Chapter 54 – Memorial

Time skip to later that day

[Main POV]

On my way to the airport, the streets were quiet, as if everyone was in mourning. New York was usually a bustling city. Now, it was closer to a ghost town.

Apollonia wasn't much better. Usually I would be greeted by my employees, and we'd talk about the latest football games or something. But this time, my walk to the Sunscraper was a lot less eventful than usual.

In my apartment, I was sitting at the foot of the bed, waiting for Artemis to wake up.

She looked so peaceful. Her face was serene, free from the worries of the waking world. Soft breaths escaped her slightly parted lips creating a gentle melody in harmony with the surrounding stillness.

Artemis's body was at ease, her muscles relaxed, and tension released. Her arms lay peacefully by her side, occasionally shifting slightly, capturing my attention every time.

As I continued to watch, Artemis shifted, this time, much more noticeably than before.

"Artemis, Are you okay? Are you okay Artemis?" I whispered, "Artemis, are you okay?"

Needless to say, Artemis did not respond.

After who knows how long, I realized this looked kind of creepy. I got up and left the room.

.

Time skip 1 week

[Main POV]

For once, I was wearing all black.

Taking my position at the front left of the lead casket, I lifted it along with the rest of the pallbearers and walked into the church.

The 'church,' was a Greek-styled temple with a Catholic cross on top. Apollo Enterprise worked overtime to build it where St. Catherines Orphanage used to be. At the front were plaques informing visitors of the site.

Lowering the casket at the front, I took my seat. Soon, Father Daniel took the stage.

"Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today, we gather here to commend the soul of our dear departed Jessica Davis into the hands of our loving and merciful God," he said solemnly. "In this moment of grief and loss, let us turn to our faith for solace and strength, knowing that God's love and compassion embrace us even in our sorrow. Jessica lived a life filled with love, kindness, and generosity…"

I remained sitting as I continued to listen to the rest of the homily. After Father Daniel's words, others came forward. Mostly girls from the orphanage, all saying a few words before bursting into tears.

I remained sitting. While offered the opportunity to speak, I declined. It would only result in excuses. Only actions could redeem me now.

After the final sermon, I got up and took my place with the rest of the pallbearers. Walking under the sound of traditional hymns and classical music, we made our way to the back.

In what was the backyard, was a small cemetery with 41 holes. One by one, small caskets were lowered into the ground.

…

Victoria, December 4, 1995 – September 11, 2001.

Aurora, August 23, 1995 – September 11, 2001.

…

Lillian, September 11, 1992 – September 11, 2001.

…

Savannah, February 7, 1985 – September 11, 2001.

…

Finally, I helped lower the final casket.

Ms. Davis, September 12, 1941 – September 11, 2001. Loving mother to all.

.

After the funeral, Artemis, who had healed by now, picked me up and we drove back to Apollonia. She offered to accompany me to the funeral, but I declined. I wanted to be alone.

An hour into the drive, I decided to break the silence. "Artemis?" I asked.

"Yes," she responded.

"I want Artemis Enterprises to do what St. Catherines did," I said. "Take in girls and give them a home."

"That makes sense," Artemis said nodding, "St. Catherines was our main source of executive leaders and loyal cult members. With the orphanage gone, we'll –"

"It's not about that," I interrupted, leaning my head into my hand, covering my eyes. "All Ms. Davis wanted was to take care of others. Everything she did. Even her thoughts when I read her mind."

"Apollo."

"She shouldn't have died. She didn't deserve it."

"Apollo."

"I didn't plan for what happened," I said quickly. "The target wasn't America, it was me! And Ms. Davis paid the price."

"Apollo! Control yourself!" Artemis yelled with one hand on my shoulder, the other on the wheel.

I looked up to see the outside world in chaos. The birds were flying into each other or were kamikazeing into cars. Tornadoes could be seen in the distance. And most concerning, a third of the sun was gone. Simply not there.

Taking a few deep breaths, I calmed myself down. The birds went back to normal, the tornadoes disappeared, and the sun fully returned.

"Sorry Artemis," I apologized. "I'm just used to everything going right. I'm not mad at anyone but myself. I should have done better. I should have been able to save both you and Ms. Davis…"

Immediately, I felt her grip on my shoulder tighten. I winced and I turned to look at her. Artemis was looking straight ahead. Her eyes were on the road, yet one could tell that she wasn't paying attention.

"Artemis?" I asked. "Are you oka –"

BOOM!

Artemis ended up crashing the car into a wall. No worries, we were both fine. Physically.