Episode 10

Heather

The cemetery was covered in a thick, cold fog that made everyone feel like they were being suffocated. Ivik stood on the edge like a rock. His face was blank as he watched his father's coffin be lowered to the ground.

Slowly, I approached him, reaching out to rub gentle circles on his broad back in an attempt to offer some comfort. The firm muscles under his black suit tensed briefly at my touch, then relaxed. He stared vacantly at the casket until it was completely buried.

Time went on, the minutes stretching into an hour since the last person offered their condolences before departing. The cemetery emptied, leaving Ivik and me alone with the whispering wind and the freshly turned soil. His silence was heavy. I knew that no words could truly ease his pain, but I hoped that my presence alone would provide some relief.

"Talk to me, Ivik," I urged softly. "You don't have to go through this alone."

For a long while, there was nothing. No response. No acknowledgment. Then, as if t