Tragic Kingdom - Episode 23 - Part 1
Tragic Kingdom - Episode 23 - Part 1



   "It's always sad to see one of our own depart from this earth. Yet it is even more sad, and tragic, when they are taken from our lives in such a way as Ming Stonewalk was. It was her wish to not have readings at her funeral, so instead we will talk about her life.
   "Ming was born in Yunnan, China, but moved to the USA when she was ten. Her parents lived here until their deaths not so long ago. Ming married Matthew Stonewalk eighteen years ago, and has her only son CJ a year after marriage. They lived a happy life for many years, but sadly the marriage was not to be and it ended with his death, which she was accused but acquitted of. I think all of you who know Ming would say she wouldn't harm a fly, and it was true. Ming was a friend to many, a mother to a wonderful son and part of the community that will never be replaced. Many lost their lives a week ago when those planes came down onto our little town, and sadly Ming Stonewalk was one of them. She will be missed.
   "If you would all like to take a few moments for silent remembrance, we will move to the grave soon," the priest said as he retired to the back rooms.



   CJ Stonewalk needed air. As he pushed open the church doors, he took it into his lungs and sighed. The sun was beating down on the earth, warming it and everything that walked on its soil. He stood alone, thinking of the things said in the service. Some of them were true, yet most of what the priest had said was lies. CJ knew his mothers secrets, and he knew she was not innocent. She had done all the things she had gone to prison for. Yet, at her funeral, it was not the time or place to bring up thing that would stain her memory.
   Deep in thought, he didn't hear Angel Blackgreen walking up to him until she lightly touched his shoulder. "CJ, are you okay?"
   CJ turned, taking a few seconds to remember where he was. "Oh, yeah. I just needed to get out of there. Mom always hated church, and I do too. It reminded her of death too much."
   "I'm really sorry for your loss. Ming was a good person, it's such a waste of life," Angel said sombrely.
   "She wasn't a saint. I'm not happy with people thinking she was."
   "What do you mean?"
   CJ turned away. "It's just, no one is perfect. That's all I meant," he said after a long pause.
   Angel was about to retort some comforting words, but was stopped when CJ left her and walked towards town. "Poor kid" she thought.



   Dawn Sundale pushed open the heavy doors of the church, and was instantly washed with a cooling breeze that she needed after being in the stuffy church. She stood alone for a few moments, thinking of what they had just attended and the implications of what had happened the week before.
   As she gazed around, she heard a sound around the corner of the building. She made her way to the sound, stopping as she noticed Toffee England leaning against the wall. "Hey sweetie."
   Toffee looked up, startled, but smiled as she realized who was talking to her. "Hey. I needed to escape, so I came out here."
   "I think everyone inside that place needed to do the exact same thing. What a morning."
   "I'm glad it's over with. Poor CJ, he must be broken," Toffee said with sigh.
   "He's a strong kid. I'm surprised at how well he's been taking all of this. To lose someone like he did, it's devastating."
   Toffee rolled her head on the glass behind her, letting the sun warm her face. "I love summer days like these. The sun is out, there's a cool breeze to stop you getting too hot. It's perfect. But, look where we are and what's happened. It's too hard to comprehend sometimes."
   Dawn put her hand onto Toffee's shoulder and said: "We should get out of here."
   "I guess we should," Toffee agreed as she pushed herself away from the wall and followed Dawn away from the Church.
   "How's Wes doing?" Dawn asked.
   "He's feeling sorry for himself. I can understand why he's feeling like this, but sometimes it drives me nuts. His outlook is to bleak. It hurts me to see him like this, and I feel guilty that I'm feeling irritated with him."
   "He just needs to see a future. He's lost the use of his legs, but it could have been worse. Just keep being there, he'll come around soon enough and realize he was damned lucky to survive," Dawn reassured Toffee.
   "I hope he does. I just want him to be happy again. I miss him."
   Dawn put her arm around Toffee's shoulder as they walked. "Let's go home. Everything works out in the end, you'll see."



   The week that had passed by so quickly had made it hard for everyone in The Kingdom, and each resident felt the same anguish over the lost. Life was slowly returning to some sort of normality, even if the people who walked the streets day in day out didn't think it ever would.
   Holly Sundale, Rochelle Leaves and Josh Hallow sat silently, each thinking of the same person who they hadn't seem for only seven days, yet her absence seemed so much longer. Finally, someone spoke.
   "It's hard to believe Wendy is missing," Holly said absently, as if it were a thought she hadn't wished to express aloud but couldn't stop from slipping out.
   "Did your mom say anything else when she told you?" Rochelle asked.
   Holly shook her head. "She said Mrs. Beach reported her missing after the plane hit, and that she thought she was Downtown talking a walk."
   "Do you think she's...." Josh trailed off.
   Holly ran a hand through her hair. "She's been gone for a week. It's a long time to stay missing. I hope she isn't, you know, but surely they would have found her by now, wouldn't they?"
   Rochelle nodded. "Most likely. We have to keep acting like she's alive, until we know for sure, but it would be unlikely to find her alive now. Their still searching the wreckages, but the news said they're not expecting to find much more."
   "I need some air," Holly said as she rushed to her feet and out of the door.
   Josh stood to go after her, but Rochelle held him back. "Leave her for a while. She left things badly with Wendy, she needs time to process everything."
   Josh sank back into the sofa. He just wished he knew what to say, what to think.



   "What do you mean?" Grace Roundhouse asked, angrily putting her hands on her hips.
   Paul Phillips looked at her with frustration in his eyes. "I'm selling the building. It's unsafe, so I've been told, and I've not got time to spend on fixing a place up at the moment."
   Mike Jaydon held up a hand. "Se we're out?"
   "Am I speaking another language? Yes, you both been to be out by the end of next week, or as soon as possible."
   "I really don't understand what's wrong with the place. It seems fine to me," Grace told him sternly.
   Paul sighed heavily. "The foundation is cracked, badly, and it's only going to get worse. I was told that if nothing was done, the whole place could fall apart. I'm not going to spend that much money to fix this place up, it's not worth it. So, I'm going to sell to someone who wants to bulldoze it and build something new here. I'm sorry, but that's the facts."
   Before they could reply, Paul was walking towards his limo.
   "What as asshole," Grace huffed as she turned to Mike.
   Mike shrugged. "It's his place, and he's given us plenty of warning. What can we do?"
   "I liked this place. I'm going to miss it."
   "I've lived here for six years. A lot of memories here, not all good however."
   Grace smiled in spite of herself. "I guess we'd better get looking in the newspaper for apartment listings."
   Mike joined her, smiling himself. "I think we shall. Although, I'm feeling in the mood for a change. Maybe a house this time."
   "They have those listed too. Come on up to my place and we'll get some coffee while we're at it," Grace suggested.
   "Sounds like a plan. After you," Mike said, and Grace led the way.



   Toffee England pulled into her driveway and inhaled deeply as she remembered what she was coming home to. The bed in the living room, the pain killers scattered around the house. The fact she couldn't share a bed with her husband.
   She heaved herself out of the car and walked towards the house. As she opened the front door, the smell of a hospital greeted her, that stench of disinfectant. It was the bed that they had had delivered from The Kingdom General, one that was designed to be easy to get in and out of.
   "How was it?" Wed asked, but didn't seem at all interested.
   "A laugh riot," Toffee said sarcastically.
   "Hmmm," Wes replied absently.
   "The service was preformed by a sheep, and most of the candles in the church were made of puppies tails."
   "That's interesting....."
   Toffee rolled her eyes. "Your not even listening to me."
   "I am."
   "Then what did I say?"
   "Something about puppies in the church."
   "Forget it," Toffee huffed as she turned away from him. Sometimes he could be insufferable.
   "Wait. I wanted to ask you something," Wes said, stopping her in her tracks.
   "What is it?"
   "I want to leave The Kingdom. Make a fresh start," he told her.
   Toffee's jaw dropped, and if she were in a cartoon it would have hit the floor. "Are you kidding?"
   "No. What've I got here anymore? I can't walk. I've got no job. I've got no real friends. I've got nothing, and there's really no point in my staying here."
   "Your forgetting one thing. I have all those things, Wes. I've lived here for eight years. My family is here, my friends, and my job."
   "So I'm mean to stay in this house and wheel myself around like a creepy old man?" Wes snapped.
   "No, Wes. Your meant to get your life together again and move on from what happened. Your meant to get on with your life, make friends, get a new job. You can't just run away when things get tough."
   Wes turned his chair to face the window, gazing out over the street. "Your not the one who's lost his legs."
   "No, I'm not. But, I'm the one who's trying to hold everything together. I'm looking after you, working, keeping the house clean and putting up with your bad moods that seem never-ending," Toffee yelled, her voice so high it didn't sound like her own.
   "Oh," Wes yelled back, turning back to her. "I'm sorry I'm just a pain in the ass. I'll just take my busted legs and get out of your way, shall I?"
   "Don't be a fool, Wes. You are not going anywhere and you know it. You need me, and sometimes I....."
   "You what?" he asked, his tone softening.
   "..I just wish everything was back to normal."
   Wes once again turned from her, not able to look at her for a second longer. "Just leave me alone. I think we've both learned something today, and now it's time for recess."
   Toffee stepped forward, but to do what she didn't know. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."
   "No," Wes interrupted. "You meant every word."
   Toffee, feeling dejected, left the room and went upstairs. Her guilt was almost too much, a pain she couldn't stop until she fixed whatever wounds she had created a moment ago.