You Don't Belong Here

Chapter Seventy Four

To say the funeral was non-traditional would have been the understatement of the century. Because of the extensive damage to the body - or what was left of it - it was required that Zeke be cremated. His ashes were placed in a shining silver urn with sapphire blue designs etched all around the surface. The words "One With The Party Gods" were displayed in bold, black scripting across the front of the container.

Ezekiel has always had reservations regarding religion, so you could imagine his heavily devout Southern Baptist parents' expressions when it was announced that the service would not be held in a church, but rather his favorite nightclub in the heart of Dallas paired with an open bar and BBQ catering for lunch as well as cheap Tex-Mex buffet in the evening because who doesn't love cheap knockoff Mexican food when you're shitfaced after several hours of day drinking?

All of his friends had been invited, even those on social media that he hadn't really been all that close with. His surviving relatives had also been extended invitations, and most of them reluctantly agreed.

The procession had been one of countless Uber drivers because Zeke felt very strongly that you should never drink and drive, and the seemingly endless caravan of glowing UBER stickers were proceeded and followed by several police motorcycles while multiple cruisers brought up the rear. Zeke had always told Jonathan that if the day ever came that he became "one with the party gods", that he wanted to be surrounded by a bunch of sexy cops because he loved a man in uniform. It had been an odd request at the Texas State Trooper headquarters, but they had offered an open invitation to their troopers to escort the funeral-goers as they couldn't rightfully try to weed out the most attractive officers lest HR call the higher ups into a long, painfully boring sexual harassment prevention course. Needless to say Zeke had gotten his wish.

Brielle has been one of the few to transport herself, and she followed just behind the motorcycle cops with her own bike.

When the group arrived at the club, Jonathan had called everyone's attention and stood atop the DJ's microphone in hand. "Thank you all for coming," he began, "I just want to make a quick little announcement before we begin. We're going to start off with something called a 'celebration of life'. A few of Zeke's closest friends will be sharing life stories and memorable experiences that they shared with Zeke over the years." He was choking back tears now. "I-it won't take too terribly long as only a handful of people will be speaking. I've already sent out messages to the people who are set to speak because we're not going to play 'Pass The Mike' and have a bunch of you random bitches try to act like y'all were besties when you know damn good and well that he couldn't stand your shady little asses..!" Several amuses laughs and giggles were heard throughout the room, but Jonathan kept a serious expression despite the tears welling in his eyes. "Seriously though, Brittany you sit down and shut the fuck up. You don't say shit, you got it?"

"Yeah yeah, go gobble a cock, Johnny Bravo!" Another round of laughter erupted and this time Jonathan cracked a smile.

"Alright, we'll get started now. Kayla, can you come up here?" The one known as Kayla made ambled her way up next to Jonathan, but Brielle weaved her way through the crowd of bodies until she reached the bartender.

"Hey Mike..." she whispered to the bartender to get his attention. "Let me get three shots of vodka, would ya?"

The stories prattled on and many laughs were shared while just as many tears were shed. Brielle tried to drown out the voices while she took shot after shot and ordered round after round. So far no one else had paid attention to the drinks, or at least they hadn't felt comfortable with ordering any at such a sensitive point in the "service"...but Brielle and Jonathan had spoken at length prior to that day regarding how she would only be able to get through such an event with a good buzz going. He had understood, and he'd actually started drinking early that morning when the reality of the situation really began to sink in.