Just a Few Steps Away

The rain pounded on her umbrella. A sheet of rain seemed to surround her, as it fell so hard and so thick, it was almost impossible to see past her small sanctuary. She was lucky, for had it not been raining so hard and so thick, someone might’ve seen her.

The distant figures were barely visible from where they stood a small distance away. Only four stood there. Four friends. It should’ve been five. Someone was missing. She was missing.

She had to fight back every fiber of her being not to run up and join her grieving friends. But she can’t join them. So she didn’t join them.

Each of them stood over the muddy hole they’d dug and said something. Each cried. Each reminisced. None turned. None saw her.

The hours grew long as the small funeral continued. Eventually, they each left, one by one. One by one they left the casket for their friend. But soon, they were all gone.

With all of them gone, she approached the casket. A tear trickled down her cheek, a tear for days long gone. Her eyes moved to the simple stone, six words on it:

“Here Lies Florence Baker, Beloved Friend”

Her name was printed on the simple grey gravestone.

Here she should lay, but here she stood.