The sorrowful sound of the funeral trumpets reverberated, combining with the sound of raindrops falling on the old roof made of corrugated iron.
At the center of the yard, a coffin that had been painted with gold was positioned on top of two wooden seats. As Elena, the kind daughter-in-law who had recently passed away as a result of an early birth, was being laid to rest, mourners sat in close proximity to one another, each bending their heads in expression of sadness.
Elena had only reached the age of 25. Since she became a daughter-in-law, she had always shown consideration for her parents-in-law and treated them with the same level of care that she would her own daughter. The mother-in-law of Elena, Mrs. Helen, continued to feel pleased of her daughter-in-law, saying, “Any family that has a daughter-in-law like Lan is a great blessing.” But after a little more than a year, calamity suddenly hit.
During that night, Elena was experiencing extreme abdominal pain, and she was crying and grasping her stomach. She had come to the point of exhaustion by the time she was transported to the hospital. When the baby was born, Elena passed out, and she never came back to consciousness again. The baby never cried out.
Everyone in the family was in utter disbelief. Helen, Mrs., sobbed and then passed out.
During the time that he was looking at the portrait of his daughter-in-law that was placed on the lid of the coffin, Mr. Louis, her husband, remained mute and his eyes appeared lifeless. A radiant smile could be seen on Elena’s face in the photograph, and her eyes were filled with joy.
As soon as it was time to lift the casket, eight young men went up, placed their hands on both sides of the coffin, and made preparations to carry it to the hearse. Nevertheless, the casket would not budge no matter how hard they attempted to lift it. This was a peculiar occurrence. It appeared as though the coffin was stuck to the ground, but everyone’s face was red, and the veins on their hands were the only thing that stood out. One of the elderly residents in the area groaned and said, “She must still be upset and can’t leave already.”
In a low voice, the shaman who was standing nearby said:
What is the difference between caskets and coffins on the subject of memorial planning?
“She still has something to say, so open the coffin,” the person said.
Taking the lock off was done. All of the people were taken aback when the lid of the coffin was raised. On Elena’s face, there were two lines of tears that continued to linger. Her eyelids were only partially closed, and the corners of her eyelashes appeared to be damp, as if she had just shed a tear. Mrs. Helen broke down into tears, sat down next to the coffin, and clutched her daughter-in-law’s hand while her voice could be heard shaking deeply:
Elena… ” Stop crying and move forward… Please let me know if there is anything that you have not mentioned… I implore you, my kid……”
At the funeral, there was complete and utter silence.
Sobbing sprang out all of a sudden. Everyone turned their attention to Louis, who was Louis’s husband. He prostrated himself on his knees, covering his face with his hands and crying out in pain. Everybody was taken aback by it. After turning around, Mrs. Helen spoke in a trembling voice:
‘Louis…’ Oh, what are you doing… Have you listened to what Elena has to say?
Despite the fact that his eyes were red, his face was covered in tears, and his voice was broken and choked, Louis raised his head and said:
“I am to blame for it… I forced her to leave us in agony…
All of the yard was silent, and the only sound that could be heard was the sound of the hard rain. Louis sobbed as he looked at the face of his wife, which was covered in tears:
The day when she discovered that I was seeing someone else… She did not utter a single word; instead, she remained silent and wept the entire night away. But she was so surprised that I broke my pledge to end the relationship. During the night, she suffered from a severe stomachache… Even though I got her to the hospital, it was already too late… I am truly sorry… I was completely mistaken… Elena… ”
Screams could be heard reverberating across the entire yard. There was a tremor in Mrs. Helen’s voice, and it was breaking in the rain:
“Oh my goodness… a child of mine… For what reason are you going through this? Your daughter-in-law is… I am sorry that I am unable to provide you with protection…
Louis leaned his head on the coffin that contained his wife, his hands firmly grasping the edge of the wooden surface. The man’s voice was trembling as he choked:
‘Louis…’ I am truly sorry… I am aware that I was incorrect… You are free to feel resentment toward me, or you may even despise me… But I beg your pardon, please… Permit me to accompany you to the location where you will be laid to rest…
Suddenly, there was a minor shaking of the casket. Shaman gave a slight nod and said, “She has let go.”
Once more, the eight young guys lowered their hands to the ground. On this occasion, they raised it with care, and the casket was hauled up without much difficulty. The melancholy sound of the trumpet sounded, and with it, a woman who was destined for a terrible result was sent away. Each individual bent their heads in silence in order to make room.
With tears mingling with the rain, Louis knelt down on the chilly earth above him. Each and every apology reverberated terribly within his heart. Regardless of how much he grieved or how much he apologized, he was aware that he would never be able to make amends for his past errors. This was something he knew for sure.
And for the rest of his life, the picture of Elena crying would continue to torment him in his restless nightmares. It was as if it were trying to tell him that there are wounds that, no of how often he apologized, could not be healed.
