"Mum, how was the interview today? Is it okay? " Sophia asked casually, taking her bag from her.
Kate smiled, "Fine. Are you hungry? I'll cook some of your favorite dishes,"
"Yeah. I'll help you." She followed her Mom to the kitchen.
She had not yet learned how to cook. As she helped her mother, she said, "Mom, I want to go to one of my classmate's sister's funeral tomorrow. Is that okay? It is the last day of the funeral,"
She might be back late after the funeral, so she thought it would be better to ask her mother's permission first, lest she should worry.
"Your classmate's sister. That sounds tragic. Of course, you should go and make sure you wear dark clothes, black preferably. It's not done to wear too bright to such a sad event. Where is it? If it's the funeral home, it's a little far from here. You'd need to take the bus. Do you know which bus you should take?" Her Mom's voice was full of concern.
"I know. I've checked. It's a bus seventeen." She answered quickly.
With her mother's consent, Sophia was reassured. She knew that Kate was very kind and would not object to her going out home alone.
She didn't tell her friends. After all, they had nothing to do with it. Just thinking about the fate of her tragic death, she trembles hard. But she knew someone plotted behind it. She needs to keep calm and find the real culprit. She can't let the person roaming free while her own family suffered her loss. She needs to figure out possible clues that led her to that person. She can't remember that she offended someone in the past.
Early the next morning, Sophia searched in her wardrobe for a long time before eventually finding a more formal black coat. There were some embellishments on it that she thought made it look undignified, so she took them off. After a few minutes, she quickly fixes herself and throws a side glance to the mirror inside her room. As she gets satisfied with her look, she heads towards the door.
There was a bus stop near Sophia Green's home. She didn't have to wait long before the bus came.
As it was a Sunday morning, there were not many people on the bus. Sophia Green found a seat and was about to sit down when she heard someone behind her call out her name.
She looked back and saw Ms. Acheson.
"Good morning, Ms. Acheson." She greeted her immediately.
Ms. Acheson nodded a greeting, "Where are you going? It wouldn't be..."
"Are you also going to the funeral, Ms. Acheson?" Sophia asked.
"Well, I thought I'd see if there was anything I can do to help. Kevin's such a good kid, and it's so unfortunate, and today is Sunday, so I was free." Ms. Acheson said in a sad tone.
Sophia was touched. She walked over to Ms. Acheson and sat down next to her, "It's very kind of you, Ms. Acheson."
Ms. Acheson sighed, "I didn't expect such a thing to happen. In fact, I used to know his sister. She was also a student of our school. Well, she's the same name as you, Sophia Green. She was a legend at the time. She got into the university at the age of ten! Unfortunately, it seems only the good die young."
Sophia was silent. Ms. Acheson couldn't have imagined what kind of mood she was in then. A surge of pain and sadness crossed her heart.
To go to her own funeral… even if she told everyone, would a single person believe it? If she tells Ms. Acheson that she is the original Sophia Green, would she believe it or rather think she's crazy.
The bus stopped near the funeral home, and Sophia and Ms. Acheson got off the bus and headed towards the door.
She had thought her funeral would be cold and empty. But surprisingly, there was a whole crowd. She never expected this kind of sympathy.
Both sides of the road were lined with people dressed in black, male and female, mostly young. She didn't know many of these people. She only knew a few colleagues from Glinton University and some relatives. For a moment, she could not figure out why these people had come here.
There were many wreaths in the hallway. Sophia had a quick look at a few of them and saw most were signed by unknown names.
Entering the hall, she heard a few people around her talking about her death.
"I didn't even know she was dead. I thought it was a rumor! The TV news didn't even cover it. I almost can't believe it."
"Neither do I! She was always the person I admire the most. I thought I'd get a chance to meet her at Glinton University. But…"
"I read all her academic papers and will always regard her as an icon. She is my inspiration! What a pity she died so young."
"She is a great inspiration to every young generation, but she met her end in a tragic way,"
Sophie heard all of it in a clear voice. She wanted to tell them that she's not totally died but comes back to life in a different body.
***
Sophia Green had been in the lab all her previous life and had not paid much attention to the outside world. She had never known that she was so famous. Sophia focuses her time by discovering so many things. Trying to invent new products and read more books.
She had no idea that there were so many people in the world who cared about her. No idea that her death would make her realize that the outside world had something good awaits for her.
As she walked over to the table which her ashes rested, she felt herself flutter like a candle. She could not breathe, and the strong grief she felt for the moment. She wants to run away because she doesn't want to see her own ashes.