More Than Human

Chapter 94: Peace in the Garden

The day the shipment of monster bodies from the labs came in was a somber one to say the least. Obviously they were all glad to be helping them find peace, but having to help transport so many bodies, many of them in extreme states of decomposition, was slightly harrowing. But it would be worth it.

Price cataloged how many they had, as well as the amount of different species. He wanted their headstones to reflect what they were in life. The only body not going into the new cemetery plot was the siren from the tank. König wrapped them in aquatic plants so that Rudy wouldn't be sent into his weakened mourning state by the sight. Afterwards, the pair took them to the bottom of the large pond and gave them a burial there, beneath the rocks and sand. Price sent them down with a headstone in remembrance.

Some of the headstones had names, but others were blank. Some of the monsters had files with that information from the labs, but others only listed their serial numbers. A bit of a bummer, but in the end it didn't make a huge difference.

Price had his men carefully retrieve the dried up remains of Gaz's mother so that he could plant her. She wouldn't grow, and she would likely continue to deteriorate over the years, but Price gave her a prominent place in the cemetery, with plenty of sun by day, and moonlight by night. The day after she had been placed, the very nature around them moved to honor the deceased dryad. Vines and roots and leaves and blossoms had wrapped around her trunk and limbs, so much so that she nearly looked alive. The surrounding earth would preserve her for many years to come.

From the lab in Scotland, they retrieved the remains of Soap's mother. Johnny had been expecting that. The team all stood firm on their decision to not let him see her corpse, slowly becoming mutilated by time. But they had a surprise waiting for him when she had been buried and her headstone placed. They brought him to the small alcove where they had placed not only her, but his father, brother, and sister as well. Price had sent for their slowly deteriorating bodies to be retrieved from his old home. Now the cemetery had a small plot dedicated solely to the fallen MacTavish's.

The Scot had let out an emotionally little sob before shifting into his wolf and running up to the large life size statue that Price had erected behind the graves. He laid down with his snout in between the front legs of his mother's stone likeness where she sat beside his father, two pups rolled around at play adjacent to them. He whined and cried and finally let himself truly mourn the loss of his family pack after all of these years.

His new pack mourned alongside him. All of the members of the team sat and kneeled beside Soap for a full hour to honor their sacrifice that had kept John MacTavish alive for them. Even Horangi, who had been unsure about Soap's energy upon first meeting the man, sat by in his griffin form, head and wings hunched low in respect. Rudy subconsciously began to hum a little tune, his voice coming out in four notes at once, settling peace over their new memorial garden.

Price closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was worn from all of the magic he had been using for the statues and headstones, and there were still many to come. But on his exhalation of breath he opened his eyes and looked around the clearing and felt warmth spread through his bones at the clear tranquility that seemed to emit from the whole space.

He did not possess the ability to speak to ghosts or the spirits of the deceased, but he had a sense that Gaz had been right.

The monsters were comfortable here.