The Funeral Style

Chapter Eleven

i named you my envy

let's celebrate

Chapter Eleven

"Nothing." Maggie stated clearly, "There's nothing here."

"Obviously." I mumbled at her, with a roll of my eyes, I glanced around, at the very spot where the man stabbed the other bigger man. It was pretty terrifying being here, knowing what really went on, and the fact that is was so perfectly cleaned up, that no man on earth would assume that someone was stabbed or even killed here. -Not that I assume the man was killed, that would be horrific.

"Yeah." She sighed, "I guess I just wanted to find something."

"What, you wanted to find a dead body?" I scoffed, "That's morbid, Maggie."

"No." She said quickly, "Well, I mean, maybe I don't know. Maybe something to make the news or something."

I slapped her on the back of her head, making her wince. "You're such a psycho."

"Whatever." She stated, as she rubbed her head,"Let's just leave."

I nodded, and wrapped my arm around her shoulders, leading the way out. We were both smiling, and nearly began laughing as I questioned why we even came here, and if we truly were out of our minds.

She, Maggie, the girl who proves me wrong on a daily basis at how stupid she is, actually agreed with me.

I was smiling, staring at the ground whilst we walked. Maggie had came to a sudden stop, making me nearly trip at how stiff she had become.

I looked up, "Maggie what's-" I didn't even bother to finish my sentence. It took me nearly a few seconds to realize what exactly I was seeing. Maybe I was in denial, I wasn't quite sure. Standing before us, was the skinny man in the fight. Though I had been far away to clearly see at the time, I knew for sure it had to be him, something in my mind was pushing hard to convince myself.

I wasn't just right about him being skinny, he seemed as if he were a walking skeleton with flesh. His bones popped out so oddly. One would think he had never eaten before in his life.

I was ready to warn Maggie to run, though I knew she had a slight limp, and that was impossible for her to do. Yet, something about the man kept me quiet. The look, on his young face. It was almost as if he were in shock for a moment, before his eyes settled, and a small grin appeared on his lips.

"What a daring surprise." The man said, his voice sounded off, though a bit familiar as well. It wasn't until he did a slight bow with his head, to show his greeting, that it struck me.

"You-" I pointed at him, and his grin grew to a full fledged smile.

"Wonderful to see you again, Miss Adler."

Maggie seemed to catch on, as he said my last name. "Oh my God, it's you."

His eyes flickered over to her for a mere second. Disgust washed over his face, and disappeared as quickly as the time he spent staring at her.

"It's quite a shock seeing the both of you here." He spoke casually, "A more, appealing one, but I won't question you, after all, it is none of my business." He stared at the both of us, I expected he was waiting for either of us to say something- anything, but we both kept silent. He shifted a bit, clearly wanting to leave;  "Yes, well, I have business to take care of at this moment, if you will excuse my presence, I must get going to attend to it."

He began to walk away, I watched as he walked past me, brushing our shoulders together as doing so.

"You stabbed that man." I said loud enough for anyone in the alley to hear.

He came to a sudden stop, his back straightened out, almost as if his posture would really threaten me. His head slowly spun around, and his eyes locked on my own. I couldn't read the look on his face, I wasn't sure if he was angry, surprised, or just didn't care. He took a sudden breath, "Have you ever heard of the saying; 'witness evil, bear the solitude'?"

I didn't reply.

He took a step forward, "It's interesting, because, it's such a wise phrase." He crossed his skinny arms against his chest, "Despite the wisdom given in those simple words, people choose to ignore them, because it's the right thing to do." He took another step closer, "And, I laugh quite irrationally," He said with an obviously fake and sarcastic smile, "That these people only take those words to heart, and truly obey them, when they are threatened that the evil they witnessed will be forced upon them, if they did not bear the solitude."

He took yet another step closer to me, making us only inches apart, "Must I have to threaten you, Miss Adler? I can promise you, the solitude is a much lesser burden, than revealing it will ever be."

"Did you kill him?" I said, hiding my hands for they were shaking with fear. "The man?"

He opened his mouth to say something, but slowly closed it and smiled. He shrugged his shoulders, innocently. "Let's make a deal."

"You're a killer."

"Nobody likes a person who assumes things."

"If you didn't kill him then tell me you didn't."

He paused, "Would you believe me if I said he killed me?"

"You really are a lunatic." I scoffed, "I always knew there was something off about you."

He sighed, as if bored of the conversation. "Then work for me."

Me and Maggie both stared at him in shock, "What?" We both said in unison.

"I have been pondering and pondering what it is I have to do to win you over, Miss Adler, I asked you before and I will tell you again, I want you to work in my cemetery. It didn't occur to me that threatening was the way I'd have to go. It's interesting enough, that you, of all people, managed to witness such a scene, but I believe it to be a blessing. You're mine now."

"Well, Mr. Parity, I told you once and I'll tell you again, I will never work in your cemetery, even if it means-"

"Even if it means your family, and home will be threatened by my very own hands?" He interrupted me so casually.

I frowned, I could feel my heartbeat quicken, "What do you mean?"

"I know where you live, I know where your parents work. I am a very rich man, and I do have connections everywhere. It's simple business, that I can easily ruin your life and your parent's reputations. You will be bound homeless in a matter of months, do not pretend, nor convince yourself that these are false words coming from my mouth, because I never lie."