Hall of Mirrors, A Short Story Collection, written and performed for podcast by Mike Bennett.

This podcast is intended for an adult audience.

The Grave Part 2. At 3 o'clock a small cordon of 3 black limousines rolled on whispering tyres into the cemetery.

They were followed by an assortment of regular cars. All of the

vehicles contained somber-looking people dressed in morning black. Dave now stood beneath a tree a short respectful distance from the

grave which was now fully prepared to receive its occupant.

Dave had been careful to make these preparations exactly as Jack used to do.

He'd concealed the large mound of earth and clay at the grave side beneath fabric sheets of artificial

grass. This fabric also bordered and hung down into the grave itself, concealing and making tidy its muddy and

trampled edges.

He'd framed the grave mouth with the large heavy planks that allowed the pallbearers to walk

safely around the grave without fear of falling in.

He'd also laid three more stout planks directly over the grave mouth for the coffin to be rested upon during the service.

On to these planks, he'd rolled out the long canvas straps, which were used by the pallbearers for lowering the coffin into the grave.

As far as he was aware, Dave had done it all to the letter. It was, if he did say so himself, a top job.

Jack, he reflected, would have been proud.

As the first car slowed and stopped, Dave took a deep breath and walked slowly over to

meet the funeral director. He knew this was part of Jack's routine, though quite

what it was he was supposed to say. He had no idea. He imagined it was probably something to do with coffin size or weather conditions, nothing too tricky. He'd play it by ear.

The funeral director was an appropriately gaunt man, taller than Dave, and wearing a black top hat that made him seem all the more towering.

As he stepped silently up to Dave he murmured,

All right, mate. Where's Jack?

...