Before Anything

Point Zero: II Before Anything

Story: PROLOGUE

Christopher Rielly first met the organism that would become his mentor
for the next six years one week before the end of the Summer holidays
of 1999. It was a good day in may ways for Kit; the lazy summer sun was
trying to fill everyone with its warmth and glow, the upcoming week
could offer nothing but leisure and it was his father's funeral. It was
pointless trying to pretend to be sorry; this play was no tragedy and
there was barely an audience to perform for. Kit had never been to a
funeral before and he was pleasantly surprised to find that it was not
as macabre as television made out. In fact, he quite enjoyed the
Vicar's sermon whilst keenly observing the only other person in the
church besides his mother and himself. The man who had come to pay his
respects to Piers Rielly was dressed in mourning of the most
contradictory type. On his head which was bowed in prayer he wore a
black top hat which would have been fashionable in the nineteenth
century. This matched the frock coat he wore but unfortunately not the
leather trousers, Doc Martens or the black t-shirt with a golden bird
on it. "...May God forgive him." Kit tore his eyes away from the
stranger to see that the coffin was being lifted. Kit followed the
small party outside to the grave. His father was in that coffin. All
that separated them them was some wood. This was probably the closest
they had been without arguing. "We commend his body to the ground.
Earth to earth..." He was offered some gravel to throw but did not take
it. "Ashes to ashes..." What had that Greek girl in his class said?
"When a man dies he will live again for he is like the bird that rises
from the ashes. No. Piers would not live again. He was gone and
"...dust to dust." Kit's mother turned on her heel as if she were in a
trance. Kit turned his head to speak to the Stanger but he had
vanished. Before the Vicar went inside, he put a hand on Kit's shoulder
and said "God must have wanted your father in heaven, son." Yeah,
thought Kit dryly, or perhaps he realised no-one wanted him on earth.
Suddenly the sound of silence came swooshing down on him and he
realised that he was standing in a graveyard. Funnily enough,
surrounded by the scattered ashes, he did not feel remotely alone.