A Special Little Girl
Chapter 21
A funeral was never something we did formally. Everyone in the town was already dead.
We’d done one or two pretend ones will some rather funny scary part to incite fear into peoples hearts…
But no. This was no act to scare people. This was our farewell to Anastasia.
“I want a glass coffin.” I began explaining to the Mayor. “I don’t want to shut her in a dark cupboard. I want the light to always reach her. And Emma doesn’t want her buried. I suggested putting her in a crypt. Emma thought it better than burying her in the ground.”
“Of course, Jack. Of course. I’m sure the town will take great care will all your plans.” Said the Mayor, writing down every word of mine.
“And remind everyone that this needs to be formal, and not something intending to scare people. I hope everyone can understand that.”
“I see to it that we make this occasion as honourable as possible, Jack.”
The Mayor then set about going from house to house, shop to shop, informing everyone of my plans.
I needed Emma’s help a lot. This wasn’t something I organised before. We’d never had a real funeral in this town.
“Then you’ve gotta listen to me and what I have to say. I know you understand that this needs to be proper and not some fancy Halloween crap of yours…”
“Hey, Halloween means a lot to this town. Please don’t insult it, Emma. Anastasia loved Halloween.”
“But that doesn’t mean you should make this scary.”
“I know. I know.”
Emma sighed.
“I’m sorry, Jack. You’ve done nothing wrong. It’s me.”
“You? What have you done wrong?”
“I’ve failed. I was given the burden of protecting my friends and getting them home safely. And just look at what’s happened. Two are already DEAD!”
Emma started to get hysterical and she cried.
“Emma, there was nothing any of us could have done.” I tried to comfort her.
“But that doesn’t change anything. With Nadallia and Anastasia gone, none of us can go home. I’ve failed all of us. Some leader I turned out to be.”
Emma dropped her head in her hands and sobbed some more.
I tried to think of a way to change the way she felt about all this, but there was nothing I could do. And in a way, she was right.
“Why was I chosen to be leader? I can’t do this!” She sobbed.
“Emma, let’s try not to think about that. You can’t depress yourself like this.” I attempted to change the subject. “What about the funeral? How could we make it more like you world?” I suggested.
Emma lifted her head up, I suppose she was trying to forget about the subject too.
“What sort of flowers do you have here?” She said.
“Flowers?”
“You don’t have flowers in this town!?”
“Of course we have flowers, but why in a funeral?”
“Because flowers and pretty and they’re a symbol of life and it’s best. And if your gonna have flowers at Annie’s funeral, which you’re gonna have to, then you’d better pick the best, most beautiful flowers you can find!”
Emma was starting to croak. She was starting to cry again.
I placed my arm round her shoulder.
“Hey, I’ll do my very best to make this worth while.” I said.
Later that day, the Vampires came to the Lab with the glass coffin all ready.
They helped the Doctor with carefully placing Anastasia’s body into the carefully crafted glass base.
Since they believe that it was the evil spirit that caused her death, they thought it best to say a pray of deliverance and redemption for Anastasia Rose.
An empty crypt at the end of the cemetery was cleaned out and all ready for the funeral.
Outside the Lab, the whole town gathered to march Anastasia’s body to the crypt.
Emma, Sally with Benjamin and Benny Bear, Zero, the Mayor dressed in his finest, Mr Hyde, Behemoth, Clown, the town band played softly and sadly, the Hanging Tree, Corpse Kid and his mom and dad, Harlequin, Devil, Wolfman, Cyclopes, the Witches were standing by with fresh black roses from the shop to hand out to everyone, the whole town was gathered to wish farewell the their friend.
I opened the door of the gateway to the Doctor’s house.
I stepped out into the street with the Vampires following behind me.
They were carrying the glass coffin that held Anastasia Rose. One vampire on each corner carried the precious body.
I led on as they followed me.
The rest of the town followed the Vampires and we all marched to the cemetery.
Though I had not yet cried, every second that passed I thought as though I might.
And though I could not feel in the way of the living, I felt cold. I had only known Anastasia a couple of months and already she was a part of me that I was missing.
As I marched through the cemetery path, I noticed something on spiral hill.
It was the terrible trio. Lock, Shock and Barrel.
I could hear them talking.
“I told ya she’d be dead!” Said Lock to Barrel. “You owe me, Barrel.”
“Alright, alright, the little brat died. Here’s your cookie.” Said Barrel.
“I was right! I was right! Psycho girl die last night!” Lock chanted his rhyme.
I was angry at the comments they were making.
But then I saw the look on Shocks face.
She looked…sad.
But Lock’s cruel chanting was beginning to wind her up. And then she suddenly spun round and punched him in the face.
“Stop it!” She screamed.
Lock put his hand to his nose and saw blood on his hand.
“What the heck the matter with you!?!” He yelled.
Shock gasped and breathed like she was out of breath.
Barrel then saw the look on her face.
“Shock, are you CRYING!?!” He was stunned.
“I n-e-v-e-r cry!” She muttered.
She looked like the was going to cry me…
…
The glass coffin in which laid Anastasia Rose was carefully laid on a stone table in the crypt.
And finally, a white sheet was placed over the coffin and over her body.
As the light from the candles shone through the glass and the sheet, I could see the shadow of my dear friend.
After all was complete, the doors of the crypt were shut and sealed.
The wind that blew towards me sent a chill down my spine. I’d never felt this way before. I felt so…so…lost.
I then felt someone take hold of my hand.
It was my dear Sally.
“It’s time to go, Jack.” She lightly pulled at my arm to encourage me to start walking.
I began pacing away from the crypt there lay the body of Anastasia Rose, that cold feeling still in my bones.
But then, little did I know at the time, as soon as I disappeared round the corner, someone stepped where I last stood.
This person was transparent like a ghost. Pale and white like a banshee.
Only later did I know who this ghost was. It was someone very familiar indeed.
I knew this character all to well.
For this ghost…
…Was Anastasia Rose…
