Peach Cocaine

The sun glared angrily on the crowd of mourning people, all of them dressed in black and all fighting off the heat as they made their ways into the funeral home. Casey stood staring at the ominous building and holding Oliver’s hand in a deathvice. She didn’t care her palm is nervously sweating in his. All she could think of is how the weather didn’t fit the situation, there should be whipping rain and heavy thunderclouds up above them, looming in black and gray. Instead there is a bright and happy California sun, birds chirping sleepily to each other, children laughing and playing at a nearby park.

Ironic how they place something so innocent and alive next to something so tainted by death.

“Why’re you laughin’, babe?” Oliver’s face is contorted in confusion.

She stopped and scowled, “Because life is messed up…”

“Yeah… yeah it is,” He agreed. After a drawn out silence, Oliver tilted his head toward the funeral home, “Shall we…?”

“Yes, we shall.” Casey replied.

Everyone is ominously quiet when they walk in. Joey had quite the large group of friends, which took Casey by surprise since she never heard him talk about them. His family is rather small, ten family members next to about twenty or so friends. Casey spotted Mr. Morrison, his wife Gail and their daughter Samantha standing near the family.

Joey’s mother kept it a closed-casket; she wanted to remember her son as he was alive. Casey shifted closer to Oliver as she began speaking about him.

The tall brunette started off with how much she loved Joey, and how happy he was all the time. She spoke of funny memories when he was a child and how kind hearted he had been. All he ever really wanted to do was make his mother happy, especially after his father left as soon as his little brother Kevin had been born when Joey was only five-years-old.

Kevin sat quietly next to an elderly gentlemen, his usual wild blond hair tamed for today. His face was tight with sadness, lips pressed in a thin line, his eyes locked onto his mother.

As everyone is listening intently, Oliver starts to get a trickle of regret for contributing to Joey’s death. But it wasn’t like he had asked Joey to go to the concert, he had done that completely on his own accord. Oliver had just gotten lucky on kneeing him in the back of the head.

After about an hour of listening to family and friends speak about Joey Anderson Young, Casey began to realize that he wasn’t the complete pompous asshole she had always thought he was. He had a soft spot for animals she had learned, and most of his friends were employees of a local animal shelter. Not a bunch of partying drunks. Though there were quite a few in there that are.

The funeral ended shortly after everyone who wanted to speak were done. Oliver and Casey slunk out while they were all busy talking amongst each other.

“God, that was miserable,” Casey sighed, slouching into a park bench, her left foot lightly kicking at some gravel. Oliver rested an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him and planted a tender kiss on the top of her head, “Like, honestly, I didn’t know anything about him and hated him. Fuck, I am so stupid.”

“No, you’re not, Casey… you’re human,” Oliver said, playing with a lock of her hair.

“And that’s all we can be, isn’t it?” She grumbled, “Humans who just end up dying in the end. Life is so fucking short.”