The Bone Maiden

The entire community seemed to be mourning Theresa's death. Ava hadn't left her bedroom in days, but when she finally did, it was just to attend the funeral. It was difficult not to think about her on the way to the service. Ariel said she was in denial because she didn't want to talk about Theresa. But she had no choice now. There were signs posted on businesses. Everyone in the small town felt the effects of her death. Sometimes one person was enough to leave a significant mark. Theresa had lived a whole life outside of her friendship with Ava. There was no one not touched by her in some way.

But no one spoke to Ava at the funeral. She stayed with her aunt and uncle, and Ariel kept her hand firmly clutched in Ava's. Everyone knew the two were close, but no one asked her to talk. No one gave her any sympathy. Not that she would have known how to react to it anyway. Theresa's old friends spoke, unable to keep their stories to themselves. It irritated Ava that people pretended to love Theresa more than she did. But even Gabriel didn't speak even though he was her boyfriend. He stood at the back of the crowd with his black coat and shining blue eyes.

Ava didn't know anything about him, let alone just how well he knew Theresa. They'd known each other since the summer before but only dated for a few months. She only ever said good things about him when they talked. As far as Ava knew, they never argued. He never made her cry. But aside from the fact that he was rich and "the most beautiful boy" Theresa had ever seen, Ava didn't know him.

Even though she didn't know how their relationship personally, her eyes sought him out after the service ended. The crowd began to dissipate. The family stayed behind to grieve with Theresa's grandparents. Ariel guided Ava toward the street while Mark went to fetch the car. Gabriel hung back from the crowd and nodded toward her. The former friends who spoke about Theresa had belonged to her once, long ago. But in the last months of her life, Ava and Gabriel belonged to her. And she felt connected to him in that way. They'd only met once, under terrible circumstances, but they'd already bonded through shared pain.

In the end, he'd known who mattered most to Theresa. He hadn't called them. He called Ava.

A woman appeared before them so suddenly that Ava didn't notice her until she was an inch from her face. She stopped abruptly. The woman's disheveled face was leveled with hers. Her hair stuck up in silver tufts. She had a crooked jaw that deformed most of her elderly face.

"Devil's slut," she whispered with a voice full of venom. Ava was lost as to how to respond.

"E-excuse me?" she replied.

"I beg your pardon?" Ariel snapped.

"You'll get your due just like your whore friend," the woman said. "Your kind always get what they deserve in the end. Lucifer's slut." She spat at Ava's feet, forcing her to jump back. She looked to Ariel for guidance, but Ariel didn't have enough time to give it.

Gabriel came to her rescue instead. He was only several inches taller than her, but at that moment, he looked as strong and unmoving as a mountain. He was between them instantly, standing before Ava and Ariel like a knight in shining armor.

"You're at a funeral. Show some respect," he warned in a low voice. She cut her eyes to him.

"Speak of the devil, and he shall appear."

"You need to leave. People are grieving. What the hell is wrong with you?"

"You're going to get what's coming to you. You all are. You dance with the devil and pay the price with your soul. You and all of His whores. She got what she deserved."

Then all of Ava's shock wore off. She reached around Gabriel and grabbed the woman roughly by the arm. She wasn't feeling particularly nice anymore. What did she have to lose anyway?

She intended to launch into a tirade. To yell at the woman. To embarrass her for being so rude. But the woman recoiled in fear as if Ava's hand burned her. She shrieked and jumped away, swatting her hand as if she was covered in sparks.

"Get away from me!" she yelled, rubbing her arm. She stumbled backward, and her eyes darted between Ava and Gabriel. "You'll both burn. All of you. You and your whores. Burn. Burn them all." The three of them stood still as stone, watching her stagger back down the hill toward the road that led out of the cemetery. She looked drunk, and Ava almost felt pity for her.

"What the hell was that?" she asked.

"Honey, are you okay?" Ariel asked, reaching for her hand again.

"I'm fine. But what was that about? What makes her think she can crash a funeral and call everybody whores?"

"She's just a crazy old lady," Gabriel explained. He was still watching the woman escape. As if he needed reassurance that she was really leaving. His vibrant blue eyes were narrowed, still lined with red and heavy with exhaustion and grief.

"But why me? Why Theresa? Why am I Lucifer's slut? Why did she call you the devil?" He turned back to her and forced a smile on his lips.

"You honestly think this is the first funeral she's crashed? That woman is notorious for spewing hate at funerals. I don't even live here, and I know that."

"It's true. She wanders around town preaching about the end times and sinners," Ariel agreed. "I tried to give her a free meal once, and she threw it back at me and called me a whoremonger. I had burn marks on my hands for weeks." Ava turned back to Gabriel. He wasn't pretending to smile anymore.

"Try not to take it personally. She called me the devil because he's supposed to be really good-looking, right?" He didn't wait for a courtesy laugh. He stepped away. "I guess I'll see you around, Bax. Mrs. Baxter." He gave Ariel a nod.

"Thanks for coming to my rescue."

"Any time." He turned and headed down the hill for his car. The old woman was nowhere to be seen now. Ariel patted her back, looking out for the family car.

"Who was that?" she whispered.

"Gabriel. Theresa's boyfriend."

"He's cute."

"Sure."

"Those blue eyes."

"They're definitely blue." She smiled, obviously trying to ease the situation and cheer Ava up. But it wasn't working. Developing feelings for Theresa's boyfriend was the last thing Ava wanted to do.

"Don't be smart," Ariel said.

"You started it. We're at a funeral. Theresa's funeral."

"I didn't say anything. Just that his eyes are very blue."

"I'm aware." She smiled again. As if she knew something Ava didn't.

"There's Mark with the car. Let's get you home."