I found a spot up on a rise that overlooked the beach — the waves rolling slow and steady like they knew what had just happened. It wasn't much of a hill, but it was high enough to see the horizon. The kind of place that felt… peaceful.
I looked down at Sara, cradled in my arms."You're lucky," I said quietly. "This is an amazing spot. I wish I could get buried here."
A dry, hollow laugh escaped me. I set her gently down on the ground."Okie dokie, Sara. I need you to sit tight here. I mean, uh… lay down here, while I go find something to dig this grave."
I scanned the area — magnolia leaves scattered around, a piece of wrecked plane metal, some sticks, rocks, and a few planks washed up by the tide. "Oookay," I muttered. "This is what I got for you, Sara. I can use those big-ass leaves as bedding so you've got something comfortable to lay on. Those sticks? I'll make a cross. Rip some cloth from clothes to tie it together. Then maybe carve your name into a rock."
I paused, thinking."Something like: Here lies the most amazing, tough, awesome person in the world — the number one mother, Sara."I frowned. "That probably won't fit on a stick. Maybe one of those planks instead. Yeah, that'll work. What do you think, Sara? Boa?"
No answer, of course. Just Boa's heavy snort."Alright, alright. I get it, girl. Stop wasting time and get to work. Will do."
I started digging with the metal scrap, humming to myself. "First thing's first — six feet deep. Actually, you know what? Screw it, let's make it ten." The dirt flew easily as I worked, and my voice carried on — to Boa, to Sara, to God, and maybe to Jesus too.
"So the first anime I ever saw was Tokyo Ghoul," I said between scoops of dirt. "I was like seven… or ten? Anyway, episode one — man, that episode hit."
I explained every detail of it — from Kaneki's awkward date to the alleyway ambush — like I was watching it again in my head. By the time I'd finished describing the whole thing, the grave was ready.
"Okay, now for the leaves," I said, climbing out of the hole. "Gotta make sure your bed's nice and comfy, Sara."
I headed toward the magnolia leaves, still talking. "So that was episode one. Episode two though? That's where things really start heating up. I mean, it gets good at episode ten, but we're not there yet."
The leaves were huge, some reaching up to my knees."Damn, these things are big," I laughed, gathering them up while continuing to narrate the show in ridiculous detail. I talked, I worked, I padded the grave carefully, checking for bugs — couldn't have anything crawling on Sara now, could we?
"Don't want any creepy crawlies on you while you take your long nap, right Boa?"
Boa gave another snort. I could've sworn she rolled her eyes at me. Somewhere in the distance, thunder grumbled — almost like it was begging me to stop talking. And in the wind, I thought I heard a whisper."Please stop talking…"
I froze for half a second, then chuckled. "Yeah, that's probably my imagination."
When I finished half of episode two and the bedding looked just right, I climbed out of the hole and walked over to Sara again."Up we go," I said gently, lifting her.
I carried her back to the grave and laid her down on the bed of leaves."Nice and comfy, right?"
I made sure no bugs were on the leaves, brushing them away just in case. "Look at you," I said softly. "All pretty, even though you're missing, you know… half your body. But still pretty. I can tell you were thick as hell, even though you got little bitty titties."
I laughed awkwardly. "Yeah, that joke sucked." Boa snorted again, louder this time. Definitely judging me.
I climbed out of the grave and dusted myself off. "Nice and comfy now, right? Anyway, before I cover you up with dirt, I gotta finish explaining episode two. I was only halfway through."
I sat beside the grave, one leg dangling in the hole, and started talking again — voice softer this time. Boa plopped down beside me with a long sigh.
The sky started to darken as I talked about ghouls and tragedy and masks, my words drifting away with the ocean breeze.
And when I finally fell quiet, for once, the world was too.