Wolf Hollow

Chapter 18

Thursday was a boring day of school and baseball practice for Darren, and listening to Theo open up about his problems again. It made him feel like Theo wasn't such a bully after all.

Friday came, which was the day Darren felt that he would finally bury Albert up above the woods and the stone rocks where he showed him that night.

Darren saved him that night and in a way, Albert saved him. He just thought he was crazy for thinking it.

He felt like his first relationship with Eleanor wasn't normal. It felt as if they were a million worlds apart. He wanted to invite her to help bury Albert, but that was a weird thing to ask.

Darren could see the moonlight coming on. The sun was going down for the day.

"Here goes nothing." Darren whispered to himself.

Except it was definitely something. He had never buried anyone before and burying a hole 6 feet deep alone wasn't simple.

He made his way to the barn and didn't think about staying to smell the dead rotted bodies. Instead, he grabbed a shovel and a large white bag, trying to put the smell out of mind. Albert was definitely used to it.

Next was to get into Albert's house, where the officers left him to rest and allow family members or anyone else close to decide what was next for him. The man didn't even want a funeral.

Darren knocked on the door, assuming family had found out he was dead and had come to give him a funeral against his wishes, or his newest young girlfriend would be there cleaning or cooking, and maybe unaware her old sugar daddy was dead.

Darren was exactly right that she would be there. She answered the door in a purple sleeping gown. Bags were under her eyes and she was nearly red in the face. She looked like she was just awoken.

"Haven't you heard?" Clara asked. "Albert has passed. I think he was fond of you."

"I was there when it happened." Darren frowned. The frown was a bit forced, but she didn't have to know that.

"Oh my." Clara paused. She was holding back tears but she couldn't get them to come out.

"I tried to give him CPR. I probably didn't know what I was doing." Darren wanted to laugh but it was too insensitive.

"Are you okay?" Clara worried. "Do you need to come in?"

"I was coming to get Albert," Darren said. "To bury him. He told me he wanted to be buried up in the woods when he dies. Coincidentally, he died a day later."

Clara looked puzzled. "That is so kind of you, but a funeral would be more modest."

"He didn't want a funeral."

Darren made his way in the house without asking. Clara didn't give anymore input.

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Albert's body was already in a black body bag. That day the police came, Darren stepped away. He couldn't handle anymore of seeing the old man dead, even though months ago he would've wished on it.

Body bags are what doctors usually do, but the police were at the scene instead that day. But body bags are convenient, because no one wants to see someone miserable, pale, and most of all, dead. Some people die with their eyes open too, which would make it worse to see.

Darren found a small metal wagon and gently tossed the body bag into it, hoping the thing wouldn't break. That's the last thing he needed. He threw the shovel in with it. He estimated that Albert most likely weighed about 150 lbs.

Before he could push it any further, he heard the sound of his name being called from afar. Eleanor started running toward him.

"Where were you?" She almost knocked him down. "and what are you even doing?"