<i>At the church</i>
I stretched and yawned as I started to wake up. I rubbed my eyes vigorously and opened them. I blinked and looked around. To my surprise, I was surrounded by rectangular wooden slabs instead of my cosy bed!
I quickly sat up to realize that I was lying on a wooden bench! In fact there was a row of benches in front of me. I looked around. I was actually surrounded by rows of benches, on both sides, in front of me as well as behind me! Within seconds I recognized I was in a church!
I slowly stood up and walked out from the row in which I was and stepped to the aisle. It was dark except for some flickering candle light from the four corners of the hall.
I walked along the aisle, slowly proceeding towards the altar. The sound from the heel of my shoes echoed all over the hall, sounding like a hammer hitting a nail on the wall. The silence was deadly and the darkness made me feel not only gloomy but also scared!
As I walked further towards the altar I heard the sounds of slow piano music. It sounded familiar; it was a funeral hymn. Then, slowly, Father Arthur came into my view, playing the piano.
Suddenly I started feeling weird about everything. What was going on? Why was I here? In the church? All the questions rushed to my head instantly. Then immediately I looked at myself from head to toe. I was dressed in a black suit, white shirt inside with a black tie, black socks and black shoes on my feet!
I wondered why I was so well dressed in brand new clothes at the church!
I looked around and it took a few seconds to recognize that I was in St. Francis' Church in the neighborhood. By looking at the windows on the two sides of the hall I could see it was dark!
I slowly started recalling everything, me asleep on the bench in the church? At night? Well dressed? Nobody around, except Father Arthur?
Father Arthur! As soon as his name flashed across my mind I thought that was it. He could tell me why I was here and what I was doing.
I looked up at the altar again. Just then he stood up from the piano seat to leave. I started walking quickly to catch up with him but he opened the door behind the piano and went inside, to go upstairs where he lives.
I ran to get a hold of him but I was late. I could hear him lock the door from the other side of the door and also hear his footsteps taking the stairs.
I started knocking at the door. I knocked harder and harder, but he didn't open it. I repeatedly knocked, harder, and still he didn't open the door.
I wondered if I was loud enough. Then I remembered. I needed to try the main door of the church in order to leave instead of just asking questions to myself.
I quickly ran towards the main door and tried to open it, but in vain. It was locked from the outside. I started getting nervous. Blood started flowing backwards from the veins in my hand and I could feel them go numb.
I gulped down air from my mouth and pressed my lips together. Just as I was about to start banging on the door a horrific thought came to my mind --- that I was locked in! I was locked inside the church and everybody had left!
Slowly, everything started making sense. I probably had come to the church for something and fallen asleep. Everyone had gone and I was left alone. But what irritated me was I couldn't remember why I had come to the church! A sermon? A wedding? A funeral? What for?
I felt frustrated and angry; but I didn't know that my frustration and anger would quickly turn into fear.
I started looking around the hall to find an open window by any chance or a way out. But I didn't find anything. Instead, my eyes caught something that terrified my whole body. A coffin at the centre of the altar! An inexplicable fear came over me.
I always thought that I was brave and led a tough life. At least, that's what a teenage boy like me should think. But I was wrong. I was scared to see the coffin. Scared of the dead inside. Scared to be alone with a coffin in an empty church locked up, at night! Father Arthur had probably been practising for that dead person's funeral.
My whole body shook. I slowly sat on the floor by the main door. I curled up and sat down, wrapping my legs with my hands. Sweat soaked my whole body but I trembled. I started feeling dizzy and closed my eyes.
* * * *
A shrill cry shook and woke me up. I slowly opened my eyes and found myself lying on the floor on the inner side away from the door of the church.
I quickly got up and looked around. It was morning. A big sigh of relief crawled inside my chest. To cheer me up more the church's main gate was open, letting bundles of light into the aisle.
A small crowd on the altar quickly drew my attention, a group of people surrounding something in a circle.
I wondered what it could be and started walking towards them. It seemed like forever to reach the altar as the gloom and suspense of the moment made me feel I was walking in slow motion. As I approached, a faint and muffled murmur started getting louder. People crying. Father Arthur's voice, perhaps reciting from the Bible?
All of them were wearing black. So it didn't take me long to understand that it was the funeral of the dead person from last night. Last night Father Arthur must have been practising the piano for this funeral.
I walked closer and some of the people's faces could be seen, but……. As soon as the people's faces came into view a stroke of horror blew in upon me. They were familiar and that moment a confusing chill went down my spine.
They were my family --- grandpa, mom, dad, Jake my brother, aunt Lily, uncle Saul, Bridgett my cousin sister…….etc.
They were crying, some of them with the typical handkerchief on their cheeks, some leaning on each other and some just yelling their cries out! Even Father Arthur had tears in his eyes!
What on earth was going on? Did a family member of mine die?
But, then, how wouldn't I know? I quickly jumped on to the altar and …..never got the chance to ask anybody anything because what I saw took my breath away at once.
The person in the coffin……..It was me!
I was dead? I kept staring, too stunned to even blink. Then suddenly I remembered….I had died the previous morning in an accident! The truth was too emotional to even emotionally react. I stood still, surprised that my soul had forgotten its destiny. Then, as Father Arthur started closing the coffin and picked the hammer to nail it , everyone's cry grew louder. I started feeling light and drowsy. My breath stopped and I began to choke. I closed my eyes while everyone's voice faded away and I was left alone in the dark alone, forever.
But, then, how wouldn't I know? I quickly jumped on to the altar and …..never got the chance to ask anybody anything because what I saw took my breath away at once.
The person in the coffin……..It was me!
I was dead? I kept staring, too stunned to even blink. Then suddenly I remembered….I had died the previous morning in an accident! The truth was too emotional to even emotionally react. I stood still, surprised that my soul had forgotten its destiny. Then, as Father Arthur started closing the coffin and picked the hammer to nail it , everyone's cry grew louder. I started feeling light and drowsy. My breath stopped and I began to choke. I closed my eyes while everyone's voice faded away and I was left alone in the dark alone, forever.
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