*Gerard's point of view btw*
The wind was howling and rain was pouring in buckets from the sky. My vision obscured, I could only see ten feet in front of me, along with the help of the headlights.
As if going to work isn't dreary enough. I sighed turning into the parking lot of Marblemeadow's Funeral and Morticians.
I entered the building, seeing no one in the dreadfully silent establishment. I went to my office, a larger room- fit for dressing a body and making it up- that along with that had a smaller desk and couch.
After sitting in the hushed room for a while I heard a knock at the door that could've woken the dead. I smiled at my own witty thought.
I opened the door to see Delia holding a file folder and a doleful expression on her face.
"Good morning," she said pursing her lips and she handed over the brown folder, "here. The file for your next client."
I opened the file,
Name: Franklin Anthony Iero
Date of Birth: October 31
Age: 25
Sex: Male
Along with more information, a birth certificate, and a death certificate. I noticed the Cause of Death was not stated, it simply said NA.
"You know what to do, they're bringing him right now." She said with a tight smile.
I nodded and she left, I kept the door open. I signed my name as the Undertaker title on the document.
I always chuckle a little at that, undertaker sounded too theatrical for what I did.
I didn't do the burying or the making of the coffin. I just prepared the body for the funeral, planned the flowers, and helped the family grieve at times.
Delia arrived at the door with another girl that looked exactly like her; Raven. They're twins, but much too young to be at this job, I think.
They pushed in a body, covered with a white sheet on a rolling table, to the middle of the room.
"Any requests from the family?" I asked.
"None, they don't want anything to do with the planning of the funeral, so it's all on you." Delia replied.
"You did notify them they have to come here today for a discussion about the arrangements?"
Delia looked to Raven and she nodded. I nodded back and they left me to do my business, closing the door quietly behind them, resuming the silence once again.
I turned to the dead body behind me and began my work. Uncovering the body was the most unnerving part, but after that it came easy to me.
I slowly peeled back the white sheet, revealing the young man.
His eyes were closed, his hair was dark and long, his skin pale and cold looking. The dead always looked as if they were asleep.
He looked very young, hell- he was twenty-five, that's young. I sighed, uncovering the rest of the body.
It was my job to pick out a suit for him. Right now he was wearing a sort of gown they give at hospitals. There was a room down the hall where they keep all sorts of suits and dresses if the family doesn't assign one for us to dress them in.
I looked in the file for his size. He's short, it's hard to tell when they're laying down.
I shuffled down the silent hall, not running into anyone on my way to the Suit Room. I picked out a simple black tuxedo with a black tie. It seemed like it would fit whoever Franklin Iero was, and if he were still alive he'd like it.
I also went with simple black shoes. He seemed like a simple guy and wouldn't want too much attention, even if he was dead.
I slung the suit over my shoulder and headed back to the office, again seeing and hearing no one in the hallway.
When I first opened the door I noticed something was off. The silence seemed eerie, the room had a strange scent. I walked over to his body.
In his hands, which were clasped on top of his chest was a perfect red rose. The scent was stronger.
Perhaps someone came in and put it there, Delia or Raven. Or even a random person doing a random act of kindness. Despite those explanations my heart beat a little faster.
I plucked the rose from his hands, careful not to prick myself on the sharp thorns, and lay it on my desk.
My back was to him and I felt as if he were watching me. Impossible, he was dead.
I opened a drawer and got out a makeup kit.
His skin was already smooth and did not appear too dead looking, but it was procedure to put foundation on, along with blush and bronzer to give them a, dare I say, more lively glow.
Before I applied the makeup I dressed him, he was wearing underwear under the gown, which was also procedure. I never saw I nude dead body. I'm not into that.
I was right, the simple tuxedo suited him well and fit perfectly. Styling hair on a dead person was very difficult, but it had to be done, especially with his long ebony locks.
Then I did the makeup, and he really did look like he was asleep. As I positioned his arms I saw he was wearing a golden ring. It was on his ring finger. I wondered if he was married or engaged.
He was close to my age, just four years younger and I wasn't even married yet, I felt like marriage was too much of a commitment.
I cleared my head of thoughts and focused on doing the makeup. I applied it smoothly to his delicate skin. Being this close to a dead person did not phase me anymore.
I was finished with my job after about another hour of making sure he looked perfect.
I'd take him out to Delia and she'd give him to Cecil, who transferred the bodies, to take to the church or cemetery where he'd be buried at tomorrow.
I made copies of the files and put them in a cabinet for my own records. Gathering the originals I stared back at the rose on my desk. I slowly picked it up and smelled it, it looked just recently bloomed and smelled crisp.
I took some scissors off of my desk and snipped the rose near the base. I slipped it into his breast pocket and finished his look.
He looked stunning, if I do say so myself.
Sighing, I covered him again and began rolling him to the back of the building.
I didn't encounter anyone in the halls but as I was passing Raven's office I peered through the small window in the door and saw something I would never had suspected.
Raven was pressed up against the wall by Cecil in a kiss, and it looked like it was getting pretty heated. My eyes widened and I realized I was staring. Raven had her eyes closed but she opened them for a moment and saw me staring.
She pulled away from Cecil quickly, pushing him away. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand before quickly rushing to the door and grabbing my sleeve, pulling me in.
She shut the door behind her and leaned against it.
"Gerard, I can explain," she began. I only then remembered she was married, and not to Cecil. I had met her husband once before, when he came to see her at work.
"This," she motioned between her and Cecil, "was a one time thing, it- it..." She trailed off, covering her eyes with her hand, sounding like she was holding back tears.
I looked to Cecil and he cleared his throat, looking down. He had to be at least ten years older than her.
I wasn't one to judge under circumstances such as these, but it was strange to think about them together.
"Gerard," she stepped over to me and held my shoulders, "you can't tell anyone about this, please." Her eyes were swimming with tears.
"Oh- I- I won't. It's safe with me..." I stuttered, still slightly shocked. It was probably never a good idea to keep secrets like these but, what choice did I have?
She nodded and stepped back, no one said anything for a long moment.
I cleared my throat, "um- I have someone for you to take." I said to Cecil.
He nodded and followed me out the door, taking Franklin Iero's body away.
I looked back to Raven, she watched him slowly roll the body down the hall. She looked mildly mortified. She then turned and walked into her office, closing the door behind her.
I sighed and walked back to my office, preparing for the next patient.
