Chapter 21

The funeral is held just a few days later, all exactly to Ryan' instructions, he has been cremated, but still the ceremony was held in the cemetery to make his existence to the generations that didn’t get a chance to know him.

The headstone is deep gray granite with silver flecks. There's just his name with Ryan Jacob Sails in the center and the dates of his birth and death. It is simple, far too simple to tell the story of a boy who meant so much too so many people.

None of them can really look at the headstone or the freshly covered grave, with brown dirt visible even through the multitudes of flowers that had been placed on top of it. Eventually the pack are the only ones left standing at the grave, even Ryan’s mother has gone, having been escorted home by Sam’s equally distraught mother, Ryan had been like a son to her too. They'll all meet up at the house later, but right now the thought of going back to the house that's still full of everything they had just lost was too raw.

Death is in no way romantic, it is a thief that comes in the night and steals your comfort, it takes away your peace. Death is too permanent, to final, and its grief never goes away, it fades into memories, into pinches instead of slaps, but it never really leaves.

So they stand together at his grave, as if a small piece of him is still with them. Only after the sun sets do they leave, as a group, and go back to the last place that felt like home, the last place that Ryan graced with his presence. When they get there, his mother isn’t waiting for them, she is too sick with grief.

Later they would scatter the ashes, but the girls all took a little pinch and put it in the lockets they had bought, so that he would always be with them, even 20 years from now.

Over the next few weeks not a day goes by without someone visiting Ryan. Then as the weeks draw into months the occasional day or two happen when no one visits. These days slowly become more frequent as they learn how to live without him. As months slip into years Ryan' grave becomes a gathering place for special occasions.

Weddings, births, holidays all necessitate a visit to Ryan. Not all of the pack is at every one of those visits, but twice a year, they're all show up. Once on Ryan' birthday, then again on the anniversary of his death. On these days they tell stories of adventures past.  

Stories about the boy who walked through fire, and was never burned.