It was been a few days since that day at the mall, and we were getting ready for Abby's funeral. I had slipped on some dress pants with a gray t-shirt and a black vest. I waited for Neo and Chang to come down, so I sat on the couch. Chang came down first, dressed in a black dress shirt and gray slacks. Then came down Neo, with a black dress shirt, black pants, and a white tie. We all nodded, because we knew what we had to do today. We had to make Abby's funeral amazing, just like she was. We decided to keep her funeral small, with just family and Neo, me, Chang, and Jon. Neo and I made a slideshow with Abby's favorite song. I had the disk in my hand, and I walked out to the car. We drove to the church where we found lots of people sitting in seats. I saw Abby's dad in the front, his shoulders hunched. I heard a woman sobbing towards the back of the room. Neo and I joined Jon in the second row. I watched as Abby's father went up to the pulpit, clearing his throat.

"You all know why you're here, it all started with fire. My daughter was terrorized by an accidental fire. She was still filled with so much life and was gone before I knew it. She never got the chance to show her true beauty. She will be missed… so much… I'll just miss her so much"

He wiped the tears away from his eyes and stepped down from the pulpit, I took a deep breath. I stood up with Jon and Neo by my side and I made my way to the pulpit. Then I said,

"Fire destroys everything. The fire's touch leaves a scar and the damage will always be there. Abby was unfortunately, at the wrong place at the wrong time. Her life was cut off short but... Abby wouldn't want to be remembered for how she died, she would want to be remembered by hoe much fun she was and how she affected our lives. Jon, Neo, and I made a slideshow of her.

I began the slideshow with her favorite song "The first cut is the deepest" by Sheryl Crow. I watched picture after picture of Abby smiling, laughing, and just being well… her. I felt my cheeks get wet again. Then I looked towards the back, to the woman crying in the back row. I first noticed her crazy dirty blonde hair, and then I thought back to something Abby had told me years ago…

Abby and I were in her room doing homework and trash talking our 7th grade teachers. Then I thought of something I was dying to know, I hesitated before asking,

"Abby, did your mom die?"

I watched Abby hesitate before answering, and take a deep breath.

"My mom disappeared when I was seven, she left just randomly. NO note, no letter, no call. Nothing. She left without a trace. There's nothing I can do about it, but I still do wonder about her.

"So does she look like you?" I asked.

"Where do you think I got my wild hair from?" she smirked.

I gazed intently at the woman in the back, and then I heard silence. The slideshow must have ended. We were just about to end in prayer, when the woman stood up and said,

"Wait, I have something to say" she walked up towards the front. She stood up at the pulpit, and pushed her hair away from her face.

"You're all probably wondering who I am, and why I'm here. If you had known Abby well, you would know that her mother disappeared nine years ago. Well, I am her mother"

I heard gasps throughout the church, but she continued.

"I was kidnapped on my way to work nine years ago. I was just recently able to escape, and my memory wasn't what it should have been. Unfortunately it all came back to me when I saw my daughter claimed to be dead in the newspaper. I never got to tell Abby goodbye, as of many of you. She never was told what happened, and now she never will. I love her so much, always have, and always will.

I watched Abby's mom step down from the pulpit, and hesitantly walked over to Abby's dad. She looked at him with sadness in her eyes, but Mr. Burgess quickly stood up and embraced her. I heard them whisper to each other "I missed you so much". They were separated for so long, but sadly it took a death for them to meet up again. Their own daughter's death to be exact, but at least they were together again.

The preacher came up to the pulpit and asked to bow our heads in prayer and I joined hands with Neo and Jon. I closed my eyes and listened to the preacher,

"Dear Lord, We have all learned today how easy it is to have a life taken away from us. Give us strength to go on, and help us mourn this terrible loss. Please take care of Abby when she ascends to you. Amen"

We let go of each others hands and Neo, Chang and I made our way to my car. I didn't feel any emotion while driving home, I just felt numb. I didn't feel like I was even here, I felt like I was looking at myself from above. The pictures of Abby still echoed through my mind. I drove into my driveway, and turned off the engine. I laid my head down on the steering wheel, I just couldn't move. There was just one thing on my mind; I just couldn't figure out if Abby's death was an accident or not. Then I heard a knock on my window, I screamed.

"Hey it's ok, it's just me" said Neo "I was just wondering if your going to get out"

I nodded and got out of the car, and we both went inside and sat on the couch. Then I heard the telephone ring, and Chang answered it. Neo and I waited for him to come back, and then Jon came in. When Chang came back his face was pale.

"What's wrong?" I asked

"Her body is gone, Abby's body is gone" Chang whispered.