Deliver Us {Stranger Things 1 }

The Funerals

Nine

"Oh! What a miserable night I passed! The cold stars shone in mockery, and the bare trees waved their branches above me; now and then the sweet voice of a bird burst forth amidst the universal stillness. ~Mary Shelley-Frankenstein

That's not my little girl repeated in Helona's mind like an ancient chant. She gazed at it in the pine coffin, wrapped in a white shroud all but its head. A cup of water almost spills from her hand, leaning against the kitchen watching friends, family and acquaintances share their condolences. Her mother grieved in silence before others.

Catori was with her friends. A good trio of boys. The one, Dustin tried making her remember the goofy things Kateri did but her laughter was not real.

Whispers were shared no doubt by some of the town women. They look for things sometimes, at funerals, one's reaction. Father sat on the living room couch, thanking Karen Wheeler for handing them both a cup of hot tea. She did not look at them with pity, but true sympathy. Even her own sister acted as though she had places to be. Men to sleep with rather

"Stupid question I know...but are you alright?"

Jim Hopper approached, dressed in a simple black suit and tie. He looked different out of uniform. Snapping from her thoughts not on the way he looked, she gave a weary sigh.

"Fine...just peachy. How's mom and dad doing?"

"They're alright. Just stunned, like we all are." He clarified the rest while she gives a bitter smile. Nodding to Veronica Miller and her friends.

"Not all. Pretty sure there's some that are relieved, a Delsoa finally bites the dust." Helona declared. Clutching her cup tight.

Hopper gave her a firm look, shaking his head. "I know you don't believe that Helona. You don't think the Byers care? Or me or Powell?"

She took a deep breath. Lips trembling, hating the thought of crying in front of anyone. This is how Catori and mother feel...isn't it? After all those years of me telling her it's okay to show emotion "It's just...it's hard, Jim. Really, bloody hard. The looks we get sometimes...you don't forget it. What mom and dad went through. It feels different for us."

And then the damn tears came. She gave a weak a weak, choking laugh shoulders trembling.

"That's not Kateri in the coffin....that's not my baby girl...."

Jim shushed her in a gentle manner, wrapping his arms around her shoulders not caring who saw. He assumed it was only her distress. Her shock like with Joyce over Will. His funeral happened last week.

"Take it easy, alright? Joyce and I...we're here for ya." He murmured in awkward fashion.

~********~

Death is inevitable. None can live forever. Carlian remembers his uncle, a man of great wisdom saying this to him on the night before lung cancer would take him. He remembers still though he had only been nine years old, how cold his hand was when he held it and continued even after his uncle departed from our world onto the next.

He stared at himself in the bathroom mirror, listening to footfalls of mourners from relatives to friends and acquaintances of the Delsoa's. Gripping the edges of the sink. Come on...you showed yourself to Catori. Why not me? Your own brother? He wanted to laugh and cry at what he was doing. For she was dead. They pulled her body out of that cold lake, like Will. Her limp, pale arm dangled from beneath her white sheet.

Cold water dripped from his face splashing it gently. Someone knocked at the door.

"Who is it?"

"Nancy Wheeler."

Lowering his head in disdain, he gave a muttered 'come in' wiping his eyes quick. Nancy slowly opened the door. Her hair done in a simple loose hanging pony-tail with very little make up. Wearing only a simple mourners dress.

"What do you want?" he choked out, trying to sound normal.

"Look. What Steve did to you and Jonathan....you didn't deserve that. None of it should have happened. I know an apologies not enough, for what he did to your talisman..."

"I don't care about that right now, Nancy. My sister's laying in a coffin ready to be put in the ground."

His jaw was trembling. And she hugged him. Nancy Wheeler, boyfriend of King Steve hugged Carlian 'The Freak' Delsoa. Tears sprang from behind her dark brown eyes, making him sigh aloud.

"No. No don't you start crying, Wheeler...."

"I'm sorry....Carlian....I'm so sorry for everything." She sobs softly. Not hysterical. Just genuine tears of sorrow.

He let her cry into his suit. Patting her back in an awkward manner. Glancing over her shoulder, he could see Jonathan leant against the doorway dressed in similar fashion. Nancy could feel his presence sniffling, muttering sorry.

"It's fine. Thanks for the apology..."

She gave a weak smile, nodding lowly before exiting the bathroom.

"You holdin' up alright?" Jonathan asked softly.

Carlian wiped his eyes. Nodding once. "Yeah. I will be. Time, you know? What about you and your dad?"

He remembered meeting Lonnie Byers at Will's funeral. A seemingly nice guy, if not for the fact he abused his wife and sons in secret. And he did not take too well based on his silence before answering Carlian. "Fine. Mom kicked him out, for good."

"I'm sorry..."

"Why are you sorry? Not your fault."

"I guess, I'm sorry for a lot of things. For that incident with you and Steve, I should've turned us away."

"They were surrounding my car, looking for a fight."

"I'm sorry I moved here in the first place. If I didn't, your brother and Kateri would still be alive."

He was crying in front of the one person he did not want to break in front of. Jonathan flinched at the statement made, raising a brow. "You're not sorry for meeting me, or my family are you?"

Breathing out slowly, Calian looked up at him shaking his head with vigor. A smile of sorrow crossing over. "No. You and your family, are one of the good things in our lives."

A most unexpected of incident occurred. Lips so soft and so light were upon Carlian. Jonathan's tasted of honey, the sweetest nectar. He pulled away having realized the action he had committed. Eyes filled with shame. Of wanting more. Horribly unsure. Carlian's chest rose and fell in gentle motions, leaning against the sink as Jonathan murmured 'I'm sorry' before quickly departing the bathroom.

Carlian raised his hand slowly to place over his chest, gripping it. Why was his heart beating so?