Garland

He finally received a garland. I asked myself if  I knew the person. He had passed on, leaving me alone with a boy. There would be many lonely days and nights ahead.

I added more notes for him. One by one, fire ate them. Smoke permeated the air. Yes, someone had given him the flowers. But I did not know the name. . There was no one in the hall  save the two of us. 

At the front his picture stood, in his hat, smiling. We were on one side, with our heads bent low. After tonight, after the funeral, I had to make myself braver in fording all the challenges.

In my hands was a letter. It had come with the flowers. A few words were scrawled on it - Be wary for the bygone, for it haunts. I did not know what it meant. What Ernest had done. Whatever. Revenge, retribution, how you wanted to name it. I didn't care. I just wanted tonight to be quickly over and done with.