Late Last Night
ch. 2
"... For as much as it has pleased Almighty God in his wise providence, to take out of this world the soul of our deceased brother, Adam Meyers, We therefore commit his body to the ground. Ashes to ashes dust to dust."
As the plain wooden box was slowly lowered into the ground, the small gathering of newsboys stood in heavy-hearted silence, mourning the loss of their friend.
One by one, each boy stepped forward and cast a hand full of earth into the grave.
After the ceremony, the boys began the long trudge back to the lodging house. Only two remained in the cemetery. Kid Blink was kneeling in front of the fresh grave, Dutchy came up behind him, and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Are you okay Kid?" He asked quietly.
"I just can't believe he's gone." Blink said, holding back tears. "He was my best friend."
"I know how you feel." Dutchy murmured.
He knelt down and placed a single white daisy on the grave, next to the solitary red rose Blink had lain down reverently only moments before.
"I would do anything to have him back." Blink whispered.
One tear slipped down his face and landed on the rose, clinging to the fragile petals.
"I think we all would." Dutchy responded.
Unaware that they were doing it, at the exact same moment, both boys looked at the grave marker.
It was nothing fancy, just a simple wooden cross, which bore four letters, which would forever be remembered by the boys residing in the Manhattan Newsboys Lodging House.
Those for letters, were, M U S H.