The Les Miserables Challenge!

12. Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again

12. Write a scene based on a song that's non-Les Mis, but a different musical alltogether! 

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(Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again - Phantom of The Opera)

"We therefore commit his body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in the sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life."

Joleigh was dressed in black. Her golden hair was pulled back and hidden underneath a dark veil that covered her face, hiding her tears. Her skin did not have a healthy glow; instead it was pale almost like ice. She stood motionless as the coffin was laid into the earth, the priest mutter words that she could not hear. There was a cloud around her, a dark stormy cloud that choked and smothered. Her eyes were red and damp, the tracks of tears painting lines down her cheeks. Every so often her whole body would shake, from either the cold wind of the fall or from the grief that was racking her every nerve. The priest turned to the poor girl and cast his eyes down. 

“Is there anything you would like to say, before the Earth is spilt?” He asked steadily and carefully. Joleigh did not look up from the coffin in it’s grave. Why must he be buried in such a desolate place? She couldn’t stand to think of it. Why couldn't we go back to the country - like he promised - he could be buried in a seperate grave with flowers, under a tree perhaps. Oh, god, no! I just want him to be... Another shudder erupted from her body. “Mademoiselle?” The priest had been talking to her. She did not answer, only swallowed down more tears. Suddenly there was a large hand on her shoulder. Joleigh choked back a sob. Then, there was a different one entwining hers.

“Joleigh?” A voice to her left whispered and the hand in hers gave a gentle squeeze of reassurance. She looked to the person through her veil. “It’s going to be alright.” Enjolras said. Joleigh tried to smile…she tried. Her friend sighed and turned to the priest. He shook his head. The priest glanced at her then to the grave. The men with shovels started to pour dirt into the grave. It began to snow.

"Let us commend Félix Accord to the mercy of God.” 

The large hand on Joleigh’s shoulder let go and she longed for it to be back. Papa, come back! Papa! The tears stained her cheeks once more, and did not stop until everyone attending had left. This didn’t take long as only her friends and Enjolras, the priest and the gravediggers were there. They only came because they knew Joleigh. Nobody knew her father. Only her. Maybe that’s why she was sad. Her father had always been such a secretive man, always sticking inside the bakery unless it was necessary to go outside; and Joleigh never knew why. He had kept her close to him for his reasons, but never explained. He was firm, but she knew that once, maybe back when she had a mother, that he had been kinder - maybe even amiable and humorous. Sometimes he would show his true feelings, like when she was little he would read her book to her, acting out every word and every character, making her giggle then cuddle into his side. Yes, he was a kind man at heart. But any mention, any peep questioning the past or her mother and he would turn to stone. Joleigh didn’t mind, she admired her father with everything in her being. He was the only person she could look up to. Now he was gone, and Joleigh was in pain. As she was reflecting, she had not noticed that everyone had left - the grave diggers had finished and the priest had made his final prayers. Her friends had given her sorrowful looks she was oblivious to, but they all had to go too - she understood. They had lives to fufill, and what did she have? Nothing anymore. How was she going to survive? The thoughts hurt her - so she sniffed and pushed them aside and replaced them with her own prayer. Joleigh had to say goodbye, she didn't even notice Enjolras had stayed behind. When she began to speak, he inclined to listen;