amnesia {} n.h {}

AMNESIA 7

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::: The mood was glum, sad and dull. The whistling of the trees and the sound of sobbing was the only noise heard.

Then, the reverend began speaking, "We are all gathered here today to memorialize the life and death of a sister, daughter, niece, friend, and ex girlfriend... Zuria Anelle Pierce."

The tension in the air grew thick once her name left the short, stubby man's mouth. He stood outside, beside the mahogany casket that was closed shut, with a solemn but sad expression as he watched the people before him grieve.

"Now," he cleared his throat earnestly, "would anyone like to speak on the behalf of Zuria?" He questioned, his eyes searching the crowd of at least a dozen people dressed in black.

Mrs.Pierce was sobbing into Mr.Pierce's shoulder, gripping his black suit in her clenched, clammy palms. Zelena was on her knees wailing while Tyson tried to comfort her and Zinovia and Zenara were shedding tears like nothing else, right beside each other for support.

Tessa, the nurse, was there, Zuria's relatives were there, Tyson was there, her old high school friend, Rena, was there, Donovan, Zuria's old high school crush was even there, their neighbors were there, and way in the back, there was Niall.

Niall opened his mouth to yell out, yet nothing was uttered. He was behind the crowd of people, stiff, like another tree. He turned his head this way and that way, his mouth opening and closing though he was like a mime without any words spoken, no matter how hard he tried.

"I'd like to speak," Zinovia spoke, her voice cracking as she stepped forward, the wind pushing her long silk dress behind her like a black cloud spiraling through the wind as she trudged over the dirt.

"The floor is yours, young lady," the reverend said, stepping aside as Zinovia took his place beside the casket.

Zinovia expressed a look of distraught as she placed her hand calmly on the surface of the casket and squeezed her eyes shut, tears escaping her long eyelashes and rolling down her brown cheeks.

"I'm sorry..." She mumbled in between a choked sob.

"It's okay, Zin," Mrs.Pierce managed to speak dryly while her head rested on her husband's broad shoulder, "take your time, baby." She had a handkerchief pressed against her lips and the bags underneath her eyes were as heavy as the clouds that were growing darker by the minute.

Zinovia sniffled and cleared her throat, looking up right at Niall who was still standing far in the back trying to find words to say. "My sister was an angel to me. She was so down to earth and beautiful..." She started, her voice cracking all throughout her words.

"She was, yes," the reverend added his two cents, his head lowered as he looked down in prayer.

"Yes. Uh..." Zinovia cleared her throat and continued, "...she was a true angel. She looked like one and my parents even thought she was one, at first. She was the good girl out of all of us. Now, she really is an angel. She's..."

"Your very own guardian angel," the reverend said, "that's who she now is."

"Yes. A beautiful angel, she now is..." Zinovia said.

"Like a flower that bloomed through hardships and pain!" The reverend preached in the midst—no, start—of Zinovia's speech. "But now, that flower will be regrown and sprouted in another place. A place called Heaven. Amen."