pentacle 1

PART 1 – THREE OF SWORDS

Adrian leaned casually on the funeral parlor’s overly decorative side table. Their backwards baseball cap sat at a slight angle and they were dressed perfectly casually, more appropriate for a baseball game than to make arrangements for their dead uncle’s funeral. But Adrian was alone. There was no one, no one there to tell them that they should dress nicer or show more respect, so Adrian was going to dress however they damn well pleased.

The undertaker motioned to Adrian with a stoic gesture of her head. Adrian sighed and followed her. Despite their casual attitude, they were dreading this moment. This unfortunate moment of finality.

Uncle Bahir had his own room. Which Adrian was sure he disliked greatly. He always craved attention and activity, and he was quick to laugh, a laugh that originated deep from his stomach.

Adrian quickly repositioned their baseball cap as a way to avoid their growing sentimentality. The undertaker lead them to the casket. Bahir was half uncovered by the two-part lid, as if tucked in for bed or something inane like that. He was done up, so to speak. The undertaker had worked her magic and Bahir looked better in death than he ever did in life. Though vivacious, he was prone to dark circles. Though he loved life, he also worked himself to the bone.

Adrian wondered if Bahir should have been shrouded in white, but they wouldn’t know what to say. They had been on a long-haul red-eye flight when funeral arrangements were put in to action. The shroud, even, was only something Adrian noticed in passing at the funeral of Uncle Bahir’s great aunt or third cousin or something like. Adrian only enjoyed in passing a connection with the muslim faith theoretically belonged to them.

The undertaker looked expectantly at Adrian. Adrian looked back at her.

“Yeah, he’s dead alright,” they said. The undertaker, a very professional undertaker, simply nodded and lead Adrian to her office to discuss the funeral details.

Was there ever, she reflected, a proper response to being shown the body of a loved one?