Nova's Dawning

Before we went back to the apartment, we stopped by mine so that I could get my black clothes for Selene’s funeral. At the time, the words were too painful to think about, but now I look back on that day as the last one of ignorant bliss.

None of us really slept very well. Thea was out of the hospital, but she was under watch by Bee and Oren. She seemed to really be doing well, but no matter what she said, Bee wasn’t letting her go unsupervised. They all carpooled to the funeral, as did we from Osiris’s apartment.

“Guys...” Sam started, breaking the silence that was hanging over our hearts, “I know we didn’t really know Selene for that long... but...” She looked ahead, since she was driving, but I could see her eyes were clouded with anger.

“You don’t have to say anything Sam.” Mo stepped in, “We understand what you’re trying to say. She...” Mo bit his lip and looked away.

“She was a great woman.” Jack said, finishing their sentences.

“No matter what we are going to do our best to help Thea. She’s going to need us.” I said, trying to shift the mood.

They all nodded in agreement and Osiris rubbed my back. We were in a delicate situation with everything unfolding the way it had, but I was so determined not to give up, that I couldn’t focus on what was really happening.

When we arrived, the chairs were arranged inside a small cathedral with flowers everywhere, and in the center, the casket. It was open, because Selene had been asked to be cremated and buried with seeds so her ashes could grow as a tree. We were all able to give her one more farewell. She looked so much better than we had seen her in the bed, however, to see her immediately brought tears into my eyes. I didn’t deal with death very well, even for a seer.

It was clear by the amount of people there that she had touched a lot of lives, and despite everything her parents were happy to be surrounded by people their daughter had loved. They hugged Thea tight and made sure she sat with them, as if she was her widow. They let her speak, and Thea looked proud as she stood up their giving words of encouragement.

They wheeled her away, and we were scheduled to meet outside to bury her in the ‘forest’, which was really a small piece of land with several little scattered dirt patches. The clouds were beginning to get dark and I couldn’t help but wonder if it was natural or not.

Thea and Selene’s parents put the seeds in the ground, as the funeral staff poured what remained of our friend down in the small hole. We all got to help put the dirt over it, but Thea had to opt out. She was beginning to cry again, as was Selene’s mother.

Afterwards there was to be snacks set up under a tent. People were starting to leave, but Selene’s parents wanted a word with our group.

“You guys made Selene’s last few months the best months she’s had ever. She was so happy to have you guys as friends… We heard about the incident with the Dean… because of that they investigated more into how the fire started…” Selene’s mom stopped and had to take a couple deep breaths. Her dad interjected.

“It looks like just an electrical shortage, but they want to continue to investigate due to the circumstances and that makes us feel a little bit better that something is being done, but be safe out there, kids.”

Her parents started to walk away, and I felt like a child, always being protected, not being able to save the people I cared about. However, if I hadn’t been watching Thea at that moment I never would have noticed when her eyes began to stare at something away from us.

“Thea?” I asked, but by then it was too late.

She started to dart off towards what had got her attention, and an onlooker might have thought she was running to the bathroom or to vomit, but the look in her eyes and the goosebumps on my arm told me otherwise.

“THEA!” I was close behind her, but I couldn’t get her to stop. The funeral home was too close to a cliff side for me to be comforted and now suddenly my stress levels were not only from this situation, but from something creeping into my soul.

Finally, I caught up to her and I realized we were practically on the edge. The waves below us were restless and I could hear the shouts of our friends behind us.

“Thea speak to me.” I was out of breath, but I couldn’t let her get away from me. I grabbed her arm.

She dropped to her knees and looked out into the ocean.

“I... No...” She said, to whatever or whoever was out there. “I can’t.”

“Come back with me, Thea. Please.” She continued to shake her head at whatever was there and her tears began to flow harder and faster. “T...”

Our friends were yelling our names and I wanted to shout back but I couldn’t take my eyes off of her.

“No....” She said, shaking her head feverishly. She hit the ground and looked up to the sky. She was sobbing and it reminded me of the visions I had where I followed the sobbing woman, and I suddenly got this feeling that I shouldn’t have followed her, and that my path was set now.

“T?” She began to scream as if her soul was being crushed, but what was the most frightening about it, was the blackness that exploded out of her. It knocked me back and I yelled for her, but suddenly blue hands were dragging me away.

“WE CAN’T LEAVE HER.” I yelled over her screams. My friends were near me and yelling, but nothing was working.

Suddenly it went silent and I watched Jack carry Thea away, and I let myself slip into a quiet sleep.