Here is another exemplary effort from the Cion essays submitted over the summer.
Silence
by Sarah Sarich
Families stand solemnly in a gravevard; their only movement comes from the tears inching down their faces as they listen to a prayer being silently spoken. Unlike his fellow mourners, Toloki is one to put on a show. He is not afraid to cause a commotion while mourning the death of a person he may or may not even know in the slightest of ways. He listens to the prayers being spoken, and he is inspired by the words in such a way that frees his mind and body to the ways of sorrow. He enters a new realm where he is free to move and cry as he pleases, and it is all choreographed to the songs and prayers of the deceased.
His wails of sorrow and despair pierce through the wind as his fellow mourners continue to faintly grieve. He cries out the name of the deceased, and he fantasizes about the life the deceased must have had. As he dances about, he throws his arms to the sky, and he creates an exciting, honorable death in his head. These thoughts keep him centered as he throws himself to the ground and right on top of the grave itself. His cries continue to build, and he rolls around on the mound trying to build up to his grand finish. The service ends, and he collapses from his exhaustion. He is satisfied with the mourning he has produced, and he knows the deceased has been properly mourned. The deceased can now be free to leave the minds of the families surrounding him, so he collects his money and searches for his next show.
Much unlike Toloki. she sits silently on a wooden pew in the church. The eulogy is spoken by a relative of the deceased, and cries echo off of the raised ceiling and back into the crowd of mourners. Most of the mourners cover their faces with a handkerchief attempting to wipe their tears of sorrow away before the salty drops of water reach their chins. but she is only capable of sitting motionless with an emotionless visage. She stares at the casket, and she knows she must be brave. A tear forms in her eye, but she fights it until it evaporates into thin air. The preacher says another prayer, but she does not listen to a word that he says. Instead, her mind races towards a happier time, and a small smile appears on her blank face.
She thinks about all of the good times and all of the bad times, and eventually she stops thinking about the deceased all together. She reminisces on the past weekends with her friends and being in the arms of the cute boy from homeroom. Her thoughts are interrupted as the service comes to a close, and she is forced back into harsh reality. She walks out of the church and steps into the long, black limo that will take her and her family to the gravesite. About twenty cars line up behind the limo, and the funeral parade turns out onto the streets of the small town.
The air is cool and crisp at the gravesite, but she can feel the heat starting to build up inside of her as she sheds her coat. Another prayer is said in a solemn and lifeless tone as the casket is lowered into the grave. More tears are shed by those around her, and she can hear wails of agony a few rows back, but she is silent and brave. She stays strong until the end, and she keeps replaying the cheerful memories in her head. As she makes her way home, she tries not to giggle as she is reminded of an event from the past weekend, but as she holds back her laughter, another tear is forming. All of the emotions are starting to attack her in full force. She steps out of the car, and she runs to her room in tears. She is finally ready to mourn in a more open manor.
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