No Bringing Them Back

Payton had never been to the cemetery before and it was kind of a downer. But, when Adela had mentioned wanting to go there, he offered to take her there. He didn't know how he felt about being around all the dead people that we in their tombs. It was a sad place to be but he got over it. The cemetery had a grey feeling to it, like the sun light didn't hit it like it did everywhere else. It was creepy and strange.

"What's so important about this place?" He felt sad for all the dead people, but there was no changing their state of being. They were dead and nothing could be done about that. It reminded him of his mother and how she was dead and there was no bringing her back. He pushed the depressing thoughts to the back of his mind but they still remained inside his head.

Adela had never been to Muet Hill Cemetery, but she had heard a lot about it. She heard that the ghost of a little boy loomed around the place, and ghosts had always intrigued her. Apparently the boy was really shy, so the girl didn't really expect to see him. She still wanted to do something friendly for the poor boy and brought a rose to place over his grave.

The graveyard was dark and gloomy. It didn't exactly seem like a nice place to visit your departed loved ones. "I wanted to come here to show some respect to those who have passed." Adela twirled the rose between her fingers. "Also, I was thinking about the first year we met the other day. Remember when you invited me to go to that creepy voodoo shop with you? Think of this as payback," she said with a wink. Adela took hold of Payton's hand. "I hate when cemeteries are dark and gloomy like this. When I think of the people I've lost, I like to think of happy memories, and remember how they were back when they were alive. I feel like cemeteries should aim to provoke these memories, instead of making you feel sad and depressed. What do you think?"

"I totally forgot about that," Payton said with a grin. It wasn't that this place scared him, it didn't. It just made him kind of sad to see all the people that had passed to the other side. "I hate cemeteries in general, they're all so sad," he admitted. "They should try to cheer the place up a bit." Cleaning the graves would be nice and fixing them. "It doesn't seem like the sun ever sees this place." Payton looked up at the sky and there were trees blocking the sun's path. "Maybe if they cut down a few trees this place wouldn't be so dark and gloomy."

"I like to think of happy memories but sometimes the bad ones slip into your mind."

"I agree completely. Maybe if they cleaned the place up a bit people would come to visit their loved ones more often." Adela looked around at the empty graveyard. "We're the only ones here... well, the only alive ones anyways." She looked back down at the rose in her hands, wondering if the little boy would like it. "You know not all cemeteries are depressing. The one that my grandparents are buried at looks really nice. There are trees, but they are kept trimmed down so that they provide shade while still letting the sun shine through. The grass is always mowed and they are always watering the flowers. I actually enjoy when we go there to put wreaths on my grandparents' graves." Adela always loved when she would get to go to their house as a little kid and going to their cemetery always brought back good memories, but it also made her think about how much she missed them. "I wish they were still alive though." She wondered if the young boy's family ever came to visit him.

Death was not Payton's favorite subject. "I wonder who is in charge of keeping this place tidy cause they're not doing a very good job. If there even is someone to take care of the place." The cemetery his mother was buried at was by far more tidy than this one and Payton was happy for that. "My mom is buried in a nice cemetery. We visit her sometimes. Its hard to get a lot of children to do the same thing at once. But when it comes to visiting mum, everyone wants to go." Payton loved to visit his mother's grave and always had a flower to give her. "People always wish they could bring someone back. But things happen for a reason."

"That's very true. There's always a reason for things to happen, whether you can see it right away or not. The last time I saw my grandfather, I was expecting to see him again in two weeks. He died three days later. No one expected it. I always wish I would've hugged him just a little longer that day. But you can't reverse time, and that's why I always try to cherish the time I spend with people. You can never really tell when the last time you will see them will be."

They were coming up on a large oak tree. Adela had heard that the grave she was looking for was under an oak tree. "Come here, I want to see something." She let go of Payton's hand and sat down in front of the tombstone under the tree. Sure enough, the tombstone read 'Jude Beaumont' which was the name of the little boy who wondered the grave yard. Adela gently set the rose she had brought down in front of the Tombstone and looked back up at her boyfriend. "I heard his ghost wonders around here, and that he's really shy. I thought it would be nice to bring him something."

Payton gave Adela's hand a squeeze as she talked. He always had a difficult time when talking about his dead mother and it was hard to talk about someone who had passed. "Sounded like you guys were close." Payton nodded in agreement. "Things go on but sometimes you wonder how things would be if they were still around." He could bet that his mother would have been proud of him and his brothers for being wizards.

Payton followed her and leaned against the oak tree. "I don't think anyone has seen him," he said as he looked around. "Must be really shy. I'd like to meet him though." It was sad to think about a child's death, they were just starting to live but that was cut short. "Child deaths are sad."

"Yeah, I heard he was really shy too. That's why I wanted to bring him the rose, to show him that he doesn't have to be afraid of us. No one seems to know how he died. I hope it was peacefully. Maybe he just grew ill and passed in his sleep. But still, I can't help but think that maybe he's not just shy and that there is a reason for him to be afraid of people." It is a terrible thought to think that someone would harm an innocent child, but sadly it does happen. Adela can't figure out how anyone could be so cold and heartless.

The girl couldn't bare thinking about the horrible possibilities any longer. She stood up, walked back over to Payton, and hugged him. His warm hugs always made her feel better. "Do you want to head back into town and maybe get some ice cream or something?" Ice cream has also always made her feel better.

"I'm sure he'll love your rose." He listened to Adela's theory about the boy, it could be possible that he was afraid of people because of a dark reason. But, he wasn't going to let Adela think negative thoughts, even if they could be true. "I'm sure that it was peaceful," he said with a sad smile, a child's death was always so sad. "I don't think we'll ever know, but it's nice to think he lived a good life and died peacefully."

Payton wrapped his arms around his girlfriend and placed a kiss on top of her head. "Ice cream sounds nice." Maybe ice cream would take their minds off of death and that poor boy. "Let's go then." His hand found hers and he started to lead the way. "Ice cream helps the soul," he said with a grin.

Adela was glad that she had brought Payton along with her to the cemetery instead of just going by herself. It was nice to have him there to comfort her. He always knew just what to say. "I hope it was peaceful." She paused for a moment. "Do you think his ghost really does wonder around here? Or do you think it's just one of those made up rumors like the trolls in the dungeons back at the school? If he really does wonder around here he must get lonesome, but not many people seem to have seen him."

Adela was glad that they were leaving. She had payed her respect and gave Jude his rose and was now ready to get out of there. Muet Hill really was dark and gloomy, and not the funnest place to be. Ice cream would be a nice way to finish out the day after that, and might get their minds off of all the sadness. The girl looked back at Jude's headstone one more time as Payton took her hand and lead her away. She smiled. Hopefully the boy would like her gift.