Armitage

Chapter 7 - Unreal Possibilities

A few days later Madeline had got a phone call from Chris informing her of when Sophia’s funeral was going to be. Whoever had killed her had ensured that her parents couldn’t possibly give her an open casket funeral and Chris had asked Madeline to attend, probably more for him than anyone else. Madeline didn’t really know Sophia, she saw her on the few occasions that she ate at Salvatore’s but other than that it was only really through Chris that she knew of her at all. Nevertheless, she was more than willing to pay her final respects to the poor girl who had lost her life in such a horrific manner.

The funeral was held on a wet and cloudy Sunday morning at St. Peter’s Church in downtown Armitage, and due to the bad weather the service was held entirely indoors. Madeline sat a few pews back from the main family, feeling that was more respectful as she didn’t really know Sophia, but she could see Chris sitting with Salvatore and Lucile, his face ashen and sad. An elderly woman who Madeline assumed must have been Sophia’s grandmother sat next to Lucile who was crying uncontrollably into her handkerchief. The old woman wore a black veil over her face and clutched a crucifix to her chest with her thin, bony hand.

As Madeline sat in silence she felt a draught come from seemingly nowhere and she shivered as someone sat down next to her.

‘Why Miss Jameson,’ said Professor Mason quietly. ‘I did not expect to see you here.’

‘Oh, hello Professor,’ said Madeline, somewhat stunned. ‘I didn’t know you knew the Damicos.’

‘Well of course I heard of what happened to poor Sophia, and I have quite the memory for students. I remember Miss Damico, and your brother as well, that’s him with the poor girl’s parents, is it not?’

‘Yes, he was quite close with Sophia at one time.’

‘Such a tragedy,’ said the professor, shaking his head. ‘To have a young life cut so short, terrible. You knew Miss Damico, I assume?’

‘Not really,’ said Madeline, trying to keep her voice as low as possible. ‘I knew her through Chris and I came for him as well as the family.’

‘But of course, a touching gesture. Shall we?’ While they had been talking the service had ended and people were rising from their pews and filing past the coffin to pay their final respects to Sophia, as well as offer condolences to her parents. Madeline nodded silently and the two of them made their way to the front of the church. Salvatore, Lucile and Sophia’s grandmother were all standing beside the coffin, thanking people as they passed, and after Madeline had said her goodbyes to Sophia she moved off to stand with Chris, but as Professor Mason passed the coffin, Sophia’s grandmother reached out with surprising speed and grabbed the man’s wrist.

‘There is much evil about you,’ breathed the old woman, clutching at both the professor’s wrist and her crucifix. ‘You are not welcome here. Leave us, devil!’

‘What’s going on?’ asked Chris, as he strode over to find out what the commotion was about.

‘I really have no idea,’ said Professor Mason, trying to make it seem like he found the whole thing amusing. ‘The poor woman’s clearly grief stricken, she doesn’t know what she is saying.’

‘Evil, evil,’ repeated the grandmother, tightening her grip on the professor’s wrist and staring at him through her black veil, all the while performing the sign of the cross with the crucifix clutched in her hand.

‘Mama, let him go,’ said Salvatore, walking round to his mother’s side and attempting to break her hold on Professor Mason’s arm. ‘I’m sorry about this,’ he added, looking apologetically at the professor.

‘That’s quite alright,’ said Professor Mason, finally wrenching his arm free of the old woman’s vice-like grip. He smoothed down his suit and smiled thinly before extending his hand to Salvatore. ‘Professor Jonathan Mason,’ he said silkily. ‘And may I say how sorry I am that this terrible tragedy has befallen you.’