Aurora Magazine 2019

Warm weather comes early this year. I look at the spring wild - flowers peeking through the bones as the grass begins to grow and spring rains removes the toxins of decomposition from the soil. It feels like someone has placed flowers on his grave, grant - ing him redemption and forgiveness. Lord knows someone needs to forgive him, because I still haven’t. Late June 2018 Finally, twelve months have passed, and it is time to retrieve the bones from their above-ground grave. Vines have grown over the bones, making them difficult to lift from the soil. Gently, Todd and I clip the weeds and release the bones from their bo - tanical bonds. As his femur resisted the hold of the roots, it seems the earth is holding tight to the body as if to keep the organic material for herself. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Mother Earth is nourished with the bones and wants to keep her feast. As we carefully transfer the skeletonized remains to the boxes, a vague, disquiet sensation seeps into my own bones. This next stage in the studies requires the cleaning of the skeleton and mi - croscopic examination of the remaining tissues. The microscope research is benign since a slide of tissue won’t follow the curve of his cheek. Nor does the arrangement of the bones on the table mimic the touch of his hand on the back of my neck. No. The lab work won’t bother me. What I dread is the reconstruction of the face. The skull will be turned over to the sculptor to do her forensic magic. She will carefully sculpt clay onto a 3-D printed model of the skull. There will be the application of clay muscles at just the right facial depth for a man of his estimated age. The missing bones forever lost in a spray of tissue and blood will be replaced, as the artist will continue with the remodeling. Skin will be painted as if the blood still flowed through his veins and arteries. Hair will be attached and arranged based on the detailed photos I took in June. Even without a photo of the living person, the forensic artist will come closer to bringing him to life than I want to see. Can I watch this process take place? Maybe it is best 31