"I am special, my father always told me so he'd carry me so high above look up at me, and say 'Look at my little special girl' and I'd giggle so hard like most little girls did when their dad praised them" Sally did not remember how she got there how she'd gotten into a full black standing on a grassy field in the middle of strangers also in black she didn't even remember why she was there then the headstone and casket it came back all at once she, in fact, they were at a funeral. Running yes she ran when the principal a well-dressed pantsuit-wearing woman guiltily told her that her dad was in the hospital what was she nervous about? Was it her family someone she loved dying in the ICU? Was the large drunk man in the eighteen-wheeler that hit him point blank an act of her concoction no it wasn't but it would have been easier if it were. The truck went off the road into a ditch so the driver died too why does he have to not only take away her only family but also take her hatred with him obviously you can't hate a dead person can you?
So she ran past all the students then nurses and all the other people on her way until she reached the outside of the ICU at the Karmos Central Hospital they would not let her in despite her desperate pleas he was in surgery two hours later they gave her the news her father was gone dead he'd gone to that place over the rainbow where people go when they stopped being alive.
And now they stood at a graveyard cloudy? No not a single one at least that could signify rain or blot out the sun far as she could tell only vague froths dotted the sky. The sun hung high in the afternoon shining as brightly as it usually did each day, summer had reached the fringes of its specified time threateningly close to the following season yet the bright shiny sky gave no hint of transforming any time soon. Sally huffed she wore a heavy black knee-length dress it contrasted her silver white shoulder-length hair it brushed the tops of her hunched shoulders Sally's eyes despite the occasion were completely dry. She knew she should be in tears but it was so goddamn hot coupled with the black outfit she was basically drenched in sweat, but that is what people wore to funerals there was no other option everyone else wore black it would be weird if she appeared in a white sleeveless top she loved. Standing at the front of the spectators her dad's face stared back at her he smiled a long ear to ear length bright white teeth smile, she remembered the day that picture was taken a sunny afternoon it was.
The priest is finished he signals for the casket to be lowered into the ground where Sally wont ever see her father ever again 'weeping I should be crying my eyes out yet I feel nothing, my heart is supposed to be aching but nothing a void of nothingness." People are leaving the funeral is over expressing their sorry for the loss these words land far away from Sally's mind they might as well have been speaking to the wind, she's alone almost everyone has left heading for the wake probably Sally stares at the hole in which her father's body now resides dry the grave diggers have started to fill it in rooted at that spot she didn't know why she couldn't leave a slight afternoon breeze brushes over her face sliding back a strand of hair, finally the sky seemed to get the memo clouds gathered hiding the sun behind it painting the place twilight gray perfectly reflecting the situation. Or was it just late like held up in traffic with the other clouds late it not that it mattered anyway the wind started to pick up Sally stood still watching, by the time someone came placing their arms around her shoulders the casket was no longer visible.
"Darling it's time to go" the person said compassion lining her voice Sally turned looking up she knew that voice it was her aunt she looked sad probably not as she was, she had her hair in one long braid flipped to the front over a black coat jacket and black pants. Surprisingly Sally found she could move again next to her aunt she felt short more due to the fact that her aunt wore inky black heels pinning down her entire funereal look.
Sally sneaked a glance back the people were almost done filling up the grave, and her eyes foamed blurring her vision "Goodbye Dad" she whispered somberly as tears began streaming down her face.
Later that night Sally lay sprawled on a bed that wasn't hers, she wouldn't be staying at her house since there was no one to look after her and she was underage so she was staying at her aunt's house where she lived with her husband and their son. They hosted the wake there she didn't attend no one forced her to on the car ride over she cried harder than she'd ever done before Alyssa had the driver park the car outside the house for a little while then wrapped Sally in a hug. They went out towards the house cars were parked all over Alyssa shielded Sally as they went into the house protecting her from the bombardment of strangers while in such a fragile she directed her into one of the rooms isolated from people where she then proceeded to another worse bout of crying followed by several more.
Sounds of moving cars came from the bedside window "the people must have left" she thought placidly it'd been a long time since she came into the room at some point Alyssa came knocking leaving her a plate of food outside the door at that point hunger seemed to have left her stomach with no signs of returning. It rained lightly then stopped small droplets dotted the window lightened by one of the lights outside.
Raymond Kingsley wore his usual clothing; gray and white shirt tucked in black jeans he smiled though it seemed strained she could see concern in his dark brown eyes no matter how hard he tried to hide it Raymond Kingsley the single person she'd known her entire life there was nothing he could hide from her. As his daughter his only family except for Aunt Alyssa they lived together her entire life. She had seen every side of him this time he was worried she let him continue "Butterfly" a name known only between them "...we need to talk" they sat in the living room he sat across from her on a brown one person couch between them a wooden coffee table on it a deep emerald rectangular box sat completely sealed its dimensions suggested something small in it perhaps jewelry or a very thin book like a diary sally had a feeling whatever her father was about to say involved the contents residing in the box.
He smiled awkwardly he did that whenever he knew she wouldn't like whatever news about to be revealed. Irritation crept up she suppressed memories of him stating that he couldn't make it to one of her plays due to work.
"You... We are special" he began not especially new information he always said this but never explained eventually she learned not to inquire anymore she let him continue "We are descended from a... People" he hesitated "called sorcerers" this however did not spark any idea in her mind except for fantasy shows and novels she waited for further explanation. "This box" apparently that bit of information needed to precede "your mother left this for you."
"I don't want it"
"wait..."
"I don't want it" she repeated apprehension painting her entire demeanor "I don't want anything from that woman!" Her father sensing an argument he probably would lose sighed in resignation "My point is its yours if you want it butterfly."
Sally woke up she still had her black dress on sometime during the night her hair got loose and tousled due to rapid turning on her part. "when did I sleep" she stared at the dark ceiling streams of white light came from outside the window dimly lighting it up. The night screamed through silence it seemed everything else just like her had gone numb her eyes hurt and were puffy " Must have cried myself to sleep" she thought dryly the black dress felt scratchy it wasn't designed to be slept in Sally knew that yet she didn't move or try to change it despite its uncomfortable characteristic whatever strength she had was gone "did I eat? Can't remember the last time I did that, well I don't feel hungry anyway." She thought of her dream how awkward her father had been back then weird to think that despite how angry she was back then she would give anything to go back to that moment and talk to him again. Tears started streaming down her face and they would not stop, they would continue for many more nights to come.