Chapter 5

(This Chapter is Sammy's funeral)

Despite being over 160 years old, Grace church in New York stilled retained it's elegant and architectural charm. A long marble aisle led up to the alter where four-year-old Sammy Morgan's casket rested.

Despite being packed with people the church was eerily silent; as if the congregation were too afraid to talk in case they said something wrong that would upset others, especially Cassie.

Cassie herself was sitting right at the front. She seemed to be in a trance, her eyes never looked anywhere but at her son's casket. It was as if she willing her son to come back to her; for the casket to open up and Sammy to rise again, much like Lazarus had risen in the bible story.

But deep down Cassie knew that such her thing wasn't possible, and the thought of never seeing her son again was too much to bare. She put her face in her hands and began to cry, rocking back and forth.

Beside her, Alan put a friendly arm around Cassie's shoulder. "Shh, it's ok Cassie, don't cry, it'll get better in time I promise." Alan wasn't sure how to go about this; he had never comforted a mourning person before. "You have to….you have to think about it like this Cassie: Sammy's going on to a better place, and he wouldn't want you to be upset."

"I know he wouldn't," Cassie agreed, "but I can't stop thinking about him. I'll never see him again."

"Then that's all the more reason to make this moment special," Alan pointed out. He looked up to see the reverend waiting to start and nodded at him.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Reverend Jamison began. "We are gathered here to say farewell to Sammy Morgan and to commit him into the hands of God."

"Let us begin with our first hymn: We'll never say goodbye,"

The congregation rose, and soon the church echoed with singing voices.

"With friends on earth we meet in gladness,
While swift the moments fly,
Yet ever comes the tho't of sadness,
That we must say, "Goodbye."

We'll never say goodbye in Heav'n,
We'll never say goodbye,
For in that land of joy and song,
We'll never say goodbye.

How joyful is the hope that lingers,
When loved ones cross death's sea,
That we, when all earth's toils are ended,
With Thee shall ever be.

No parting words shall e'er be spoken,
in yonder home so fair,
but songs of joy, and peace, and gladness,
we'll sing forever there."

After the hymn had ended, the Reverend continued his sermon. "Let us pray. Take care of us, Lord, as we stand here close to despair with our grief and our questions. Be with to us as we mourn, that we be not tempted to abandon you. Let your eternal light shine upon Sammy Morgan. Give us the power to continue with our life trusting in your help In the name of Jesus."

There followed a reply of "Amen" from the congregation.

The reverend motioned to Cassie. "I believe that Miss Morgan has written her own homily for us."

With tears shining in her eyes, Cassie got up and approached the alter. Taking a quick glance at Alan she smiled when he mouthed "you can do it." Removing a folded piece of paper from her pocket, she began to slowly read the words she had written.

"I would like to thank you all for coming here today, and I know Sammy would be thankful too. I like to think that Sammy is up there now with his grandparents and getting to know them. I picture him sitting on his grandpa's lap listening to tales of the 'old country' while his grandma looks warmly on. I remember when I first took Sammy to a cemetery at approximately three and a half years old. He ran around all the gravestones and then asked me what they were. I explained to him that this was where people who had died were buried."

Cassie smiled faintly to herself as she remembered that day last year.

"Of course he didn't understand what death was so I explained to him that it was when people went into a 'forever sleep', and that one day it would happen to us. Sammy looked up at me defiantly and said "it's not going to happen to me; I'm going to set my alarm so I have to wake up."

There was a ripple of laughter from the congregation.

"Each time I think about that day I can't help but smile, though I know that no alarm – matter how loud it is – will ever be able to wake him. However I also believe that Sammy is in heaven waiting for that alarm still and that gives me peace."

There were a few minutes of silence as Cassie went back to her seat. "Was that ok?" She asked Alan when she sat down.

"That was beautiful, Cassie," Alan answered honestly.

Reverend Jamison instructed the pallbearers (Alan was one of them) to take Sammy's casket outside to its final resting place.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Outside the sun was shining as the people gathered under an old oak tree where Sammy would be laid to rest. Reverend Jamison made the sign of the cross on Sammy's coffin as he said: "Our Father in heaven, we commit this child to you. Take it into your arms bear it on your heart. Through Jesus Christ. Amen."

"Amen."

Reverend Jamison threw three handfuls of dirt onto the coffin as he announced: "From dust you came, to dust you shall return. Jesus Christ, our Saviour, shall raise you up on the last day."

As he listened to the Reverend, Alan found himself wondering what his mother's burial had been like. What hymns did they sing? Did his dad make a speech or anything? He resolved himself to asking when he got back to the island.

"Miss Morgan has chosen the following passage from the bible," Reverend Jamison continued, snapping Alan out of his thoughts. "People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them for it. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them: "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth; anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it." And he took the children into his arms and blessed them."

"What made you choose this passage?" Alan whispered to Cassie when the reverend had finished reading.

"I don't really know" Cassie replied quietly. "I think it helps me believe that there is life after death, you know what I mean?"

Alan nodded; he knew what Cassie meant. He often wondered that himself when he came across a body at a rescue sight. Was the person in a better place now? Did he suffer? It was questions that couldn't really be answered until it happened to you.

"This day we commit his body to the ground, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body." There was silence as Reverend Jamison read from the black bible he was carrying. "Now let us say the Lord's prayer together:"

As one the congregation – though there were now considerably less than there were in the church – began to recite.

"Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen."

Reverend Jamison opened his eyes and lifted his head. He motioned to the heavens. "May the Lord bless you and watch over you. The Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. The Lord look kindly on you and give you peace; In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

"Amen"

"We will now sing our final hymn: Thine is the glory"

For the last time during the funeral the sound of singing voices echoed across the church yard.

"Thine be the glory, risen, conq'ring Son;
Endless is the vict'ry, Thou o'er death hast won;
Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,
Kept the folded grave clothes where Thy body lay.
Thine be the glory, risen conq'ring Son,
Endless is the vict'ry, Thou o'er death hast won.

Lo! Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb;
Lovingly He greets us, scatters fear and gloom;
Let the church with gladness, hymns of triumph sing;
For her Lord now liveth, death hath lost its sting.
Thine be the glory, risen conq'ring Son,
Endless is the vict'ry, Thou o'er death hast won.

No more we doubt Thee, glorious Prince of life;
Life is naught without Thee; aid us in our strife;
Make us more than conq'rors, through Thy deathless love:
Bring us safe through Jordan to Thy home above.
Thine be the glory, risen conq'ring Son,
Endless is the vict'ry, Thou o'er death hast won."

The end of the hymn marked the end of the funeral, and Alan accompanied Cassie out of the church yard.

"Do you think Sammy would have liked his funeral?" Cassie asked as they walked down the street.

"I'm sure Sammy would have loved it no matter how you said goodbye to him," Alan replied honestly, taking her hand.

"Thanks Alan, that means a lot. Are you able to come back to my house for something to eat?"

Alan shook his head sadly, "I'm afraid I can't. I have to go back to work; my boss only let me have one day off."

"Wow," Cassie smiled, "you're boss must be a real grouch."

Alan couldn't help but laugh at that statement. "Yeah he can be a bit of a grouch, but he's still my father."

Cassie's eyes opened in shock. "Oh I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have…"

"It's ok," Alan reassured her. "I'm just glad that you still have the courage to smile after what you've been through."

"I'll be smiling even more when they catch Sammy's killer."

"They'll catch him, Cassie, don't worry."

As he said this Alan began to form a plan in his mind. He would ask some of the IR agents – including Lady Penelope – to help to look for the driver.

After all, he had to be somewhere.

Didn't he?