He never liked going to funerals. All they would do was remind him about how fragile life was, that it can be taking away from you at any moment regardless of how hard you want to live. However, Frank felt he had to attend his. Alek was his best student, a bright kid with a future ahead of him. He even joined the Order Discovery as a biologist to hopefully help fix the climate crisis. However, all of that was snuffed away. The Order didn’t have the chance to recover his body. All they had was an empty box with some of Alek’s personal valuables.

  The kid died a month ago, but he and everyone else found out about his death last week. No one, not even his family was about told how he died. His death was classified, or so they would say. But Frank was smart enough to know that he died a needless and pointless death. The details of his death didn’t matter, only that a brilliant individual was dead before he could have a chance to make a difference or discover the beauty of life.

  Frank wondered what sort of man Alek could become if he was around. But before he could think of a rosy alternate universe, he stopped himself. Frank believed it would be best to not think about it anymore. They had to bury someone’s memory, and he had to be ready to walk away. Holding on to them would only bring him more pain, and it would be unfair for the person who had died. Frank had to let go, even if he wasn't ready to.

  It was empty at the communal mausoleum. Only a few of his friends and families turned up to his funeral. Frank counted twelve at most. The Order, and the broader culture of Olympus doesn’t have a grieving culture like most of the world. Instead, they treat it like it was a chore. People died, so who cares? It wasn’t something Olympians care to partake in most of the time. Some may shed a tear or mourn the death of a loved one. But there were no long speeches, wakes, or anything to make the grieving process easier. They just put them in the box and walk away.

  At the other side of the main island. The large concrete tomb with empty slots for people to put their cremated loved ones in only to be periodically emptied and the contents dumped into the ocean every ten years so new names and boxes can take their places. A cruel cycle of temporary residence for the dead.

  Olympus cultivated a cruel society, to Frank, it was surreal. The idea that death is just a steppingstone and that the death of the individual was meaningless compared to that of the society or wider humanity. Frank hated it. He hated how the mausoleum was just one big concrete rectangle with no life or art. He despised how everyone in Olympus handled themselves in regard to death and moving on.

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  However, he can’t do anything about it. They were all comfortable moving on. They had a place to be, and it needed them. Even if Alek was their child, sibling, friend, or even lover. Everyone had a role to play. It just so happens that grief wasn't part of their jobs. Frank never understood it, despite being in the Order for hundreds of years on how they could do that so quickly. It was so wrong, all of it so formulaic to the point of parody.

  After Alek’s mother gave her short eulogy, everyone departed after they put Alek’s empty box into an unmarked slot. Besides talking with everyone else there, Frank walked outside to lean against the tree with his left hand. When the moment was right and when he truly felt that he was alone. He buried his face in his hand and sobbed. Releasing what was held back when he was in that tomb. Allowing himself a moment to cry. He sacrificed his break to be there, and to him, it was worth it. People deserve to be honoured and remembered, and Frank always tried his best to remember his students. Even if he struggled to remember their faces or names. Deep down, he believed he had to try to honour them.

  Yet before he could have a moment to himself. A whisper came from behind him. Frank didn’t know what it said, but he knew who was speaking. Well, it tried to speak to him. It was too far from his mind, but it was coming closer. The Voice became louder recently, starting out as a faint buzz to now an inaudible whisper. It wanted to speak to Frank, The Voice requested an audience. Even if the timing was bad.

  ‘No, I’m not in the mood.’ Frank mumbled to himself as he reached for his flask inside of his suit jacket. ‘This one's for you, kid.’ And like that, he downed the contents in his flask.

  After he finished, he let out a loud belch which burnt his throat. With a dizzy mind, he wiped his lips. That won’t be his last drink for the day. Unfortunately, it was a Thursday. No matter how much it would drown out The Voice. His job had to come first. All he could do was try to make the whole thing comfortable, even if he didn’t appreciate his other companion from emerging again.