves. The world would burst into life again. As the spring heals the barren earth after winter, time will heal all wounds.
It was a while before Elpitha dozed that night. She left a window open so that the cool night breeze could comfort her and lull her to sleep. The sound of it rushing through the town and scattering the leaves was a lullaby, lulling her into a deep slumber. As the last remnants of consciousness left her that evening, she could hear the whispers on the wind once more. However, whether it was a dream or not, was difficult to tell. The whispers were more coherent this time, and just before Elpitha fell into the deep void of slumber that had been pulling at her, the whispering became clear, although very soft.
"I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I could only save you…I can only help you…"
Until next time…