SOMETHING STUPID - JAMES MAGUIRE

024

Nora snuck behind Michelle and Clare, with James behind her, as they poked their head through the doorway. 

"Can we come in" Clare whispered to Orla and Erin who were standing over their great aunts body. 

"Why are you whispering?" Erin looked back at the girl confused. "I don't know?" 

And with that the remainder of the group filed into the room looking upon Bridie's body. 

"Thanks for coming, guys. It's nice to have a bit of support at this very difficult time." Erin spoke sadly 

"Awww come here" Nora held her arms out in which Erin happily took the hug happy to receive some sympathetic attention. Apparently Nora would be the only one to give it to her. 

"You thought she was a dick."  Michelle pointed out 

"I never said that!" Erin pushed herself away from Nora to properly defend herself. 

"You did, Erin." Orla corrected

"Aye, I definitely heard you say it!" Clare agreed. 

"OK, can I just check something?" James interrupted, his gaze zeroed in on the body with a terrified look on his face. "Everybody else can see the dead body, right?" 

"It's just Bridie!" Erin waved off 

"It's Bridie's corpse. It's Bridie's dead corpse." James continued to push 

"It's her wake. What were you expecting?" Michelle pointed out. 

"Haven't you ever seen a dead body before?" Nora genuinely asked the boy. 

"Of course not!" 

"Christ, but the English are weird." Michelle scoffed. 

"You can touch her if you want?" Orla spoke, putting her hands either side of Bridie's face.

 "Why the hell would I want to touch her?!" James looked horrified. 

"It's nice." 

Nora put her hand out slightly grazing the hand of the body inf ront of her to see if what Orla said was true. Her hand was slapped away by James who gave her a concerning look. 

"Stop it! It's just a dead body, James. We're all going to be one someday." Clare snapped. 

 "Oh, thanks for that, Clare. Yeah, that's helped." James spoke sarcastically.

 Nora awwed and lifted her hand up to comfort the boy only for him to duck away. 

"Don't touch me with that hand" he cried not wanting to be touched by the same hand a dead body had. He instantly regretted the choice as Nora looked at him with a deep from.

"It really makes you think, doesn't it? Death." Michelle spoke up before James could apologise to the Kelly girl. "It makes you want to do everything and just, like, try everything." 

"What's going on, Michelle?" Clare asked the girl suspicious of her behaviour. 

"Do yous wanna see something class?" Michelle asked causing Orla and Nora to vigorously shake their heads. "Prepare yourself, girls." Michelle opened a container to reveal a bunch of scones. 

"Scones." Erin observed obviously not impressed. 

"That's right." Michelle responded with a proud look. 

"What's so class about scones?" 

"Scones are lovely." Orla defended 

"Aye, I like scones!" Clare nodded.