The Dead Romantics

Florence regards the Days Gone Funeral Home, a Victorian mansion, a landmark of her hometown of Mairmont, South Carolina. It has belonged to the Day family for a century. The Days have a different attitude toward death, but they are respected by the town. Florence hasn’t returned since she left for college 10 years ago, and she feels the breath knocked out of her every time she thinks that her dad is dead.

She sees crows sitting on the dead tree outside as she knocks on the door. Her sister, Alice, leads Florence inside. Florence looks around at the house, where she lived until she was 12. Alice is guarded; the sisters drifted apart when Florence left. Florence hugs her mother. The lawyer reads her father’s will, detailing his instructions for his funeral. He wants 1000 wildflowers, he wants Elvis to sing, and he has party decorations on order. He also asks that there be a murder of crows, and he left a letter he wants Florence to read. The requests are peculiar, but none of the Days are very surprised, as Xavier was an eccentric but loveable person.

The doorbell rings. Florence answers it to find the ghost of

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