Seven…

Seven: Ashes to Ashes

Caution: this chapter contains mild nudity.

‘Reverend Reese’ can be found here:  http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=2996663&intcmp=eaint270. Credit goes to Fouadcher.

Aubrey placed her phone by the bed in case Shawn decided to call.

It took  a few hours to get to sleep. She wanted to call him, but that lump of pride wouldn’t allow it.

Then her cellular rang.

Aubrey got up.

“Hello?” she said.

At first she thought it was a joke.

Afterward, she got angry. How dare someone call and tell her Shawn was dead?

It was a sick prank. She clicked off the phone.

But wait—the ID read Sharon Taylor. Isn’t she Shawn’s mother?

The cellular dropped to the floor.

Aubrey clenched her fists. Thoughts raced through her mind; like images of Shawn, as he raced his motorcycle through the valley… crashing in a horrible wreck.

The police had spoken to Sharon. They said Shawn’s head injuries were fatal. It was likely an instant death, as soon as his head impacted the wall.

That bastard! I told him to wear a helmet! I told him not to drive drunk! I told him… I told him… I told him…

A drawn-out, anguished scream penetrated Aubrey’s ears. It was her own.

Then came the tears. And the deep, hollow hole in her gut. Utterly bottomless.

That night, Aubrey died with Shawn.

The memorial was held two days later.

It was a church built back in the 1800’s, refurbished sometime during the forties. Much of its architecture stayed the same.

Aubrey did not experience the last two days’ passage. It seemed as though she got the phone call about Shawn, then time fast-forwarded to the memorial.

She had no clue why they decided to incinerate his body and cram his ashes into an urn, as opposed to having a real burial. It was confusing and she was too exhausted to even think about it.

Shawn’s friends and relatives attended, of course. Aubrey hadn’t even met most of them.

What a way to meet his brother and sister.

Aubrey paused. Her heart thumped as she glimpsed Shawn’s portrait…

and the gold-plated urn beneath.

Shawn’s family members stood, his father directing a bereaved glance toward her.

Aubrey avoided his eyes. Twinges of guilt crept up into her conscience.

Then she caught Reverend Reese staring at her. Quickly, she looked away.

Aubrey knew every last one of them blamed her for Shawn’s death. She couldn’t really blame them, considering she blamed herself.

She did not wish to look at the urn, but knew she had to eventually. Meanwhile she felt Reverend Reese’s eyes burning into her, condemning her…

A group of friends and relatives lined up behind Aubrey. Their cries echoed throughout the church.

Finally, Aubrey’s eyes met the priest’s. Something odd and unspoken seemed to pass between them.

What could it mean?

Perhaps she would soon understand.

That night, the moon exhibited a strange crimson tinge.

When morning came, Aubrey browsed the bookshelf. She searched for anything to do with the grieving process. Any pointers on how to cope with Shawn’s death would certainly help.

Instead, she found Romeo and Juliet.

She’d forgotten about that book and how much she once loved reading it.

Although she wasn’t in the mood for a romance, Aubrey thought she’d leaf through it to read her favorite passage. Maybe it would comfort her.

Aubrey sat down and flung open the book. A piece of paper fell out.

She bent over to retrieve it.

The writing was in some foreign language, but one word she recognized immediately: Vaclav.

Did he write the note two years earlier, right after making love to her? How could she not have noticed it?

After pondering for a moment, Aubrey decided to ask one of her professors to translate it.

The following afternoon, Aubrey opened her locker.

Inside she found Vaclav’s note, along with the translated message. Professor Jones noted that the language was Czechoslovakian.

She spun around and read the message.

Forever it had been since I tasted lips as delectable as yours,
Your skin soft like roses.
There are no words I could speak to describe the feeling of being inside you.
My only regret, not to be within you for eternity.
Aubrey, my essence. I must leave for reasons I cannot disclose. Please forgive me, I do not know when I will see you again, if ever. Just remember to always be grateful for the life you have.

Love,

Vaclav

His words from two years earlier wrapped their way around her heart, squeezing until it pumped harder, faster.

Her angel was looking more human every day. Thus the enigma deepened.

With the arrival of night, came more strange dreams… dreams bordering on nightmarish.

It began with a view of the morgue.

Shawn’s body materialized on the stainless steel gurney.

Despite the long incision on his face, he looked peaceful.

But as the saying goes, looks can be deceiving.

Aubrey stood next to the gurney. A smaller figure caught her attention and she looked down.

Her son played on the floor.

His gaze met hers.

His eyes started glowing.

“Shawn’s not dead,” the boy articulated. “He’s getting up… behind you.”

Shawn sat up on the gurney.

She jerked around and screamed.

The walking dead merely ignored her as he drew near.

Aubrey backed up toward the wall. Her son was no longer there.

Shawn stared at her, his face an emotionless mask.

“No,” she said. “Don’t.”

His hands cradled her face.

“I won’t hurt you,” he said. “Will you forgive me for the awful things I’ve said?”

His words stunned her. She accepted his apology, and he sealed it with a kiss.

She gazed longingly at him, wishing it all were real but knowing it was just a dream.

He vanished. Her son took his place.

Aubrey dropped down, begging him to come to her.

“C’mon sweetheart,” she cooed. “Please come to me.”

The child toddled toward her.

He reached for her hand.

…and disappeared.

Aubrey looked down. Disappointment crushed her heart.

Would she ever see her son again?

Then she awakened.

As she thought of Shawn and how he’d been resurrected in the dream, another thought occurred to her…

Maybe death wasn’t an actual end.

*

Chapter 8 coming next Weds. Thanks for reading! ♥