Materio (No Capes Fanfiction)

T Plus Ninety-Six Hours

My mother’s grip doesn’t cut off the circulation to my hand, but comes damn close. She’s stoic in her black suit, grasping the thankfully uninjured hand. I desperately wish I had a cane to lean on. A black iron rod appears under my hand, and the pressure on my hip lessens. Thankfully, no one seems to notice. I wouldn't expect them to. After all, their eyes are on the casket. Ebony, with silver trimmings, it surrounds her in black and white finery. The front row files out into the aisles, to pay their respects to the dead on the red altar. It's not right. Red is for celebration. Purple for the resurrection. You should never wear red to a funeral. They approach slowly, some in tears, others merely somber. They say their goodbyes, then turn back to the row in front of us, where Aunt Melinda and Uncle Jerry are sobbing. The usher gestures for us to follow the others to the coffin. Leaden legs and the iron cane carry me out of the pew. The altar is a few steps over the carpet. As the cane comes equal with the end of the coffin, gold finery begins to grow in the grooves of the coffin. I quickly stop it before anyone notices. Her face is starkly pale, her hair not the gold it once was, but rather a bleached yellow. Her hair grows golden strands, and she looks like herself again. I place a golden rose in her hand, summoning it on demand from the air. There is nothing visibly missing, but she lacks something. I place a golden coin in her fist, materializing it discreetly. An archaic tradition, but seems to fit in this instance, and I wouldn’t feel right putting it under her tongue. The tears flowing from my eyes are cold as they are constant. I'm frozen in place for what seems like an eternity. I know exactly what to do. The black cane leads me back down towards her parents. My breath shudders as I face them over the wooden bench.

    “I’m sorry.” I choke out before turning to leave. I can’t bear to look at them any longer. Icy fingers grasp my hands.

“Aunt Melinda…” I rasp. My throat has closed off. She pulls me back towards her. Her tear-streaked cheeks bury themselves against my chest. She heaves against me, nearly knocking me over. Uncle Jerry joins in, wrapping his arms around me and his wife, all three of us in synchronous grief. They should hate me. They should hate me! But no such luck.

The cemetery is warm and sunny - it feels like a slap in the face. Her body is encased in that somber cell, lowering slowly into the ground. The dirt covers her slowly, shovelful by shovelful it encrusts the tomb. The golden treasure sinks into solitude, carrying with her my gifts. The tears hardly feel real, and it's a whirl of events.

I wonder.

What are my powers, anyway?