"Life is a song - sing it. Life is a game - play it. Life is a challenge - meet it. Life is a dream - realize it. Life is a sacrifice - offer it. Life is love - enjoy it." -Sai Baba

"Hey Joey. I brought your favorites again. Jesus, you won't believe it but I even ate real food today! Not that processed crap you always use to bitch about. You know, I never would have started taking care of myself if it weren't for you. I'm real grateful for that, even if you were a pain in the ass sometimes. Damn, I wish you could see me now, I fucking iron." Elliot laughed as he played with the flowers wrapped nicely in his hands.

It had been six years since Joey passed, and his grave was still the most beautiful out of all the others inside the gated cemetery. It stood tall with its decorative border of carved angels caressing the sides of the stone. Carrying a bouquet of white roses and lavender periwinkles Elliot knelt before the granite tomb and placed them gently against it letting his fingers trail down the rough edges.

'Here lies Joseph William Wilson, a child of hope, a blessing in life, and the bringer of joy to everyone he touched. Taken from us too soon may he rest in peace eternally in Heaven's Kingdom.'

Reading it over again Elliot let out a deep breath as he lost himself to the memories only to be interrupted by a scratchy voice.

"Why you always visiting the dead? They ain't got anything to give you."

Elliot stood up, turning around to face a scruffy teenager smoking behind him. He was a lanky kid with rustled brown waves and gray eyes, the cigarette twirling between his fingers now scattering ash over the grave sight.

"You shouldn't be smoking here."

"You didn't answer the question," The boy said as he shuffled his feet over the crushed grass, "I always see you coming here and you're always alone."

His steely eyes narrowed as he whispered, "You a dealer or something?"

Elliot snorted, "Hell no. I gave up that shit years ago."

Shaking his head he turned back to Joey's tombstone and fondly smiled, "I'm just paying respects to a good friend of mine. Scrawny bastard gave me my life back, so thought I'd keep tabs on him. Can't get rid of me that easily."

"You're a pretty weird guy." The teen huffed as he flickered his gaze between the man and the grave, "What type of person keeps up with the dead like that? You really sure you ain't still on crack?"

"Trust me kid. Drugs ain't worth it." Elliot responded as he snatched the cigarette out of the boy's hand.

"Hey man! That was mine!" The teen reached over to grab it back only to watch it be snuffed out in the grass by a large steel toed boot.

"Not anymore."

Elliot rolled his eyes as the kid started ranting at him to pay up when he noticed the state of the other's attire. Rags, the little twerp was basically walking around the city dressed in tattered clothes; damn, this boy looked just like him back when he was the same age.

Feeling a pull on his heartstrings he poked the disgruntled teen in the face stopping his tirade of threats.

"-you so owe me! That was my last good stick and you fucking robbed me! What type of cheap ass psycho are yo-Ow!"

"You got a home? Parents? Guardians? Talking animals from Disney shit?"

The boy rubbed the spot Elliot poked, "The hell…"

Going silent for a moment he glared in confusion at the man before he angrily pointed straight between his eyes and shouted, "Listen you bastard, I ain't going back to the fucking system! Okay? The streets are way better any way-"

"Then come with me." Elliot cut him off, "I've got a place, hot meals, and a TV for you to rot your brain with. I'm not leaving some shit stain alone in the city."

The boy's gray eyes went comically wide as he sputtered, giving him the bird, "W-what! First off fuck you! And second, why should I? You could be some kid stealing creep!"

"Well, I do happen to know where the police station is, and I'm sure they won't mind picking up another runaway." Elliot mindlessly answered as he pulled out his cell phone and deceivingly began dialing away.

Growling the dirty brat relented, "Fine, but if you start getting handsy I'm so killing you in your sleep!"

"Deal."

They shook on it feeling each other's warm hands and they left the graves sleeping. And as they made their way out of the cemetery the two kept chatting, walking through the endless rows of once remembered souls.

"What's your name, kid?"

"Seymour, but my bros call me See-More, you know same name but spelled different. 'Cuz instead of a 'Y' it's just 'S-E-E' and then the word 'more' at the end. Cool right?"

"That so… stupid."

"Shut up you old bastard!"

"Old?! I'm only 23!"

"23 in the mind maybe, but definitely 47 on the body."

"Oh fuck off."

The skies were strangely sunny for the first time in six years, as the galaxy's largest star shone through unfiltered, brightening everything it touched with a heavenly halo. No longer was it a dreary town littered with crime and despair, but instead glowing with new found life, as the winds blew past, untouched by sinful pollution. Even the people were no longer brutally cursing as they strolled between the crossing intersections of busy roads. For the rain had finally retreated beyond the great hills, and the world below stood dry, the floods banished from the Earth.

'Thank you Joey.'