Two Dead Boys

Paris stormed out the house. Muttering to herself and furiously whipping the tears from her eyes.

"how could he not care at all - it feels like - like he is giving up already." Paris said to herself.

Wandering aimlessly down the block Paris rubbed her arms hugging herself kicking a rock down the street.

"Paris? You're back, where are you headed?" Jonah's calm voice called out.

Paris looked up and turned towards the cemetery gate. she smiled at him meekly "ah... Nowhere I just needed to clear my head" she said.

Jonah gave her a long leveled gaze, but said nothing. Paris looked down and sighed. "I just... The house is - was a mortuary. Matt's room... It's an... The room were they prepared the bodies. He doesn't even care" Paris confessed tears keeling back in her eyes.

Jonah flinched at her tears. "please don't cry" he whispered. Paris was uncertain if he had actually said anything at all.

She blinked away her tears and looked up at him. "He probably cares a lot more than he is letting on. Trying to be strong for you. Trust me nobody wants to live were the dead once slept" Jonah said.

Paris thought for a moment and tried to crack a smile. "you're probably right... And I did have a total melt down back there" Paris said turning to look behind her.

"heh, yeah I can tell" Jonah chuckled softly. Reaching out a hand he patted down Paris' messy hair.

"I just remember yelling and throwing stuff away.... I probably scared poor Matt" Paris laughed.

She looked up at Jonah and beamed. "you're great at cheering people up, I still think you and Matt would make fast friends" she said.

Jonah smiled a bit uncomfortably "yeah, I will try and come by soon" he said. Paris seemed pleased with this and nodded.

"I should head back-"

"w-wait, maybe you should give him time to cool down, it sounds like anyone would need time to rest after such a commotion." Jonah said nearly stumbling over his words.

"yeah, yeah. OK, well... Can I help out here?" Paris asked.

Jonah smiled and lead her further into the cemetery "of course" he said.

Paris rolled up her sleeves and grinned "good I wanted to check on Edna and Clarence anyway" Said Paris.

Jonah chuckled and lead her to the graves she was referring to.

"you already know them? " Jonah asked. Paris nodded and sat down on her knees between the two graves.

"yeah, nobody comes to visit them, is that Mr. Aickman said. So I'll keep them company.... No one deserves to be forgotten" Paris said.

Jonah's soft gaze went unnoticed as her watched from behind her back.

"will you remember me" he whispered but it went unheard.

Paris stood up after talking to Edna and Clarence. She brushed off her knees and looked up to Jonah.

Her smile fell at the sad and distant look in his eyes. " Jonah? " she questioned.

She had seen that look before, those eyes before. A painful sadness.

Paris took a step forward and Jonah took a step back. "hey" Paris said offering a unsure smile. She gave Jonah hug.

"you don't have to tell me what's wrong, but it's gonna be ok, ok?" she said.

Her body was unnerved at how cold he was to the touch. Jonah relaxed but did not return the hug.

"you have a soft heart Paris, it will get you in trouble one day." said Jonah.

Paris released him and watched him in confusion.

Meanwhile, Matt and Wendy had gone out for a walk. Wendy had advised that Matt let Paris calm down with some alone time.

But Matt talked her into going for a walk with him since he could safely look for Paris. After all the sun was starting to set now and he couldn't help but worry.

Maybe he made her mad, he'd never seen Paris shout so much.

The two cousins came upon a cemetery. West chewed her lip, Matt couldn't find out that this was Paris' new work place.

"whoa wait you sure about this place?" Wendy asked.

Matt peered ahead of him into the graveyard. It seemed like a place Paris might be, seems like if she saw it she would go in. Being with the grave dreams she was having.

But Matt couldn't let Wendy know he was looking for her. So, he mustered up a smirk.

" Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I

shall fear no evil. For I am the baddest MF in it." Matt said mockingly.

Wendy rolled her eyes but followed him inside.

It was a beautiful place in a odd way. Old puritan and Victorian sculptures adorned in Moss and vines.

"I am the first and the last, I am he that liveth, and was dead; and

behold,"

Matt could hear someone speaking in the distance. Turning his head he spotted a small cluster of people, they were dressed in attire about as dated at the Victorian tombstones. A minister standing among them gave the last writes of the departed.

"I am alive for evermore, Amen. I have the keys of hell and

of death..." said the Minister.

Something about the small funeral sent a shiver through Matt's body.

As the mourning people gently tossed handfuls of dirt into the still open grave, Matt felt a dull sorrow bubble in his chest it all felt eerily familiar.

Turning to Wendy he went to tell her about the funeral they had intruded on. But while she examined a cluster of flowers, the funeral and all the people had vanished.

No minister, no mourners, no fresh grave. He and Wendy were alone.

Matt rubbed his eyes and shook his head. "oh that, that is not good" he thought his pulse racing as we watched were the funeral had been.

But still nothing, he and Wendy were the only living people here.

Or so he thought.

"hey, you ok over there? " Wendy asked him.

Matt shook his head and blinked. "yeah, I'm fine come on" he said going deeper into the cemetery heading towards where the funeral had been.

"do you... Do you ever wonder what's the point? " Matt asked looking over the sad toppling tombstones along the way.

Wendy arched a curious brown and eyed Matt cautiously. " Huh point to what? " she asked.

Matt shoved his hands into his pockets. "everything and anything. Why try and be or do anything when you'll just end up here anyway? " he asked speaking as if lost in another world.

It was silent for a moment before he laughed, mostly at himself with a deep cynicism.

Wendy jumped as Matt kicked down a tombstone. She didn't know he had any actual strength left.

Wendy grabbed Matt's arm and stopped him as he eyed another tomb.

" No, I get it. I used to wonder about that to, you know . I'd lie awake at night , just listening to my parents yelling. Seemed like day and

night all they did was curse at each other." Wendy murmured softly "Some nights I thought maybe he'd kill her. Other times I wished they'd kill each other. Or me. Just to stop the hate..."

Matt tilted his head as he looked at the grave before him. A name was slightly faded.

" But then I moved in with you guys. that's when I realized it didn't have to be that way. I don't know what happens when we die. If anything happens at all. But I know what can happen when you're alive. You can love. And be loved." said Wendy as she cracked a smile.

Matt read the name on the stone in his head. "Polly"

" And every minuteyou're one or the other...it's a huge gift..." Wendy made Matt look at her.

"Paris understands that I think, so it keeps her positive. But she's scared Matt... Just like you are. But you can be positive too, because you have so much love surrounding you. Some people never receive that" she said.

Matt missed stiffly and then managed to smile.

"now if only I could-"

Matt's words got caught in his throat as out of the corner of his eye he saw Paris.

Her arms wrapped around someone. Matt's heart thumped hard in his chest. As he headed that way.

But before he could the figures face Paris released him. The boy turned and walked away.

"Paris?" Matt questioned.

Paris jumped and turned to face Matt, resting her hand on her heart. "oh my geez, Matt you scared me" she breathed.

"where, what are you doing here? " he asked slowly.

Paris side glanced " clearing my head, but you just missed-"

"was that the guy from before? " Matt asked quickly and sharply.

Paris exhaled "wait, your serious? He is my friend and wants to be yours too" she said slowly.

"I bet" Matt said bitterly.

Paris' ears turned red as anger rose but her eyes welled with disappointment.

"it's true! And why are you so concerned over me talking to a new friend but not about living in a morgue!" she said raising her voice gradually.

Matt's eyes grew wide and he reached out for her. "hey, calm down... I'm sorry I just - I " Matt fumbled his words.

His eyes wandered to the blackened figure looming behind Paris. It's green eyes glaring at him.

"Paris?" Wendy asked arriving late.

Paris shook her head at Matt at a loss for words before brushing past him.
Tearing his eyes from his nightmare he went to follow Paris.

"wait!" Matt called voice straining as he darted after her as fast as his body would allow.