Stronger Men

A distraught young man finds peace in an unlikely place

Rob and Jessie sat in the park not giving a damn about anything but each other. It was bliss.

They sat on a handcrafted wooden bench, one that had been there for as long as either of them could remember, as they looked out towards the half frozen lake. As they held onto each other, they laughed while gazing upon the ducks who struggled to keep their footing on the ice.

"I could sit here forever..." she wistfully breathed, with the most peaceful of tones about her.

"So could I," answered Rob, "but only because I'm with you."

They looked into each others eyes, hers a piercing, crystalline blue, and his a warm, melancholy brown, and they kissed, the world fading into the background...

Then Rob woke up.

He awoke in a cold sweat, practically falling out of his bed. His eyes finally focused, and Rob looked down at the cast on his wrist.

Rob attempted to stand, forgetting that he could barely put any weight down his right leg. He couldn't help but wince and let out a sharp breath of pain.

He hobbled into the the bathroom, and leaned over the sink to keep his balance. Rob looked into the mirror, and saw tears running down the bruised face of someone he didn't recognize. He couldn't look at the reflection any more. He splashed cold water over his face, and then brushed his teeth.

He pulled his suit out of the closet, along with Jessie's favorite tie: purple with white polka dots. He slowly put on his clothes, struggling to pull them over his battered and bruised bones. As he stood, adjusting his tie, the questions began to ring through his mind:

You couldn't just walk?
You really needed the cab?
You couldn't just listen to her?

He shook his head, as if shaking the questions away, and slipped his jacket over his shoulders. He went downstairs, his parents waiting for him, and they walked out to the car. The church awaited their arrival.

The car ride was unbearable. Rob attempted to sleep, but whenever he closed his eyes, all he saw was Jessie's face.

Somber faces surrounded them outside the church. Occasionally, a choked-back sob falls upon Rob's ears. As his parents made their way to the pew, Rob stayed to the back of the church; he was a pallbearer.

He looked down at the casket. It couldn't be real, she couldn't be gone... The thought of her being there just didn't register.

At that thought, Rob zoned out. He suddenly became a zombie, responding to any approach with a handshake and a somber nod; he couldn't muster much more than that. Before he knew it, he was told it was time to carry her in,

He took up the casket, but could not will himself to look at it. It was just too hard.

The organ music began, and the service began along with it. Rob began the longest walk of his life, as he choked back tears, refusing to make eye contact with anyone.

He sat in the pew, head in hands. The readings and the eulogy flew by him, and Rob hadn't moved an inch. As the offertory began to ring through the church, people began to shuffle out of their pews; Rob did not move.

Alone in the pew, Rob stared down at the puddle of his own tears that had formed at his feet. He suddenly threw his head back, and let out a silent sigh. If stares were deadly, the roof of the church would have crumbled.

Never had Rob been so angry with God, She was so young, why did He have to take her? Why did the cab have to be hit on her side of the car? Why did she have to die? Why did He take her away?

Rob's questions were asked in silence. He got silence in return.

The mass was ended, but love and service of The Lord were the farthest thing from Rob's mind. He stood for the first time in an hour and a half, and carried his only love out of the church, his tears flowing freely, and placed Jessie in the hearse.

Rob turned away from the hearse with the heaviest of hearts. Suddenly, and surprisingly, he saw his history teacher approach.

Mr. Michaels: 6'5" tall, 270 lb. retired NYPD hostage negotiator. He was known as the meanest, strictest teach in the whole school. By all accounts, he had never spoken a kind word to anyone. The only thing that he had ever shown an iota of sentimentality towards was the autographed photo of John F. Kennedy, Jr.

Without uttering a word, Mr. Michaels shook Rob's hand and pulled him in for a hug. As they embraced, Mr. Michaels whipped into Rob's ear: "Do not pray for easier lives. Pray to be stronger men."

Mr. Michaels released his grip on Rob, and walked away with a nod. With that, Rob went home with a new vision, and prayed more passionately than he ever had before.

Author's Note

Be honest

Reviews

[SpeedyHobbit Armstrong]

This was really beyond sad! I was a little confused about what had happened to Jessie at first but it was primarily fron misreading- I understood a second time through.

[kendra14(:]

i like it! thats all i can say no judgement or anything i just really like it(:

[Will]

Thanks a lot, Kendra :)