Delilah put her car in park. Looking at the necklace swaying on the rearview mirror, she noticed a car pull in behind her. Her eyes wondered down the necklace and to her lap. Where she grasped her hands together. Noticing just how contrasting her skin was on her black dress.

A deep breath in. Everything seemed to take Delilah extra long these days. Getting into bed, getting out of bed, walking, going up her apartment stairs. And now getting out of the car.

Another deep breath. Her hand slowing traveled to the handle, pulling it the click of the latch sounded and the ding, ding, ding. Signaling keys were still in the ignition. Slowly she grabbed them out and cracked the door. She was moving as if someone was waiting for her to make a mistake. As if every eye of every person was on her. Waiting to see if she was doing something wrong.

Swinging one leg out of the door, she planted her foot solidly into the ground. The other came and then another long second passed before she pulled herself up and out of her car.

“Do you want to walk in together?” A soft voice came from the around the back of the car. Delilah nodded and took a step out of the way to shut the door.

The patter of the older woman’s shoes echoed through the hall. Delilah was pleased to have company for the short time it took to find their respected seats in the pews. Softly smiling as the departed from each other, Delilah found her seat in the front.

A deep breath in. The coffin sitting 10 feet away was a dark cherry wood. Reflecting the lights of the walls and ceiling, and various candles set about. Delilah could smell the flowers. Lillys. To her, they kind of smelled of old yogurt. But, they were beautiful, and they were her sisters favorite.

Delilah was asked to say something for her sister, and politely declined. What was there to say? Knowing this weight would be lifted if she talked about the pain wasn’t enough. Nothing was enough anymore.

The service went on and Delilah lost herself in the bright, shiny reflections on the coffin. Thoughts came and went. Is she really in that small little thing? What would She think me just sitting here? Will this ever stop?

Delilah, for the second time, found herself starring at her hands. One cupping the other. The skin of her forearms and hands standing out so much on her dress.

Her gaze lazily drifted up to the coffin. “You should say goodbye” the soft voice again. The patter of great aunt Silvie grew near. With a slow creaking groan Silvie sat down. Delilah felt the warmth of her great aunt and relaxed into her. Tears swelled in her eyes, and her nose prickled with anticipation. A knot grew in her throat.

Delilah picked herself up and slowly made her way to the edge of the coffin. Coming up to the side, she shut her eyes tightly. A deep breath in, she swallowed the knot, opening her eyes. Scanning her sister for any signs of life, Delilah noticed the bracelet made from shoelaces on her sisters wrist.

It is braided from shoelaces of Delilah and her sisters old shoes. Memories raced and fought their way to the front of her mind. Fighting to be seen. Before she could pick one to reminisce on, she noticed something else. Next to the shoelace bracelet was a small pinkish scar. Delilah reached into the coffin and pulled the shoelace bracelet to the side revealing a much bigger scar. A symbol, indistinguishable .

Suddenly, Delilah felt a sense of urgency. Something in her gut pulling her away from the edge of the coffin. Fighting this feeling she studdied the **indistinguishable** symbol and quickly took the shoelace bracelet off her sisters wrist.

“I will figure this out.“ Delilah squeezed the bracelet, deep inside hoping her sister could feel her intent. Delilah ran her other hand over the **indistinguishable** symbol, burning into her senses before swiftly turning and leaving.

Delilah will figure out what the symbol means. But not before learning about a hidden world.