Childhood is the kingdom where nobody dies.

There comes a time when the magic and innocence of childhood is shattered and broken, and for most of us, we spend the rest of our lives trying to figure out how to put the pieces back together... never quite understanding that we were never meant to fix it.

Milton was in his early teen years when this happened. One afternoon he woke to find the world was not the same as it had been when he closed his eyes the night before, and his childhood began to slowly melt away when he peered over into Mr. Jubbs' carrier to see the beetle lying on his back, lifeless.

Milton shrieked and immediately jumped out of bed, nearly scaring Philip to death. He tossed the top of the carrier onto his bed and reached in to pick up the tiny bug.

"Mr...Jubbs...?" his eyes filled with tears that threatened to spill over, and his tone was filled with a sadness that even affected Philip, who had stumbled out of bed and made his way over to stand by his friend's side.
"Maybe he's just sleeping," he suggested hopefully, Milton laid the beetle down on the table and slowly ran his finger across his hard body gently. "...Are you alive...?" his voice was so soft and fragile that it could scarcely be heard.

Rose walked into the boy's room with a warm smile and sauntered over to the two. The moment that she saw the bug on the table and Milton looked up to her in desperation, with tears falling down his cheeks, she knew what had happened.
"Oh.. uh.." she struggled for words as she looked into the green eyes of the small, heart broken little boy in front of her, "Maybe Mr. Jubbs is just not feeling well. He's probably just hungry. Philip? Come help me round up some food for the little fella."

After a few moments, they came back into the room with a small plate of leafy greens for Mr. Jubbs. Milton was sitting in the middle of the floor with his head down and both hands extended with the tiny beetle lying in both palms, as if to offer him up to a higher power that could somehow make this all better.
Rose noticed immediately that Milton had wrapped a little band-aid around him.
She knelt down by him patted his head lightly, "Honey, why does Mr. Jubbs have a band-aid on him?"
He met her eyes with his own, and his gaze almost brought her to tears. His eyes were red from crying, his nose was running, and his cheeks were flushed. "I...I tried to fix him.." His hands closed around the small body of the beetle and he sobbed into Rose's chest.

It had taken a while for Milton to accept Mr. Jubbs' death, but once he did, he insisted on burying him. Rose fully encouraged this, but Ed took it a step further and suggested they have a small funeral for him. The same day, Ed created a small wooden coffin for the poor little bug. He lined it with stuffing and silk, and Milton placed Mr. Jubbs' body inside. A perfect fit.

Outside they went, to a small hole that Rose had dug, and they all gathered around in a circle. Milton, wiping his eyes, lowered himself onto his knees and placed the coffin into the hole. Rose sat beside him on the ground and wrapped her arms around him in a loving embrace.
Ed cleared his throat and began. There wasn't much to say, but Milton needed this. It was the very best they could offer him now.

"We are gathered here today to lay a dear friend to rest. A friend who gave of himself completely; who loved with all his heart, and expected nothing in return. A friend who shall be remembered for all times, and remain in our hearts forever. Our beloved Mr. Jubbs, we bid you farewell."

Ed nodded to Philip, and he began to shovel in dirt on top of the coffin. Soon, the sound of rain hitting the ground around them could be heard between Milton's anguished cries. Rose rocked back and forth with the boy in her arms, singing a soft, comforting melody to him. Ed soon came to sit by the two of them and he wrapped his arms around his wife and Milton. Philip soon followed.

Regardless of the rain, they sat with the mourning boy until at last, he had cried all he could possibly cry.

As they walked back to the house, Milton looked up to Ed with a troubled expression on his face.
"...Is Mr. Jubbs in Heaven?" he asked innocently.
"Ah, yes, my dear boy. Mr Jubbs is in Heaven."
"I miss him."
"He's still with you."
Milton frowned, "Where?"
Ed placed a hand over the boy's heart and smiled, "In here."
Ed couldn't have been more right. Truthfully, Mr. Jubbs had not been placed out in the yard.. for it was plain to see, he had been buried deep within Milton's heart.

Tears stream down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
Tears stream down your face

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you