The Ghost At The Funeral

Another work of fiction, filled with subtlety, just as I would have it. A short narration through which I've tried to strike a balance between the importance of life and death. Hope you will like it.

The Ghost At The Funeral

I pushed open the colossal black doors and at once felt the chill that covered the well laid hall. Huge pillars and colourful glasses-windows could grasp a soul and contain it. But the affair that grasped my attention was the silence in a hall filled with an impeccably dressed mass. It was painfully silent some would like to say, but I would agree only with the silent part - it was not painful for me. I had no answers for where I stood or why I stood or even where I came from! All I knew was that I had to be there – some unheeded feeling from the inside told me this.

What was more eerie was the fact that no one, even for once, looked at me. Not even a faint spell of inquisition on the masquerades of men and women. I stood at the door for some time - first to catch my breath, then to gather some courage. I finally took a step forward and then another and another and silently walked into the odd place. I looked at people nearby, all well dressed, tidy, but with stains on their faces - not one or two, but many. I could not recognise them. 'Why?' I wondered.

"He was a very good man", I overheard someone.

"Yes he was, God took him away very soon. How did you know him?"

"He was my friend at high school."

"Oh. He was my co-worker."

I tried to look for the ones locked in the conversation but couldn't. It was difficult, especially when everyone looked the same and wore the same.

"So what do you think was wrong with him?” another voice.

"I would like to meet you sometime later" another voice from the mass.

One after the other, voices kept coming. One at a time in the beginning, then in successions. Suddenly the void of silence was filled was words of atrocity, yet no one seemed to care. Unaware of the surroundings, they ploughed and planted their seeds of greed in a world that smelt of self-righteousness.

The hall now seemed vexing. I wanted to get away from the madness, but since I had waked so far, I decided to take a few more steps ahead. In the front row sat a few who looked graceful. Yes I knew them. They were the ones I cared about. My family, my friends and some more - a small group.

Their faces were clean, like snow-capped mountains I could say. I could also recognize a few who sat behind with partially smudged faces. No one looked at me, but I looked at everyone. Their eyes starting at trifles, minds sucked into a trance and bodies lost somewhere between dreams and reality. I called out one of them and they looked at me and all of a sudden, all eyes were fixated on me. I could not speak, I felt a strong need to look at myself. What did I wear? How did I look? Was my face stained too? Was I fit to be looked upon by everyone who looked at me? I had no answers.

I heard a voice from behind. I turned around.

"I'm not going to speak out his name, I am not going to cry today. I know if he was here today, he'd ask me not to. I am not going to say he is no more with us. He has moved into a world of memories, one where he's always there with me, with us", she had started to break down at the podium, "Today I have realised it’s not about how much time you spend with people”, she paused, “it's about the quality of the time you've spent. Good, bad, happy, sad, every memory you make holds a special place and that is what counts in the end. I know he is at that place now and smiling looking at us." She finally broke down and was carried away as tears rolled off her cheeks and fell into the ground.

I could clearly hear every tear drop splash into the marbled ground. First her and then some more. The faces now had started getting blurry. Not dark, just blurred.

A black coffin laid beside the podium. I walked towards it losing control every moment. I somehow managed to get to it and looked inside at the man lying dead.

I looked in, it was me. Eyes closed, neatly dressed and cleaned of all that was chained. I wasn’t surprised, I didn't feel sad, I didn't feel anything. I only looked at myself selflessly lying on the deep blue cushions – all calm and quiet. I could forever look into it, and I would if a voice hadn't whispered into my ears.

“It’s time to go" it said.

So I held my head up and turned around. There lied an ocean before me. All vast and beautiful. There was no one watching, it was only me and the water that gently kissed my feet. The sky was all blue, there were no clouds. The sun dazzled above the horizon and I could feel its warmth. I could only hear the waves splashing onto the ocean shore. It was a masterpiece of serenity. I stood there for some time - first to catch my breath, then to gather some courage. I finally took a step forward and then another and another and gently walked into the beautiful endless sea.