Chapter Seven: Sunday Mourning

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      The sun was beaming over Torrell early Sunday morning, giving the cold winter day the illusion of much warmer weather as Corbin peeked out through the hotel window. Such a glorious sight was usually an uplifting start to most days but not this one, at least not for Corbin. He awoke with a bittersweet spirit that wanted to linger on the pleasant night with Lydia that had just passed, but was hindered by the mournful reason for the trip which was now upon him. The guilt and loss he felt from the death of his dearest friend had plagued the quiet moments of his new life at the manor, though he had not revealed to anyone the weighty toll that Kyle's death had levied on his heart.

    The truth was he didn't know how to handle such a burden, having never lost anyone close to him before. Adjusting to his life at the manor and being so involved in getting to know his sisters had helped him to contain his grief for Kyle, but returning to Torrell, the place where his bond with Kyle was forged and most of their memories were made, was tugging mightily at that sealed bundle of remorse.

    As the hotel trailed off in the rearview mirror, Corbin and Lydia endured a rather solemn air inside the sparkling red coupe. Even the car itself seemed to understand the gravity of the day's purpose, as Corbin shifted the gears sooner and slower than normal, making the car moan sadly through it's twin tailpipes as it stayed near the bottom of it's broad range of power. Lydia was keenly aware by Corbin's somber demeanor that serious issues of the soul troubled her brother. She sat quietly in the car, observing the passing landscapes to herself while thinking of ways to cheer him up after he did what he came to do.

    The cemetery resided on the opposite end of town from the hotel, so Lydia got a good look at Torrell in the daylight as they motored through it. She caught the snoopy stares of a few stray pedestrians when they drove by the grocery store then past the local café. Corbin's car, with it's glossy red paint gleaming under the sunlight, didn't exactly blend in with the faded backdrop of the weary little town and strangers stood out just as brightly.

    Their drive ended at a surprisingly large parcel of flat land that had been designated as the town's burial grounds soon after it was founded a long, long time ago. Corbin stared out through the car's windshield at the tranquil sea of tombstones and slabs that marked the final resting place of so many. Scattered abroad, here and there, were flower bouquets that told of visitations by loved ones. The cemetery was not unlike any of the others Corbin had seen in his life, but this one had a grim aura looming around it that Corbin felt all too sharply.

    He looked over at Lydia, gave a quick smile that mingled with a frown. "You don't have to go. I won't be long."

    She nodded, understanding that he probably wanted to be alone out there anyway, then he took a deep breath and got out of the car. Closing the door with a groaning sigh, Corbin looked toward the cemetery and plotted his course through it's hallowed trails of successive graves. Having been there a few times before with Kyle to visit Kyle's parents, he knew about where his friend rested. With one more deep breath to strengthen himself he started on his trek through the cemetery.

    Kyle's new tombstone still shone with a polished finish that most of the other weathered markers had lost. Corbin shook his head in disbelief as he observed the engraved letters marking the span of his friend's life. He stood at the foot of the slab atop Kyle's grave with his hands clasped in front and hanging reverently below his waist. Images of Kyle began to flood his mind, reminding him painfully of the depth of his loss. Corbin's heart sank at the stark realization that Kyle was gone, buried forever. His vision blurred with tears and his knees threatened to buckle under the weight of his grief so he dropped to his knees before the grave of his friend.

    Corbin's sobs came forth inconsolably. He didn't try to hold them back, he just let the hurt flow out of him until the guilt he felt for being the cause of Kyle's death rose to the surface with a somber, desperate apology. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..."

    The guilt and remorse churning within Corbin soon yielded an intense anger that drove Corbin's fist into the ground. With his head deeply bowed and his teeth gritted, he replayed the nefarious memories of Jarell over in his mind, growing more angry with each flash of Jarell's smug visage and grinding his fist deeper into the ground with the remembrance of his thieving grin. The hate within Corbin for the afflictions of Jarell swelled until it was burst by another random memory of Kyle, then his wrath subsided and his heart was gloomy again.

    As Corbin knelt in a heap of mourning tears he was suddenly distracted by a shadow that crept slowly over him. He  looked up to his side to find Lydia looming over him with a tender look of concern. He dropped his head away, wishing she didn't have to see him sniveling and overcome by grief yet again. She went to him with an urge of compassion and pressed his turned head against her stomach as she began stroking his hair to comfort his tears. He twisted toward her, hugging her legs weakly as he surrendered wholly to her caring presence.

    He stayed bundled at her feet, crying some more until her soothing touch finally relieved him of his torment, then he rose silently and took a few moments to compose himself. With a final look at Kyle's grave Corbin inwardly declared his undying love for the friend who he considered a brother, then he and Lydia walked hand in hand back to the car and left the cemetery. The further Corbin's car got from Torrell the lighter the mood inside it grew. Soon he and Lydia were bopping their heads in unison to the beat of a popular song on the radio and the miles ahead rapidly disappeared.

    Seemingly worlds away, under a slightly overcast sky, Shade found herself on a grocery run to Ridgeville after a night of tossing and turning delivered her to an early morning. She guided her coupe along the winding roads to Ridgeville with thoughts of completing her task and sneaking an afternoon nap later to take back some of the sleep stolen from her by the restless night.

    Upon reaching the grocery store she parked her coupe out in the far nether lands of the parking lot, the area most people tried to avoid by lapping the closer parking spaces in hopes of a short walk to the store. She tried to keep her baby free of careless dings and scratches caused by inconsiderate shopping carts and tightly packed car doors. With her shopping list from Gale in hand she entered the store on a mission.

    A little while later Shade emerged from the store with a cart full of bagged necessities as well as a few tasty treats that weren't on the list. She immediately put eyes on the dark gray island far away as she set the cart on a course straight for her car. Sunday morning was a busy time for the grocery store which she always chose for her weekly chore, so it's parking lot was densely filled with vehicles whose owners were mostly concerned with getting the goods they came to purchase, or distracted by cell phone conversations, or busy corralling the youngsters they'd brought with them. She pushed the cart along the edge of a long row of protruding bumpers as she passed both the front and rear of vehicle after vehicle.

    At the end of the line of vehicles on the isle her car was parked on was a full-size van that was of no particular interest, so Shade did little more than glimpse it in her peripheral when she neared it's rear. As she was about to pass it by a large hand sprang out from it's blind side and assaulted her face with a damp rag while another large hand clutched the back of her head to keep her from escaping the rag. She reached for the hand on her face as she cut her eyes to identify her attacker, but within the few seconds her resistance lasted she faded out under the sweet smell of chloroform, getting only a fuzzy image of a large figure before the darkness came.

      

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