Rest In Peace

We were eleven when Kenny died for the umpteenth time(we really had no idea how many times it had been since when he started his dying thing). It was a normal death, well as normal as Kenny's death generally are(which by definition is some sort of crazy and unnecessarily gory death). It was no different from any other day and we knew that we would see him tomorrow like nothing happened. It's just how it worked.

It wasn't anything particularly anything outside he norm, and it wasn't that we were fed up or anything. It was just that it was spontaneous, just some random thing you did while hanging out with friends. So after Kenny got run over for the umpteenth time on that spring day it was probably more of just of an excuse to get out of going to school that day than anything.

"Oh my god! They killed Kenny!" I screamed reflexively.

And Kyle let out his indignant, "Those bastards!"

And the finishing blow was Cartman's, "Screw you guys, I'm going home!"

And Kenny was dead.

But that's when things changed. I don't know what really overtook me, but I reached out towards Cartman's arm as he was walking away, a mischievous glint in my eye. I blinked in surprise when I saw Kyle gloved hands next to mine on our tubby friend. I looked at him to see the same mirthful glint in his green eyes.

One of the best things about super best friends: you tend to think alike.

And before Cartman could retort he caught the same glint and a evil smile crept up his cheeks.

"Oh, please tell me we're setting the po' boy on fire!"

So I hefted up Kenny's upper body, Kyle got Kenny's mangled legs, and we let Cartman lead the way to Starks Pond. Of course it wasn't without the duos bickering.

I only sighed as resisted the urge to pinch my nose as both hands were occupied with Kenny's freezing corpse. I acted as referee as the two argued back and forth as to why or why not Cartman should be helping us carry Kenny.

Eventually along the way, Kyle dropped his side of Kenny and punched Cartman in the face. Which was pretty funny but the sudden weight of a dead Kenny brought me falling backwards into a snow tuft tangled with the blond.

After a minute or two of trying to catch the other twos attention, I sighed in defeat, pinching my nose, and got out of the snow pile. I hefted Kenny into a piggy back ride(which, mind you, is rather difficult with only one participating party, but is extremely difficult when one party is undergoing rigor-mortise).

So with some mild difficulty(Cartman having to use the snow to ice his bruised and bleeding nose, Kyle's non-stop arguing, and Kenny being a bitch to carry), we made it to Starks Pond.

"Dude, what are we going to do about a shovel?"

"Um, damn. I didn't think about that."

"We could just shove 'im into the pond. It's not like Kinny could afford a funeral anyway, why give him something he doesn't deser-! Ow! What the fuck, Jew?"

"Kenny so does deserve a funeral fatass!"

"Ugh, guys, fighting again isn't going to get Kenny buried anytime soon."

"Yea, Stan's right Kahl, you need o learn to stop causing so many fights."

"Oh, fuck off fattitties!"

"What did you call me Jewfag!"

Slap!

"Uh... Stan did you just slap us with Kenny's hand?"

"Just shut up and find some way to start digging!"

And so after a few minutes of searching around Starks Pond we were able to find a blood stained shovel hidden in some bushes. I hushed Kyle before he could even finish his question, "Dude, just don't ask. Some things are probably better left alone."

"I don't see the problem, I think it's fitting for po' lil' Kinny."

I think we just decided not to indulge Cartman with a response.

We dug for the most part of the morning, until the sun moved from it's position from the East to right above our heads, singling noon. Of course that hadn't stopped Cartman from bitching about how hungry he was before then. This just gave him more of an excuse to try to make our ears bleed with his incessant whining.

Eventually I caved, "Alright, Cartman and Kyle..." I stopped myself from the image of those two 'working together' and quickly changed my mind, "Nevermind, Me and Cartman will go get some food at the convenience store, Kyle you stand guard. We'll be back soon."

"'Ey! Who made you in charge?"

"Me." I looked back at Kyle, expecting him to complain too, as to 'why do I have to stay here?', but surprisingly he only gave me a brief smile as a go ahead.

I shrugged as I dragged Cartman back to town with me. Really this was probably the best combination. I actually got along with Cartman to an extent, and I could trust Kyle to not do messed up shit to Kenny while we were gone.

We went to the store and spent the majority of my allowance. Cartman was pissed when I didn't spend all my money on food for him, but I only told him that he has his mother's credit card. He gave me and 'oh' expression before his face contorted with evil. I shook my head as I bought various items for Kenny's grave. I bought some flowers, a get well soon card(it was the most fitting card I could find), and eventually some porno mags(Cartman's suggestion). I bought plenty of snack food as well.

After a brief argument with the cashier(he had moral issues with selling porn to children, but I was able to convince him it was for my dad), we made our way back to Starks Pond. Before we got there however, Cartman thought of something and ran off claiming he'd be right back. I really couldn't help but be skeptical, but he had already ran away.

When I returned to Starks Pond I was mildly surprised and more than a little confused.

The hole was done and Kenny was lying in Kyle lap. Kyle's eyes were wet and he blinked back a few tears.

"Dude...?" Was the only thing I could say. Kyle's head snapped up before he turned away from me quickly to rub his eyes.

"S-Stan! Did you get the stuff?" He let out a bit strangled.

"Yea... You finish the hole?"

"Yep! The whole six feet."

Silence. I set the stuff I bought down near the hole offering him a bag of chips as I sat down. A warm wind blew overhead, rustling the trees, and the suns rays penetrated the cool air. It was a beautiful day. A part of me just wanted to stay there forever. I wanted to come back to this place years later, with Kenny, and laugh and play like we were still kids and just be together, all four of looming threat of growing up stood overhead edging at our conscious. I didn't want to grow up just yet, I didn't want to stop playing like kids because we were 'too old now', I didn't want to stop trick or treating every year because old grannies would give us dirty looks, and I didn't want to be a lousy teenager either, doing nothing but whining about our love lives everyday.

I didn't want to grow up, I didn't want my childhood to end.

That was probably why I decided to do this. A memento of sorts, of that thing that happened everyday, that became so much of an irreplaceable part of our everyday lives. Like, to make this a place we can go back to, even if everything changes when we get older, even if we drift apart. We can always come back here and know that 'us' was very real, and whereas not perfect, it was something that we all undeniably loved.

"I miss him too, Kyle." Kyle snapped his head towards me from his snack, food smeared haphazardly around his face. He looked surprised and then he looked sad again.

"It's like, I know he'll be back every time..." he pauses, sparing a glance at out dead friend, "...but for some reason, it always kind of hurts, you know?"

He looked down at the salty snack in front of him, solemn and forlorn. He looked like he couldn't hold back his tears any longer and he swallowed a lump in his throat. I felt the same lump. I bring my arm over his shoulders and pull him into a hug, "Yeah, I know."

A part of me is always surprised when Kenny dies, even though I'm way past used to it. A part of my heart always aches despite myself, but I always tend to ignore it.

I kind of want to make Kenny's incessant deaths into a beautiful memory.

I look back at Kyle and realize that Kenny's means a bit more to him. Whereas I'm fine with sticking Kenny in some random hole six feet under, Kyle feels slightly mortified. He eyes scream that he wants to do it all the same. To make a our grave for Kenny. One that belongs to us, one that's a symbol to our friendship with him. Not just another plot in the old cemetery along with a billion other dead bodies, but a grave that would always be just Kenny's.

"Okay! Let's get ol' Kenny buried!" I stand up and give Kyle a hand. With a crooked smile he accepts and we get to work and setting Kenny down in the hole.

Before we can start shoveling dirt on top of him, Kyle stops me. "Wait a second, okay?" I nod and he runs off. shrugging slightly I look back down at Kenny's hooded body. It seems like hours as I stare at his lifeless form. I've seen Kenny dead so much that he doesn't look that much different to me dead then alive.

What a morbid life Kenny has forced on us. How he was blurred the lines between life and death between us. What an impact.

I hop into the hole and fix Kenny's limps and finally I pull off his hood. He looks so lively for a dead guy. I can't help but smile. His bright blond hair frames his angelic face and for some some reason I find it hilarious. I pull out a blue sharpie from my pants pocket and I draw a little mustache on his face.

"'Ey! It should've been a Hitler 'stache!" I glance back up at Cartman, holding some sort of giant stone and my dad's tool box.

"No, it shouldn't have been. Stan why are you drawing on Kenny's face?" Kyle came into view on the other side of the hole holding a bunch of yellow dandelions.

I flash a grin, "And why shouldn't we draw on his face?" Both Kyle and Cartman caught my expression and soon joined me in the hole, finding some writing red pen, and a green highlighter were nothing short of perfect for the occasion.

Sure, it was desecrating a dead body. But I think Kenny would appreciate the knockers on his cheeks. After we finished our masterpiece we took out our phones and took our individual pictures of out friend to show him tomorrow, just to kind of piss him off a bit and maybe a good laugh.

I didn't know then, but Kyle had drawn a little heart on the side of Kenny's cheek, and I didn't know what it had meant till long after I had accidentally found it on Kyle's phone.

We got out of the hole as Kyle started spreading the dandelions around Kenny, "These were his favorite flowers." he mumbled a bit defensively.

"Gay."

"You do know that was because he was always trying to get high on them?"

We all started laughing then. For burying one of your best friends was surprisingly really fun.

"So fatass, why'd you steal my dad's tool box?" I asked while Kyle decorated the grave with a dandelion coffin.

"For this!" He pulled the giant ass rock in front of me. I tilted my head to the side to express my confusion. Cartman only gave me a aggravated sigh, the one he gave when he deemed you an idiot. He pulled out my dads engraving kit and my eyes lit up, "Get it now, retard?"

"A tombstone!" I gave Cartman props, deciding to ignore how he stole my dads tool box in favor of his genius idea. "Dudes, what should we write on it?" I let out excitedly.

From below, Kyle gave his two cents, "Name, date of birth, date of death, some sort of line saying 'loving son and friend' or some bullshit."

"What should we do for the date of death part...?" I asked slowly.

"What do you mean dumbass? We'll write today." Cartman interjected.

"No, I mean, would that be fitting?" Both of them gave me confused looks, Kyle as he climbed out of the hole having finished his job. "I mean... Kenny dies all the time! We don't know when he's really going to kick the bucket."

A chill ran through us as we realized that Kenny could randomly die one day and never come back. The urgency of the thought made this more important.

A sigh and Cartman took the stone and engraving kit and went off to the other corner, "You retards start filling in the hole, I'll take care of this fucking gravestone." Kyle was about to object but I held him back, somehow a part of me knew that he got what I was trying to say. After taking a picture of Kyle's dandelion masterpiece, I shoved in a porno mag or two, and we started burying him.

About half way through Cartman let out a victorious, "Finished!" We put down our shovels(in my case a stray stick I was using to shove the dirt in the hole) and went to see Cartman's apparent masterpiece.

Cartman proudly revealed his hard-work mumbling something about it being harder than it looks.

Kenneth (Kenny) McCormick

1997-?

Poor boy.

"Really fatass?" Kyle asked, whipping sweat from his brow, "'Poor boy'?"

"It was the best description I could come up with Kahl!" was his defense to Kyle's sarcasm.

I smiled slightly at the question-mark. For some reason it made me feel like Kenny was always going to live on, from now to eternity.

"Oh! I know!" Cartman let out suddenly between his argument with Kyle and with practiced ease, started engraving, "P-E-R-V-E-R..."

"You're not!" Kyle let out.

"I already did Kahl" He grinned as he pulled away from the stone.

"Let me do one!" I pitched in.

"Aww. Not you too!"

"Sure whatever." and Cartman handed me the tools.

"Don't worry Kyle, You'll get your turn next!" I flashed up a happy smile. Kyle looked hesitant for a second, but soon he let out a defeated sigh.

After I finished I pulled back and admired my shaky work. Cartman peeked over my shoulder and gave me a, "Lame."

Kyle looked over and he gave me a crooked smile(the same on from earlier) and I handed him the kit. "C'mon fatass! You need to work off some calories!" I yelled at Cartman as I threw him our suspiciously blood stained shovel.

"'Ey! I'm not fat!"

In due time we finished burying Kenny. We were satisfied and covered in sweat. It'd been a long day, but we were almost done.

On top of the grave I set down the remaining porno mags, the get well card, and the bouquet I'd bought him. That and the remaining food. Cartman looked like he died a little inside as I dumped the bag of chips over the fresh dirt.

Finally we hefted the tombstone to the head of the grave, placing it down as gently and nicely as possible. Cartman ended up almost dropping the stone when he read what Kyle had wrote, laughing his had off. Kyle turned red but was still defensive about it. Though it was cheesy and kind of gay, I couldn't help but love his addition.

It was like telling him that we'd always be there for him.

We all walked back and gazed at our masterpiece, unable to suppress our grins as we stood there covered in dirt exhausted.

After admiring our work for awhile both Cartman and Kyle sat down on the dirt and snow pile in front of Kenny's grave and I got up next to the marker.

"And we meet here today to bid our good friend here, Kenneth McCormick, 'see you later' as we all know that we'll see him tomorrow morning at the bus stop." I grin, "Good night sweet angel! And may your wings be put to re-rest." I couldn't help cracking up at the last part and eventually we all broke into laughter.

After awhile Cartman got up and I sat down. "I've known Kinny my whole life, and there is only one thing I can say about him," he paused as both me and Kyle leaned forward curiously, "Is that he was one poor fuck!"

"Cartman!"

"Oh, shut up Jewfag!"

They looked at me with dubious expressions as I broke into laughter. Eventually Cartman sat down and it was Kyle's turn to get up.

"You know, I learned something today..." He sent us a glare as we started to groan, but he continued nonetheless.

"Kenny was and is a great friend that we will never forget. He may have been poor and a bit perverted," glares at Cartman, "but he was always trying his best everyday, and he had a heart of gold."

Despite how lame his speech sounded, it meant something. Even Cartman didn't say any off-handed comment, and in the end we all kinda bowed our head in prayer. Though it was more a moment of silent respect than any sort of prayer.

After a while of just hanging out there and chilling, the sun started to set in the West and the temperature started dropping.

"Fuck, my mom's going to kill me." Kyle broke the silence as he started to get up.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you Kahl! Your mom is a big fat bitc-"

"Shut it Cartman!"

I laughed as we started making our way back home with smiles on our faces and a happy day planned for tomorrow.

Briefly I turned my head and took one last look at our gravestone, a irresistible smile itching my cheeks.

Kenneth (Kenny) McCormick

1997-?

Poor boy.

Pervert.

Awesome friend.

Dies way too much.

We all love you,

-Kyle, Stan, and Cartman

I will never forget that day for the rest of my life.

((Ending Notes: x3 hinted K2 because I just could not resist! Like? Hate? Flamethrower?

-a very tired Burbs-bot.))