And the Bell Rings On

-Five Years Post Saturation Completion. CONT.-

Stepping forward, with me going first, I reached down to scoop up a handful of fresh soil; then, with a stony expression and slightly glistening eyes, I walked to the six-foot hole where my father would spend the rest of eternity and released the soil onto the casket.

"Neka se vaše putovanje nikada ne završi, čak ni u zagrobnom životu.

Zbogom, oče, volim te."

(May your journey never end, even in the afterlife. Goodbye, Father, I love you!)

This  Serbian phrase killed me inside to say…I had heard it at every funeral on my father's side, and even my exact wording was spoken by him the day his father died. 

And it was when the words left my lips that the first tear cascaded down my cheek. Stepping back, Brenden followed my actions to the letter, even speaking the parting words, but he wasn't like me. Unable to keep his emotions in check, his face broke down as the tears flowed like a bursting dam.

After us, many people who either respected my father or knew him stepped up to pay their respects, starting with Emilia, leaving only Brenden and I standing not far away in our matching black suits. 

Honestly, the whole thing was a blur and felt unreal. For well over an hour, Brenden and I watched people walk forward to the plot, say goodbye, and pay us their regards.

The minutes seemed to tick by agonizingly, yet neither one of us left, nor did we look away from the plot until our father's casket was firmly covered with fresh soil. 

Contrary to popular belief, it is very uncommon in the United States for anyone to stay during the actual burial process, something about people freaking out, but that wasn't the case for us Jörgensens.

No matter how young or old, anyone with Jörgensen blood in them is required to give a proper send-off, seeing the full funeral to completion, and after a certain point, only Jörgensen's could be present as a sign of mourning. 

Emilia knew about our traditions as she had been present for Uncle Gideon and Aunt Penelope's funerals, so when the time came, she left Brenden and me alone, choosing to ride back with her parents to their home. 

For an untold amount of time, Brenden and I stood in silence, staring at the unsettled pile of fresh soil, until the moment came when we had to finish the family ceremony. 

Without saying a word, we both turned around and walked toward the lake, more specifically, a large, 10-foot-tall bell. Positioned at the top of the tallest hill on the grounds and a couple hundred feet to the left of the lake, the two of us walked with purpose.

Following the final tradition my Grandfather started, the two of us walked up to the 6-foot-long thick rope, gripped it tightly, and pulled it together.

GOOOONNNNG, 

Once for my grandparents

GOONNNNNGGG

Twice for Uncle Gideon

GOOOOONNNGG

Three times for Aunt Penelope

GOOOOONGGG

Four Times for my brother Reily and his Daughter

GOOOOOONGGG

Five Times for Annie and her daughters

GOOOOOOOOONNNNNGG

And one final time, this pull was harder than the previous, and now, I couldn't stop the tears as I rang the Bell for my father.

With the Bell echoing across the grounds, Brenden and I slowly released the rope and looked at the lake in unison. 

The two of us hadn't really talked much since that day, nor had we discussed the changes my Talent had undergone. Still, he knew something had changed within me. 

No longer did I make goofy quips or banter with him; it was as if I had become an entirely different person, colder and more calculating.

He knew that I was bound to do something drastic, yet for some reason, he didn't feel the need to talk to me about it, and neither did he feel the need to stop me. 

The two of us stood and watched the sun setting over the lake, and when it reached the edge of the horizon, I broke the silence we had fallen into.

"I'm leaving, not just Vesaragon, but the heroes altogether. Corruption has always run deep in the USA-HA, but what has happened to our family is not something that a severance package or memorial can remedy." 

"I won't ask you to join me, as the path I plan on taking will bring nothing but bloodshed, mental anguish, and untold pain. Unlike me, you have Emilia; you guys were planning on starting a family…" My words trailed off along with the sun as it dipped below the horizon. 

"Sigh, you were never one to mince your words…I won't stop you; go, do what you must, Taylor. We will be fine, and we will work things on our end, but just remember, you will always be my big brother, and I will always support you…no matter what you do or who you do it to." Gripping my shoulder while gazing out over the lake, Brenden responded.

Those were the last words we would speak to each other for years; however, neither one of us was in the dark about the other's actions. 

-Six Years Post Saturation Completion.-

My parting with Brenden and Emilia was bittersweet, to say the least; I had no real plan and definitely didn't have any money saved or resources, so the first thing I needed to do was get my hands on some. 

And for that, I needed to sell my house.

When Brenden bought his Mansion, he and Emilia had chosen to sell their first house in the Atlanta Suburbs; however, I didn't follow suit. 

With the future being an ever-constant uncertainty, I wanted the reassurance that if anything were to happen, I would still have a place to call home. 

It was the same with my Father, sure; he enjoyed living under the same roof as two of his sons, but the suburban home was different; it was a place he could go and escape the rigors of life and relax. 

When I finally arrived at the house I had bought for my Father to live out his golden years Pre-Arkadia and stepped into the living room, all the pent-up emotions I had kept locked away from the world suddenly gushed out of me. 

Collapsing to the ground in front of my Father's recliner, I couldn't stop bawling my eyes out.