Bart Allen's Memorial Service: Serenity Cove (Saturday at noon)

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

The memorial service was held on the flat hilltop overlooking the ocean, and at its edge rested an old-fashioned wooden boat, worn and weathered. There were chairs for those still too weak to stand and four torches, burning steadily, set in the ground at the four cardinal points. The day was bright and clear, a light breeze blowing out to sea, but despite that, the torches never flickered.

Karal, dressed in formal robes of black and gold, stood in front of the boat, waiting patiently while people arrived.

When everyone had settled, he stepped forward and began to speak, voice carrying strong and clear across the hilltop. "Thank you, all of you, for coming. I know the notice was short, and many of you are still suffering the after effects of the illness.

We are here today to remember Bart Allen, a bright, joyful, innocent young man who should not have died." He paused, glancing down for a moment before he lifted his chin. "But we are also here because we want to know why. Why this happened, why here, why to us. I have those answers, but they are deeply sorrowful ones.

We are not the first community this island has held. Three hundred years ago there was another. Like this one, its people came from diverse places, and like this one, they knew magic and wonder and hope.

Three hundred years ago, they were deliberately struck down by ill will and malice, loosed on this island in the form of a sickness. Why? Because those who lived here were different. Because they did not follow the ways of those who lived on the mainland." He paused again, looking from person to person, eyes solemn. "Because they possessed unique gifts, and used them to help their community.

When they used those gifts to try and save their fellows, the illness grew far worse. It had been created to do so, and it fed on its victims' illness to lock the island away from the world.

They knew they would not survive. This boat--" He turned and walked to lay his hand against the hull. "They used their gifts, binding it to find a safe harbour, and tried to send it forth carrying those who were still in good health. They didn't know how thoroughly they were trapped, you see, and it was a noble effort. The final death set the boat free to drift across the ocean."

Karal paused again, taking a deep, calming breath before he continued. "On Friday it returned and the cycle began again.

What happened here this week began here three hundred years ago. It ends here, today, because of all of us. Every single person on this island who came together, who refused to give up, who kept fighting this sickness with everything they had in them.

We lost one of our own. Bart should not have died. But he will be remembered; he will be remembered by all of us. We will not forget him, and we must never forget that together, we survived.

I would like us to take a moment of silence to remember Bart. Afterwards, there are others who I have asked to speak, but anyone who wishes to will have their chance."

He bowed his head and clasped his hands in front of him. When the minute had passed, he stepped back, making way for the first speaker.


[ooc: Word of the service was handwavily passed by word of mouth, and by way of announcement and on the radio. Please wait for OCD is up!]

Comments

Arrive

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Find a seat or a place to stand. There's plenty of room, and enough seats for those who need them.

Re: Arrive

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

Molly stood behind the chairs and looked around for Katara. She wanted to make sure her friend wasn't alone during this.

Re: Arrive

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

Katara was there - she couldn't imagine not going - but she tried to stay back, finding a seat on the grass where she could see, but not in the actual chairs.

Re: Arrive

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

Cassandra didn't do well with crowds, but she still knew she had to be there. While she hadn't spoken much to Bart in Fandom, he had still been something of a link to her past.

Losing that had hurt more than she had expected it would. So she stood as much out of the way as she could, quiter (stiller) than she usually was.

Re: Arrive

[misshargrove.livejournal.com]

Annette found a seat and folded her hands in her lap, saddened by the loss that seemed to affect them all.

Re: Arrive

[fantastic-torch.livejournal.com]

Johnny was sitting, his mood somber as he waited for the speakers to begin.

Re: Arrive

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

Anders hadn't even known until this morning that the illness had claimed one of their own, but after catching the announcement there was no way he could skip out on it. A quick check of the school directory had let him know that Bart had lived in Anders's own old dorm room.

As far as he was concerned, that was enough of a common bond to more than justify his presence here today, even if he'd never known Bart.

Out of stubbornness, perhaps, or maybe just because he'd had his fill of lying down all week, he stood behind the chairs rather than sitting, one hand resting lightly on a chair back just in case.

Re: Arrive

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

Aravis was there, quiet and dressed in her darkest gown. She'd not known Bart at all, but that didn't mean she couldn't respect him posthumously, and support those who had.

Re: Arrive

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

River quietly sat down on a chair. As Karal spoke she could feel her anger at those people, centuries ago, who had decided to wipe out those they couldn't accept.

Re: Arrive

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

Turtle slipped in quietly, taking a seat near the front. And, no, she didn't care that she was already nearly practically crying before the whole thing got started

Re: Arrive

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

One day, they'd all be done going to the funeral of kids, Aly thought vaguely as she found a seat from which she could watch the crowd as well as the speakers.

Re: Arrive

[likethegun]

Sam came and sat down, looking solemn and lost in his own thoughts.

Re: Arrive

[needsaparrot]

Xander, in a suit he'd been vainly hoping he could avoid wearing again, at least in Fandom, found a seat near the back.

_
[And will be afk for most of the day, so will have to pick up any pings in the evening.]

Re: Arrive

[fastestkidalive.livejournal.com]

There was a stranger in the crowd. A tall, redhead who very well might look like a runner.

If he was wearing a better suit, that it.

He stood near the back, not really focusing on anything in particular.

Re: Arrive

[goodgirlmeg.livejournal.com]

Meg was standing in the back, her arms folded across her chest. She didn't know Bart at all but she was there to show her respect.

Re: Arrive

[blackmagic-eve.livejournal.com]

Eve was breaking her plan of sleeping all weekend just long enough to go to the service. She looked exhausted as she sat in a chair, but she also looked determined. She wouldn't have missed this for anything.

Re: Arrive

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

Chris orbed to the cove, holding on to Lana.

He went to find them seats, since she was still pretty weak. Even though neither of them had known Bart, they wanted to be there to pay their respects.

Re: Arrive

[death-of-hope.livejournal.com]

Anemone walked in and took a seat right in front, Gulliver held tightly in her arms. She hadn't stopped crying since finding out about Bart, and probably wasn't going to stop anytime soon.

Re: Arrive

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad quietly found a seat in the back, head down with his fingers roaming over the face of the coin her usually wore around his neck, repeating to himself a small prayer in Spanish. For peace, because, for him, that was the most important part, that his soul would pass peacefully.

Re: Arrive

[just-add-starch.livejournal.com]

Fraser arrived and took a position standing off to the side of the chairs, arms behind his back.

Speakers

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

.

Principal Washburn

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

.

Lighting the boat

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

When all had finished speaking, Karal stepped forward again. "There are candles, enough for all." He pointed at the boxes, filled with long white candles. "Light them from one of the torches, or from each others' candles. You may wish to say a few words before you add them to the pyre."

As each candle landed, the fire became a little bit brighter, spreading out across the wooden boat.

Re: Lighting the boat

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

Chris walked over and lit a candle from one of the torches. He stood quietly for a moment, wondering how a stupid boat could have nearly killed them all.

Then he added his candle to the fire, glad they were destroying the thing and hopefully keeping future generations from going through what they had just gone through.

Watch the fire

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

The boat was burning quickly, the flames reaching high into the air, but the fire was being strictly controlled by the large cat who was standing, eyes locked on the fire, next to Karal.

As the boat burned, it collapsed in on itself, the heat and smoke and ashes being carried out to sea.

Leaving

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

After it's over, mingle if you like, or just head home.

Re: Leaving

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal's here should you wish to speak with him, standing next to the fire's remains.

OOC

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

The world is definitely not allowed to end.

Comments are turned off, so if you need anything, ping me here!

Re: OOC

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

Did you even sleep at all?