The Arising: The Finale

Chapter 24

It's early in the morning. The sun is out but the clouds are covering it. The sky is very grey and dark. I hugged myself as I stood out in the cold next to Hayley's coffin, which had a tarmac over it so the coffin wouldn't get wet from the possible rain. Everyone is finally leaving me alone. They are letting me mourn her. They are letting me think.

But soon we are holding Hayley's funeral. We are going to bury her. I might even say a few words. I don't even know what I would say. It was my fault that Hayley died. Everyone's going to judge me if I were to talk at her funeral.

I started to feel rain spitting down onto the top of my head. I looked up at the clouds and I watched the rain slowly come down towards me. I closed my eyes and felt every drop that landed on my face. I listened to the rain dripping onto sheets of metal. The noise is relaxing. I always liked it. I took a deep breath in as I started to cry.

I felt someone put something around me. I opened my eyes and saw that it was Prince. He put a towel around me. He looked cold. He didn't have his own towel. Prince grabbed me towards him and hugged me tightly. I held on tightly to the towel he gave me as I cried into his shoulder.

"Come inside Sam, you're gonna freeze to death out here" Prince said into my ear.

"The funeral is on soon. I don't want to miss it" I said.

"You aren't going to. We wouldn't start without you" Prince said.

I nodded. Prince walked me across the oval and up the grandstands. He then walked me inside and sat me down on a chair nearby. He rubbed my back trying to warm me up.

I rested my hands onto my knees and I sat still with Prince. I could still here the rain. It sounded like the rain was getting harder and louder. I looked at Prince.

"When is the funeral?" I asked.

"It should be in ten minutes, even if it's raining" Prince said.

Prince hugged me and kept me warm the entire time we were sitting together. Even though he was out there in the cold, he was still warm. I leaned my head against his chest as he started combing his fingers through my hair. I could hear his heart beat increasing. I didn't know he liked me that much.

Prince slowly tapped my head. I looked up at Prince and he stood up. He put his hand out for me. I took his hand and he pulled me up.

"Let's get back out there. It should be starting soon, but first I'll grab some coats" Prince said.

Prince walked away to get the coats. I walked up to the exit and I leaned against the wall. I looked out at the oval as I saw small groups of people slowly make their way out to the grave site.

Prince came back with two coats. I put my coat on and put the hoodie over my head. Prince did the same and we both walked out, down the grandstand and back onto the oval. I could see people from all different communities. They all came here after the dinner, to show their respect. Everyone circled Hayley's coffin which was still covered with the tarmac protecting her from the rain.

Prince and I stood behind a group of people. I could see Gabriella hugging herself. She was on the other side of the coffin from us. Next to her was Lauren, Andrew and Georgia. I couldn't see Jonah. He must of been somewhere else. I could see Stella standing in front of everyone. She was just looking around at people and playing around with the muddy dirt on the ground.

Once everyone was here we started. I saw Gabriella slowly take a step forward as the rain started to get even harder and louder. Gabriella put her hand on top of Hayley's coffin. Gabriella looked around at everyone, then took her hand off.

"We are all gathered here today to mourn, to remember and to love our dear friend and companion, Hayley! She wasn't like everyone else! She was a strong woman! Stronger then I ever was! She deserves to be remembered! She has done a lot for us! She has helped us get to where we are today! She loved everyone! No matter who you were! For the people that didn't know her, you should sit back and listen to her story! Because then you would know who Hayley truly is, and who she was! Rest in piece Hayley!" Gabriella shouted so we could hear her over the rain.

Gabriella slowly stepped back into the crowd of people. She wiped her tears away from her cheeks as everyone silently waited for the next one to have a speech. But no one stepped forward. No one had anything to say. Gabriella looked around at people waiting to see if anyone else was going to speak. She was about to step forward to start putting Hayley's coffin into the grave but I quickly stepped forward. Gabriella saw me and stepped back.

I slowly walked up to Hayley's coffin and I stood next to her. I stood there for a couple seconds trying to think of what I should say.

"Hayley was like a mother! A mother to all of us! She was a natural born caregiver! She cared for all of us! That's what made her such a great leader! We can all learn something from her! Hayley first came into our lives when she was rescued by Sam Rose, my father! She became an asset, and was loved by everyone! After the Whisperers she stepped up for the leadership role, when no one else did! She became a great leader! She put the Adelaide Oval on track! All of this was because of her! She will not be forgotten! Her sacrifices will be remembered, and her heart will always be inside of us!" I shouted so everyone could hear me over the rain.

I slowly put my hand on top of her coffin and I closed my eyes. I heard people stepping towards the coffin. I opened my eyes and all of a sudden I saw a whole bunch of people's hands on her coffin. They all had their heads down looking at the ground.

It was time to put her into her grave. Everyone slowly lifted her coffin up. I held onto her coffin with both of my hands. Andrew climbed down into the grave so he could carefully lower the coffin. We slowly handed Andrew the coffin as he put it down. Gabriella helped Andrew out of the grave. Gabriella grabbed a shovel and handed it to me.

I took the shovel and I dug into the dirt pile next to the grave. I then chucked the dirt in and I handed the shovel to Prince. He did the same putting a shovel full of dirt into the grave. The shovel slowly made its way around to everyone. Andrew got the shovel last and put the rest of the dirt into the grave.

Everyone stood around the grave for another few minutes. Until slowly people started peeling off to go inside. I stayed out with the grave. I was standing next to Gabriella, Georgia, Andrew, Prince, Lauren and Stella who stayed out with us. We were all standing over her grave still. We all stayed out at her grave for about one hour. Maybe even longer. After that we all made our way back inside. We were all freezing.

As soon as we walked through the door someone came running towards us. They looked really worried. Today can't be any worse couldn't it.

"It's Hector! He's on the radio! He wants to talk to you!" A woman said panicking.

"He wants to talk to who?" Gabriella asked.

"All of you!" The woman yelled panicking even more.

We all rushed to the radio. Georgia got to the radio first and pushed the button down to talk to Hector.

"What do you want?" Lauren asked angrily.

"We've got a little something for you. Come meet us where we caught that girl. You fuck with us! We fuck with you!" Hector said.

We all stood together angrily. There's a time and place when all of this should end. We are sick of their bullshit.

"We'll be there" I said into the radio.