Write from the view of a child ( under age 12 ) en route to a funeral for a close relative or friend

I sat in the backseat as the trees beside the road zoomed by. Mum and Pap had woken me early to get me dressed in a stuffy suit and gross tie. I was tired, but they told me the drive would be over fast. It felt like a million years had already gone by. 
 
 `` Are we there yet,'' I whined. 
 
 `` Not yet, Jacob. Be patient.'' 
 
 `` But I'm so tiiiiiiired.'' 
 
 Mum did n't say anything, but Pap turned to face me from the passenger seat. 
 
 `` Jacob, I know that this is n't any fun, but it's something we have to do. It'll be over before you know it.'' 
 
 I fidgeted with my seat belt. 
 
 `` Where are we going, again?'' 
 
 `` We're going to your aunt Betty's funeral.'' 
 
 I heard a stifled sob from my mother. 
 
 `` What's a funeral?'' 
 
 I heard a few of what Mum calls `` Pap's bad words'' as he shook his head. 
 
 `` Well, it's a sort of... meeting for when someone has gone away.'' 
 
 `` Like a going-away party?'' 
 
 `` Sort of....it's not a happy time, though. It's for when someone has gone away... forever. You wo n't see aunt Betty again, Jacob. None of us will.'' 
 
 `` Where did she go? Is it someplace nice?'' 
 
 Mum was crying harder now, so hard that she had to pull the car over. We all got out of the car and I saw Pap hand her some pills to take. I hoped they would make her happy again. I hated seeing Mum sad like this. Pap came back over to me and bent down so that we were face to face. 
 
 `` Jacob, I know that this must be confusing for you, but I promise, you'll understand some day. Aunt Betty is gone. She was your Mum's sister. So your Mum is very sad that she wo n't get to see Aunt Betty again.'' 
 
 `` Is Aunt Betty in a nice place,'' I repeated. 
 
 `` It's the best place in the world. It's bright and sunny, and everyone there has lots of fun all the time.'' 
 
 `` Like Disneyworld?'' 
 
 Pap smiled and gently ruffled my hair. 
 
 `` Yes, like Disneyworld.'' 
 
 `` If she's in such a good place, why is Mum so sad? Should n't she be happy for her?'' 
 
 `` It's just because she wo n't see her sister again. But she'll be okay.'' 
 
 He went back over to my mum and helped her into the passenger seat so that he could drive instead. She held her face in her hands and kept crying. I tapped her arm gently and she turn to look at me, her eyes red and puffy. 
 
 `` Mumma, I do n't think you should be sad for Aunt Betty. She's in Disneyworld! She must be having lots of fun. Maybe you can go visit her someday.'' 
 
 A smile slowly formed over Mum's face and she grasped my arm tight. 
 
 `` I'll see her someday, yes. But then you'll be sad because you wo n't be able to see me anymore. But that's a long time away.'' 
 
 `` We're here,'' Pap said, turning slowly into a gravel driveway. I saw all my aunts and uncles and cousins, and even Grampy in his wheelchair. Everyone was wearing stuffy black suits and black dresses. I clambered out of the car and followed my parents as we all headed towards the church. Everyone looked sad like Mum, and I just did n't understand why. Pap held my hand and soon I was listening to some old minister talk about how great God is and how life is precious and a bunch of other stuff I really did n't understand. I just sat there, wondering why everyone was so sad that Aunt Betty had gone to live in Disneyland forever.
