Childhood & Stardom (645 hits)
Category: NoneLabels: fiction
Rating: 1.73 on 24 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Flash Harry (View user info) at 2009-02-13 09:26:37 EST
The funeral was confirmation, if any more was needed, that Barley was dead. People had taken the day off work. Some had travelled for miles to be in the crematorium. He was definitely, irreversibly dead, and it was too late for anyone to change their mind about that now.
Barley's wife, and parents, and children sat in the front row. Everyone else filed in slowly, trying to figure out where they should sit. Not wanting to be closer to the front than someone who'd known him better. Just trying not to offend anyone. Barley was dead, and that was surely enough to be upset over.
The thing is, if you'd asked Barley - which would be difficult, with him being dead - who he'd been closest to, he'd have answered in a heartbeat. Wouldn't even need to think about it. "Lynch," he'd say. "Lynch should be at the front."
But Lynch wasn't even in the second row, never mind the first. He stood quietly at the back. Not even inside the crematorium, in fact, but in the vestibule. When the coffin was carried in, he'd be one of the first mourners to see it, which would be bad. But until then, he could easily step outside to smoke, which was good.
The crematorium was busy. A great turn-out, people would later acknowledge. Not that it should matter to Barley. Lynch wiped his nose with his fingers; he'd forgotten to bring any tissues. He hadn't thought he'd need them, which was stupid. The smell of nicotine and sweat lingered in his nostrils.
People looked surprised when they heard that Lynch wouldn't be saying anything at the service. Who else, they thought silently, knew the dead man better than his best friend? But they nodded, and smiled with the side of their mouth. It would be too difficult for him, they realised. Poor Lynch. Must feel like he's lost a limb.
Lynch stood out the way as much as possible. He shook hands and kissed cheeks with those that approached him, but he didn't want to stand with anyone. He preferred to be alone. That way he could leave as soon as...or if, God forbid...
There were no hymns or prayers. Instead, Barley's favourite record, 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond.' Knowing glances. Closed eyes. Muffled sobs. The silver coffin passed by Lynch, and for a brief moment he was overcome with a wave of emotion. His mouth hung open, and his legs buckled. This isn't real, he told himself. This is crazy. He wanted to throw the lid open, and scream out to everybody in the room, to Barley's friends and family, that he isn't dead, he isn't, look!
But that notion passed him as quickly as the coffin, and he said nothing.
Lynch didn't stay until the end of Barley's service, which must've looked strange to anyone that noticed. He waited just long enough to make sure they didn't mention it; they didn't, he'd known they wouldn't.
Funerals are a time to remember life, not death. They spoke about Barley's childhood, his dreams. They spoke of memories, but they skirted the last one. Which was a rather important one. It was howling wind, thrashing water, and the battered, empty boat.
The funeral was a time to talk about Barley's life, not his death, which was fine by Lynch. That's all he stayed for. Around the time when Barley's coffin was engulfed in flames that burned hotter than hell, his best friend was slowly pulling out the car park. Indicating, turning, accelerating away. He rubbed his nose and lit a cigarette. So that was it, Barley's funeral. He was definitely dead now, and all the world knew it.
He picked up his phone and dialled.
"Lynch?"
"Hi Barley."
"How did it go?"
"Yeah, fine."
"Was there a good turn out."
"Of course there was, silly. Are you at the airport?"
"Yeah."
"And you've got the passports?"
"Yeah."
"Okay honey. I'm on my way. I'll see you soon."
"Okay babe. I love you."
"I love you too, Barley."
User Reviews
Submitted by TechnoRatty (user info) at 2009-02-16 19:33:03 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
aww da nice
Submitted by sweetcheebs (user info) at 2009-02-14 17:38:10 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Definitely gay.
Submitted by apollo88 (user info) at 2009-02-13 16:45:50 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by F.J.Bell (user info) at 2009-02-11 09:29:05 CST (#)
Ranking: 0
Dude, http://www.raincitystory.com/flash/screenclean.swf
ahahahah
cheers mate.
Submitted by SgtHartman (user info) at 2009-02-13 16:43:19 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by orphelia (user info) at 2009-02-13 16:38:05 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Sgt! <3
====================
Awwwwwwwwww <3
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2009-02-13 16:39:04 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
EGADS! I HAVE TO WASH THE GAY OFF!
Submitted by orphelia (user info) at 2009-02-13 16:38:05 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Sgt! <3
Submitted by SgtHartman (user info) at 2009-02-13 16:19:38 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Harry you are on a fuckin roll brother.
cheeky bastard
Submitted by Lib (user info) at 2009-02-13 15:46:59 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by monkeyswithguns (user info) at 2009-02-13 15:33:14 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Twist ending.
Submitted by Sidivan (user info) at 2009-02-13 15:07:01 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I love how the comments are all, "EGADS! I HAVE TO WASH THE GAY OFF!"
Submitted by billrhine (user info) at 2009-02-13 14:52:58 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Great job of writing.
Submitted by Shallabow (user info) at 2009-02-13 14:43:59 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This was a nice heaping scoop of awesome with a nice twist and a great big gay cherry on top. I approve.
Submitted by Banjo (user info) at 2009-02-13 12:56:09 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
wait what... Barley??? Was he a well loved horse or a man? Horses don't drive but then somebody could have been riding him and indicating out of the car park. That's me just assuming the horse was driving... then horses don't answer phones...
Was Barley a very clever indicating talking horse? In which case, there is no ghey here.
Submitted by sage104 (user info) at 2009-02-13 12:42:15 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by experima (user info) at 2009-02-13 12:40:50 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by TheGoat (user info) at 2009-02-13 12:30:23 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Wait, what. This was definitely laced with gay.
Submitted by TheGoat (user info) at 2009-02-13 12:29:48 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Scuse me while i take care of my semi.
Submitted by polyamorousaj (user info) at 2009-02-13 11:14:13 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I like it.
Submitted by FALLEN (user info) at 2009-02-13 10:39:23 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
***flips over the Windex bottle to see if it removes GAY from monitors***
Submitted by rubbermaid (user info) at 2009-02-13 10:10:36 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
YAY FRIDAY!
Submitted by Spam (user info) at 2009-02-13 10:08:20 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Seemed a little on the gay side.
Submitted by orphelia (user info) at 2009-02-13 10:00:16 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
can't be bothered to read it but i am sure it is gay
Submitted by EmissionImpossible (user info) at 2009-02-13 09:37:02 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
gay gay gay gay gay gay gay
Submitted by BranDo (user info) at 2009-02-13 09:33:53 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This was gay.
In a good way.