LUDICROUS | ✎

chapter | 60

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L U D I C R O U S
[ chapter 60 • a funeral ]
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IT WAS VIOLENT bullets of the pouring rain that smacked against the broken, cracked world. The sound of rain is a harmonic thrumming as it pelted harshly against the dark green tent overhead, sliver trickles of water fall down the sides of the tent, and the water seeps into the ground. The rain invites a row of black umbrellas to blossom from people who weren't standing underneath the tent.

Everything felt different and nothing felt remotely real. Preparing a funeral for someone you thought would always be around is insanely eerie. Seeing everyone dressed in black was actually pretty daunting and depressing, but that's the most appropriate attire for the occasion.

The atmosphere not only looked gloomy but felt gloomy, I gaze around, seeing family, friends and people from the town, brought together, to mourn for one of our own. Countless numbers of dark figures stand, speaking in unison to pay our respects to one whom we knew and adore.

I can vividly hear Astraea continuously let out cries in the distance, which only made the environment even more overwhelming. The sadness corrupts my inner soul and my heart bleeds a river inside. Nothing could change the wretchedness I feel.

Everywhere I look theres no smiles; it reminded me of my tenth birthday... depressing. I hate this, why did she have to die? I thought momentarily, my eyes drifting up to the cloudy grey sky.

My eyes attempted to avoid the casket, I didn't want to come to grips with the fact that she was gone. The funny thing about death is it brings out the sheer delusion in all of us — no one wants to face the sickening reality that a loved one was just stripped away from us.

As much as funerals bring closure to loved ones, it is the most uncomfortably painful yet healing part of the grieving process. Looking at the white casket one last time, it felt like I was saying goodbye to a piece of me — Catina was the one helping me learn Spanish so I could be able to understand when Atalie was talking shit about me. She became one of my best friends in the time we spent together.

As the casket is lowered into the ground, many tears were shed, creating tear stained faces.

Ophelia sat perched on my hip. Her tiny hands reach out, wiping the salty tears on my face. "What happened to Catina?" She questions, frowning as she looked at where the casket was previously at.

"Uh," My eyes shift over to our mother, watching as she spoke a few words to Astraea and Hayden. I glance back over to Ophelia, "She got into a really bad accident and got hurt badly. She became an Angel just as she was down here, now she's just looking over her family and friends from above."

Ophelia eyes widened, her lips pulling into a thin line as she swallows harshly. "B-but that ... but that means something happened to Atalie," she says, staring at me.

I tuck my bottom lip between my teeth, nawing at it. I slowly nod my head. "Yeah, but she's fine."

"Fine?" Her eyebrows raise slightly. "Then where is she?" She turns her head, her eyes frantically move around the cemetery, they squint tightly as she tries locating a sign of Atalie.

"She isn't here." Her eyebrows draw together as she turns to look at me, confusion clouding her features. "Why isn't she here?"

I exhale sharply through my nose. "Ophelia, she's fine."

"But she isn't here, so she isn't fine," she argues silently. "I want to see her. Please, Kio."

"Okay." I nod. "We'll go to the hospital. The services are almost over."

ƪƪƪ

LOUD, THAT WAS the hospital halls. They especially weren't quiet at night, someone was always dying in this place — a poisonous place.

Ophelia's tiny hand held tightly onto my hand as we walked the halls. Her matted wet hair clung to her face, droplets of water hitting the marble flooring — she didn't see the need of an umbrella as we walked into the hospital.

I halt in my steps, making Ophelia stop in her tracks and stare blankly at me. "Why are you stopping. Let's go." She tugs on my arm repeatedly.

I bend down, kneeling to Ophelia's height. I hold onto both of her hands as I begin to speak to her: "Look, when we walk into Atalie's room she's going to be sleeping —"

"She'll wake up for me. She doesn't really like you," Ophelia mutters, shrugging. "Sorry to say."

I shake my head. "I wish she was just sleeping and not in an induced coma," I mutter to myself, glancing down to the floor. I frown, trying to think of a better way to explain everything to her. "We can't wake her up, she has to wake up on her own. But she can still hear us, so you're able to talk to her."

Ophelia gently nods in understanding. "And, she does have a couple of bruises on her body, but she's fine, okay?"

She nods once more. "Okay, let's go see my favorite person." She tugs on my arm, dragging me into Atalie's room.

Walking to Atalie's beside, I reach out, pushing a couple of strands of hair off her forehead. "Hi, brat. Ophelia came to see you today," I murmur, smiling down at her sleeping figure.

Ophelia nudges me in the side. "Okay, move. You've got to see her multiple times, selfish," she remarks, squinting at me.

I chuckle. "Okay, calm down," I murmur, raising my hands in the air as I back away. I sink down into the blue couch, picking up my novel that I left behind and open it, starting to read the page I left off.

Thirty minutes had passed, and Ophelia found herself suited on the end of the hospital bed, ranting about her days and especially her hatred for Leon because the little Anderson decided to give Ophelia a box filled with ants and Ophelia wasn't having it.

I close my book, staring up at Ophelia. Her tongue kept poking at the inside of her cheek, and her nose scrunched up every so often as she talked ... she looked rather adorable.

"Stop making that face, you look like you're doing your math homework," I voice, placing my book to the side of me.

Ophelia sat criss crossed on the end of the bed, fingers playing with the ends of her dress. She knits her brows together, "When will she wake up?"

I glance down at the floor. "I don't know. We just have to hope she'll wake up soon."

Ophelia doesn't respond, instead she just nods her head, eyes filtering over to Atalies figure. "I miss her."

"Me too. Me too."