Muse Magic

“I hate this job,” Kim whispered to herself.

She really didn’t know why she was still doing it. It seemed a little morbid to be hired by the family to cry at their loved one’s funeral.

It was an easy way to earn some money while Kim was in college. But now all she got out of it was a good cry. And lately Kim hated to show her emotions in public.

Kim made her way to the coffin to pay her respect and to see who she’d be grieving over. A handsome man who looked Kim’s age. Far too young to die. In a way, that gave her another reason to shed some tears.

She found an empty pew behind the family and took a seat. The service began and the tears soon after. Thinking of her puppy getting run over when she was ten always made her sob.

A man slid in beside her. Kim had to look twice. He was the spitting image of the man in the casket.

He put his arm around her, “Keep crying. I’ll explain later.”

Cry? Kim wanted to run. She was sitting next to the man that was supposed to be dead and in the coffin.

“A twin?” she asked, between sobs.

The man just shook his head. Her sobs turned into wailing loudly. He hurried her through the door at the back of the church.

As much as Kim wanted to get in her car and speed home, she needed to hear his explanation.

He hugged her and whispered into her ear. “My name is David and I faked my death for a new life.”

David went on to explain how he had found out there was a contract out on his life. And had bought a small island off the coast of Australia.

The more David told her about living there, the more Kim wanted to go. She had no family and no commitments.

“Take me with you,” Kim finally said.

A week later they flew home as husband and wife.