Weeks passed, and Elio's health continued to deteriorate. The pain was unbearable at times, but he tried his best to manage it; he had to, clinging to the only thing left in his life...
Money.
He hates to admit it, but it's true. He worked tirelessly at his part-time jobs to save enough money for the bills and food. Then, at the nightclub, he served drinks to men who didn't care about him without complaining to save money for the pile of loans and debt he had on his list.
But as each day ended, when the club closed and the last drunk staggered out the door, Elio would return to his apartment. It was a place that echoed with the emptiness of a life lived in silence. Then, from there, he imagined what his death looked like. It would be great if his death wouldn't be slow and agonizing. He prefers that his death be quick so he can't no longer feel the pain. Or maybe dying in his sleep is a good alternative, just like many people wished for. But there's a familiar pain in his chest when he thinks about dying alone, knowing that no one would be there to hold his hand or a family to mourn him.
But...does it matter? He thought to himself. Because the truth is, no one would even care.
Elio shook his head. He wasn't sure why these negative thoughts plagued him, but he tried to brush it off out of his mind. Then he asked himself, "What would be the most practical thing to do if a person knows he's going to die." Then, the idea of preparing for his death lit in his head like a light bulb. "That would be the best thing to do," he said. After all, that would be the least he could do about his situation.
That's when Elio decided to take a leave and spent his entire day looking for a funeral shop that offered their service at a lower price. He tried looking at the city, then to the downtown. But still, whenever he peeped at the price tag, he automatically backed out and started searching again. Then, after several hours of walking and exploring, he turned to a familiar place, Shallowmoore Alley, which is known for its narrow, quiet street.
However, he noticed something...weird.
Elio was certain: two ash trees stood like silent sentinels between a vacant lot in that alley, a space he'd seen countless times when he passed by that road from his work. He could not be mistaken; there was a space between those ash trees, and he had just seen it empty yesterday. But today, for some reason, he didn't know how a funeral shop stood there as if it was there the entire time—no signs of excavation, no traces of construction. Elio frowned in disbelief. That funeral shop wasn't there yesterday. He was sure of it!
But while he was in the middle of his confusion, he saw people entering the shop where most of them were old and had sunken cheeks and pale skin, as if they hadn't seen the sun in years. But there were a couple of young customers too. The youngest he saw was about eight years old, which was weird, in his opinion.
Why would an eight-year-old kid like to go to a place like this?
Curiosity pulled Elio towards that funeral shop. The glass door swung open with the soft chime of a bell. Inside, the air smelled of lilies and old wood. The walls had flowers, caskets, urns, and candlelit portraits.
But something felt off the moment Elio stepped in...
Everyone was staring at me!
From the staff behind the counters to the customers seated in the waiting area, they all looked stunned, as if they saw a ghost before them. Others whispered to one another, their voices barely above a murmur.
"Is he...?"
"Shush! Don't speak!"
Elio swallowed hard. He got so conscious of his presence at the shop. "Is it because of my look? Do I look dead already?"
He wasn't sure why, but the weight of their stares made his chest tighten. He thought that maybe he wasn't allowed there, that he mistook the place for a funeral shop (but that wasn't the reason. The shop was a funeral shop!) Or maybe these people knew who he was, and they were murmuring because they were talking about the scandal he was involved with.
Elio felt so tiny. He slowly stepped back, trying to distance himself from the others. Then he slowly faced the rows of wooden caskets, pretending to look at them to avoid being seen, being the center of everyone's attraction.
Then suddenly, Elio heard a soft voice from a distance. That voice told the other, "Let me handle this."
Then, from there, a smooth, rich, and strangely comforting voice cut through Elio's silence.
"I assume you are looking for something?"
Elio turned without a second thought. He sees a man, approximately in his thirties, approaching him. The man was tall, elegant, and wore a sharp black suit. His light gray, almost silver, slightly long hair was neatly styled, and his gorgeous silver eyes gleamed with charm. That man's features were striking in a way that he didn't try too hard to be handsome. He wasn't the kind of man you noticed immediately, but when Elio did, it was hard for him to look away.
Elio swallowed and cleared his throat when the man approached him. His voice, when he spoke, was dry from a lifetime of silence.
"I'm sorry?" Elio inquired.
"Can I help you with something?" The man politely asked again. Elio was slightly stunned, too charmed by the man's beauty and presence. "Oh, yes..."
With flushed cheeks, he looked back to the coffins on exhibit and said, "I'm here to make preparations."
As though measuring the young man, he observed him for a time before saying, "I think I can help you with that. We offer different styles, varying price ranges, and..."
"I want a decent coffin," Elio said abruptly, his words decisive and piercing. Style and luxury were irrelevant to him. Whether it was pine or oak didn't matter to him. "A simple one is fine by me."
The proprietor grinned. "I think we have that in here. Please, follow me."
The young owner led Elio past the grand, polished coffins lined in rows. Most coffins were carved with beautiful patterns, others with gold or silver trim. They all looked expensive. Too expensive for him. But the man gestured to a plain wooden casket at the room's far end. "I think this is the one you are looking for..."
Elio hesitated for a moment when he saw the casket. He tried to brush his fingertips over the glossy surface when he reached it with his hands. He attempted to imagine himself inside it, looking peaceful as if he were just sleeping.
Elio smiled. It was precisely what he wanted.
He cannot pay with cash, but the store accepts installments as a substitute, so that's another thing he likes about it.
Elio felt a sense of relief. "I'll take this one, I like it."
The youthful proprietor grinned. "I'm glad you do."
Then, in a strange, quiet moment, Elio turned to that young man who first greeted him with a peculiar but gentle smile. He also happened to be the owner of that strange funeral shop that wasn't even there yesterday. Then, in the spur of the moment, he asked the man a very straightforward question without thinking...
"If no one comes, would you like to...attend my funeral?"
The funeral shop owner's expression slightly faltered to the question. There's a noticeable tinge of curiosity and amazement in his reaction as he looked into Elio's eyes. Then, after a while, the man smiled gently; his gaze seemed...ancient, as if he'd seen too many souls who left the world while looking into Elio's.
Meanwhile, Elio noticed the other man's undeniable silence. He knew then that his request was weird and pointless, so he tried to brush off the idea and apologized.
"I'm so sorry." Elio's voice was slightly rattled when he tried to explain his side. "That request was...well...off the topic. I got confused sometimes, but please don't mind my request, I just-"
"That's okay..." The young owner replied after a long pause. "I'll be there.
Elio was in disbelief. He knows it's just a random request, but this man in front of him? He can't be serious about it. No one will agree to such a peculiar request.
"Don't be ridiculous." he said, "Who are you to make such promises?"
But the man's smile didn't falter. He replied.
"Everyone calls me here 'Grimm,' if you wish, I'm more than willing to be at your service."
Elio stared at him, unsure whether to feel comforted or unsettled by the man's promise. He had expected rejection, not this smooth, quiet agreement between him and a stranger. But something in that man's gaze- Grimm, as he called himself, Elio believed him. For reasons Elio couldn't quite explain, it felt almost like a weight was lifted from his chest because of that simple assurance from the man he just met...
"So..." Grimm suddenly cut the silence between them to go unto the details of Elio's purchase. We can proceed with the details of your purchase and request.
Elio faltered. Unsure of his answer. "Okay..."
The two talked and arranged everything based on Elio's preference. The young man has a simple request: a coffin that is nothing too extravagant. As promised, Grimm would personally handle Elio's funeral, ensuring the young man wasn't left with nothing, not even a farewell without someone to mourn him.
As their conversation ended, Elio decided to leave the shop. "Thank you," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "For...for agreeing to be there at my funeral."
Grimm smiled a small, gentle smile that didn't ask for further questions. "You're welcome."
Elio left the funeral parlor that had mysteriously appeared on Shallowmoore Alley overnight, feeling both lighter and heavier simultaneously. Something was unnerving about making such arrangements, about acknowledging the inevitable in such a stark, tangible way. But there was also a strange sense of relief. He wouldn't die completely alone. Someone would be there to say goodbye to him when that day comes...
"Grimm!"
One staff member, dressed in the same black uniform as the rest, approached Grimm right after Elio left the shop. The staff was uncertain about everything that had happened. Still, he was sure that Elio captured the owner's and everyone's attention.
"I've never seen someone like that before! What do you think?"
"We'll see," Grim replied. Short but without reservations as he stared at Elio leaving the Shallowmoore Alley.