203 - City of the Dead

203 - City of the Dead
I found my light. She saved me. Mom, Dad, go with Momma Dee. Go find your peace. We’re good here. Your sacrifice still guides me. Your love still protects me. Go rest. - Darkness

As everyone at the Shack began to wake up and began reacting to Momma Dee’s death, it quickly became apparent that she knew her time was short. Doc was able to certify her death and signed her death certificate. Using the laptop he had in her room, he filed the paperwork needed to move her body from Massachusetts to Louisiana.

Darkness was not sure where they had the refrigerated casket at, but it was brought up to her room. Case, Rosie and Nessie washed her body and dressed her in the white dress that had been picked specifically for her burial. Once she was in the casket, her room was open for everyone to say their goodbyes.

Within a few hours, a man with a local funeral home arrived to take custody of the body. The man seemed to know the Saints and even spoke kindly of Momma Dee. Of course, Darkness thought, she would want to know who would be handling her body once her spirit was gone. Once everyone had been by, they took her body down in the freight elevator and out to the waiting hearse.

The plane for Werewolf’s security company, Wolf Pack Security, flew Darkness and his family down to New Orleans. Another local funeral home met them at the airport where Momma Dee’s body was moved to a lighter coffin. The rented cars took them directly to the St. Louis Cemetery Number One on Basin Street behind the hearse. According to Louisiana state law, since she was not being embalmed, she had to be in the family crypt within twenty-four hours.

At the gate of the cemetery, they met with some other Cajuns from both the Baton Rouge and New Orleans chapters. They exchanged quick pleasantries and condolences before the simple wooden casket was removed from the hearse. It was placed on their shoulders with Darkness and Vin leading the way and four other Cajuns behind them.

Each pair of men gripped the shoulder of the man across from them as they walked down the street of the city’s most famous City of the Dead. The cemetery covered only a block, but there were plenty of souls here. Darkness could feel them and their oppressive sadness as soon as they crossed into the cemetery. Behind the coffin little Noah became fussy as they made their way to the family crypt.

Approaching the crypt where his parents had been laid, Darkness wanted to go to his son. The baby wailed loudly as the stone door was open. He understood why his son was so upset, Darkness could also feel the sadness that emanated from the bones.

The last body that had been placed inside was his grandfather. As had been the tradition, one year and one day after he had been placed inside, the vault door was opened and the remaining bones moved to the lower bone pit. He remembered doing the same for his parents back when he had not been speaking and he had no way of asking about what he had been feeling.

Yet, somehow, Momma Dee understood.

She had taken his hand and assured him that what he was feeling, and seeing, was normal. Or at least normal for them. With the wisdom of her age, she had carefully explained the spirits and why some were trapped here. Including his parents.

Momma Dee had told him that when he had found his voice, he would need to come back and give them peace. Only then would they be able to rest and cross on to the next life. Even after he had started speaking again, he had not been back to ease their pain. Although he had found his voice, he had not found his peace.

The coffin was placed in the crypt and Darkness placed his hand on the lid to say goodbye. The wood emanated nothing but peace as she was already gone. Beneath her, sadness and turmoil radiated from the bones.

Looking at the attendant that had opened the crypt, Darkness asked, “Can I have it a moment before you close it?”

“Yes, sir,” he said as he stepped back.

Darkness turned to where Camille was trying to calm Noah and motioned for her to bring him the baby. Once the infant was against his father’s chest, covered in a white cotton oxford shirt, he began to calm down. The traditional white clothing for mourning felt odd compared to his typical black and other dark clothing.

He placed his free arm around her shoulders and then motioned for their other children to join them. They flanked their parents with Nicki leaning into Darkness’ side and standing protectively next to Camille. Mitch stood behind her and Darkness still thought it seemed backwards but necessary since he was now slightly taller than her.

“Momma Dee,” Darkness finally said, “you’ve always been here for me. Even when I was in the Navy, you were always just a phone call away. I’m not ready for you to be gone. Yet you were ready. You kept telling me that you were tired. Go rest, gran dam. Mwen renmen ou, Manman Dee.”

Drawing on her newly learned Creole, Camille also told Momma Dee that she loved her. Their three older children also said their goodbyes while Noah continued to quietly fuss. He scrunched up and squirmed as if he was unsettled.

Taking a deep breath, Darkness knelt sitting down on his ankles, being careful to keep his knees in the white pants off the ground. Noah became even more restless as his father sought the words that had eluded him most of his life. Camille placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, and he let out a long sigh.

“Mom, Dad,” he whispered. “I don’t know if Jasper ever brought his kids to meet you. They are now our babies. Our oldest, Vin, is in his second year at MIT, he’s smart as hell. My baby girl, Nicki, has been accepted to Harvard. And our Mitch has a summer program at Juilliard this year. This little guy,” he adjusted the fussy baby in his arms, “is our Noah.”

Darkness became quiet for a moment and Camille rubbed his back. He spoke barely above a whisper in Creole as he told his parents about finding his light. The darkness that he had been trapped in and named after had lessened its grip on him.

He stood up and a breeze moved through the cemetery. Tink sat up from where he had been laying at Camille’s feet and gave a soft whimper. Something shifted in the air and a peace settled around them. With a yawn, Noah closed his dark eyes and went to sleep.

Everyone around the family seemed to sense the change. The air that had just moved around them once again grew thick with humidity and calmed emotions. Zydeco moved to the casket and placed a hand on the wood.

“Woman, you’re dead. You can quit scaring me now.”