The church was packed; it had seemed the idea of a joint memorial service had taken root with the whole of the village and there wasn't a seat to be had. The front pews were reserved for the families and friends of the victims and although there were no coffins on display the mood was sombre and reserved. The outpourings of grief had taken place so many weeks earlier at funeral after funeral. All that was left now was to remember them; Becca wandered to up to the altar, and studied the pictures of the dead, taken in life they all seemed so vital and alive, she stopped at one and put out her hand to touch the face, she traced her finger along it's length and stopped at the lips. "It's time" said a voice behind her, she glanced at Mel and followed her back to the pew. They took their places and the service began, she picked up the hymn book and sang but her eyes never left the photo and her mind drifted back to that day...
The banging on the door woke her with a start, she moved off the bed and shouted "I'm coming! I'm coming!" Grumpily she rubbed her eyes and made her way to the door "Mel! What on earth's the ..." "Quick! Grab your coat! There's been a fire at the Dog!" "A fire?" She asked still sleepy "Why?" "Never mind why, just come, it's Sophie and Justin they were inside. C'mon!" Mel grabbed her arm and tugged, sick with shock she grabbed her jacket from the hook, thrust her feet in shoes and followed her down the stairs. Mel had a taxi waiting and they both climbed into the back, Mel gave him instructions to the hospital then turned to Becca, " I was supposed to meet OB in town but he never showed, I thought I'd find him in the Dog so I went there, but it was too late, it was up in flames, Darren pulled Justin out, Sophie was in the cellar, the firemen found her just before I got there, they've both gone in an ambulance" Becca grabbed hold of Mel's hand and gripped it tightly., Mel gave her a hug "Justin's tough he'll be ok, it's Sophie I'm worried about" Arriving at the hospital, it was chaotic, a march in town had turned violent, scores of walking wounded thronged the desk and they had trouble forcing their way to the front. "We're here with Justin and Sophie Burton" Mel explained to the harassed woman on the desk, "And you are?" she snapped, "Sister and... wife" she explained. Becca glanced at her "Ssshhh! You'll never get in to see him otherwise!" The woman gave instructions to Mel and Becca followed, it felt surreal, one minute she'd been dreaming and now she was in this maelstrom. They found the cubicle and pulled back the curtain, Sophie lay talking to a policewoman who was taking rapid notes. Mel surged forward and hugged her, "Careful! you'll set me off..." Sophie broke into a paroxysm of coughing. She lay back on her pillow whooping for breath, "Are you ok?" asked Mel. "I'm fine, just a bit of smoke inhalation, apparently it was the safest place to be, the cellar, it has air vents at street level helped keep the smoke levels down, bet he hadn't thought about that!" "Who" said Mel bemused "Sam, didn't you know? He torched the pub and locked me in the cellar" "Oh my God!" she sat back on the bed "so that's why" she pointed to the police woman, who'd withdrawn at their approach, consulting with a colleague. "Where's Justin?" asked Becca urgently looking around "Weren't you both brought in together?" "Yeah, isn't he here somewhere?" "I'll go ask at the desk" replied Becca leaving Mel to get all the details of the fire from Sophie. She pushed her way through to the front again amidst much muttering. Catching the same harassed woman's eye proved difficult so she resorted to banging the desk. "There's no need for that!" the receptionist snarled, putting on her widest smile Becca embarked on a charm offensive "Sorry! It's just that I can't seem to find my boy...husband" she corrected "He was brought in from the fire at the Dog in Hollyoaks, Burton, Justin Burton" "I'll check" She typed away at the keyboard and read the screen, she glanced at Becca, and re-read the screen, she came over visibly softened, "If you take a seat Mrs Burton, someone will be with you in a minute" Becca retreated from the desk, the hordes closing the gap she left, she found an empty chair and sat down, grateful for the respite.
When she came round Mel was holding her hand, she was lying in a bed in one of the cubicles, "What happened?" But even as she asked it came back to her, the doctor explaining quietly he'd never made it out of the ambulance, she remembered odd phrases, 'bleeding in the brain' 'smoke inhalation' and 'time delay' "Justin?" She whispered, Mel gripped her hand tighter, her eyes red and shook her head. She lay there numb and cold, she thought back to her afternoon with Nancy and Jake, his last, and she cried.
The hymn ended and it was time for the eulogies, one after another people stood up and said kind words about their loved ones, when it was their turn Mel and Sophie stood up and talked about him, their brother, about his life, about their love for him and what they would miss. They rejoined Becca in the pew, one on either side and held her hands, they both knew how hard this was, Liz adamant that she not welcome at the funeral, burying him far away from her in Colchester, a private service Liz had specified, family and friends only, this was her chance to say goodbye publicly. When it was over they filed outside, and stood in the sunshine, warming through after the chill of the church. Sophie spotted Russ standing by the church gate, she glanced at Becca, "Is it ok?" Becca looked in his direction, "He didn't start it Sophie" "He's been brilliant considering" Sophie replied, her face breaking into a happy smile, "He just can't do enough for me, for us" she continued looking at Mel. Mel smiled back and then over at Russ "Mmmm" she replied watching the approaching figure, "Considering" Sophie moved off to intercept Russ and Mel turned to Becca, "Do you want to come back to Louise's for a bit?" Becca smiled "Thanks but I've got to get back, I've still got some packing to do" "Packing?" echoed Mel "Yeah, I'm going to stay with Mum for a bit, Nancy's going to stay with Hannah and her family" "Well walk with me as far as the village yeah?" Becca took Mel's arm and moved off, the crowds finally dispersed, the churchyard was deserted. A figure moved from the lee of the church and made his way over to the newly dug grave on the final row, a wooden cross marked the occupant till a more permanent memorial could be erected. The stranger read the inscription out loud "Samuel David Owen 1985-2006" he bent and placed the flowers on the bare soil, crouching he read the inscription again, "Well Sam, looks like you've got the chance to reinvent yourself all over again..."
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