The Last Goodbye -Kamilla E. Bright

'Goodbye' As I shook myself back to reality, I began to drive. At this moment, little droplets hit my windshield and were almost immediately followed by huge globs of rain. Tears fell across my face down to my lap. "There is no good in goodbyes and nothing fair in farewell." That's when my life flashed before my eyes.

Two months earlier...

I was sitting on my bed reading as I run through the word 'Death', I've never thought deeply 'bout it. I've been on my own for years now, I don't have to lose anyone. Tears streamed down my face, I did loose every piece of my life. Mom.. Dad..? That was years ago, but it will always stay in the present. Have you ever watched someone die? I have, it's the worst moment you can ever experience. It's like a book, your life, it always has a ending and the worst part is you don't know when you're book will end.

**Ding Dong**

I instantly wiped away my tears and walked towards my door, I opened my door and a girl with the sweetest smile and brunette light hair with deep brown eyes holding a bucket of flowers. I stared at her annoyingly, she smiled and said, "Hey Neighbor! I just moved in." I crossed my eyes hoping she would get a hint that I'm not in the mood to talk. "Oh I'm sorry! Were you busy?" I wanted to say 'yes I was' but I replied, "No! Greetings neighbor...." I instantly regretted my words. She smiled and she stretched her arms and handed me the pile of flowers. "Well.. My name is Jessica...My friends call me Jess.", "My name is Delia...My friends call me Del" I replied. She softly let out a smile and left.

After few weeks, she came again and asked me to hang out. I was honestly relieved because I was bored and lonely. We went to the Ice Rink for some reason, I was very good at skating when I was younger.... I used to come here everyday with my mom. It was hard for me to come here without me mom or mostly weird. I played my cool, I honestly was waiting until I break down crying but I didn't. I started to skate and I felt like a free bird, I realized that Jess didn't set a foot in the Rink. I approached her and said "Why aren't you skating?" I chuckled and she nervously said, “I-i d-don’t know how?”. I started laughing and asked, “Then why did we come here?”, she replied with soft sweet smile “Uh-h because my mom said that you used to love the Ice Rink…” I smiled for her generosity to bring me here. “C'mon, let me teach ya!” I happily said. She grabbed my shoulder and went on the slippery ice, she laughed and we had so much fun. I let her hands away from my shoulders and she slipped, we laughed hysterically and in the end of the day I never had this much fun since Mom died.

 We went back to the building and we had a sleepover. We braided each other’s hair, painted our nails, wore pajamas and applied face masks and laughed at silly jokes. We told ghost stories and somehow we started laughing at the end. We decided to sleep under the stars in her garden, we layed in our sleeping bags and just looked up in the stars in silence. She suddenly said with a nervous tone, “Who do you live with?” I responded casually, “I live

by myself, I’m already an adult and I’m legal to stay alone. Why do you ask?” “Oh nothing, just wondering…My mom always says: ‘Shine your light at all times; you never know who you are leading out of the dark.” She giggled softly. “That’s sweet… but what if you’re the one in the dark?” I asked, “Oh… I haven’t thought ‘bout it.. I guess you need someone’s light to drag you out of the darkness?” “That actually makes sense” I chuckled. We continued staring to the bright stars and she said, “You know, I never had a friend…. I was mostly bullied and hardly anyone spoke to me because they don’t want to lose their reputation or somethin’...” I turned my head and she looked like she was trying to hold back her tears, “I never really cared ‘bout what people thought. Honestly? I knew that people were scared of me for some reason. I never liked attention and always stayed in the shadow, I have no idea why someone would ever bully you, you’re pretty, selfless and fun to be ‘round with.” Jess had a huge smile on her face, her face glowed and lit up of happiness. “You’ll never be alone.. you have me. We both need each other’s light.” She said. “When my Mom died…. I was alone. I fell into a hole that was deep deep down, that no one can give me hand and pull me out. I needed to climb back up by myself, and my dad --- he died in war before I was even born….. I pretended I was alright, I faked a smile and wore a mask.” She looked at me with sympathy. 

 “Close your eyes…” She said out of the blue, “W-wha-at?” I said with confusion “Close your eyes!” I shut my eyes and she continued “Imagine you’re Mom sitting in a rocking chair in the darkness, Do you see it?” I nodded my head. “Alright, Right now she rocking her chair, she is reading a book. What book is she reading?” “Uh- She is reading ‘To kill a mockingbird’ her favorite” I replied. “Good. She skips through the pages and suddenly she stops reading. She closes the book and looks straight to you… She smiles and all the darkness is slowly disappearing, where is she?” “She is sitting in my childhood garden…” I answered. “Okay. Now she stood up from the rocking chair and she’s approaching you with a sad expression. She came and gave you a hug. How do you feel?” She asked, “I feel safe and happy but also curious why is she sad.” “Good! Now she lets go of you and she slowly walking towards you’re back door. She stops right in front of the door and turns around and waves then she smiles and exits the garden. How do you feel?” “I feel sad, and lonely.” “Okay… Now look around you. What do you see?” She asked. “I see a tree and my house. I hear how the birds are chirping.” “Perfect! Realise that nothing became dark, it only came lonely and sad. Right?” “Yes! wow.” I said with surprise. “Now open your eyes. How do you feel?” She asked “I feel good but sad that my mom left.” “Before she left, did she smile?” “Yes..” “That means she was happy” “Oh yes, her smile made me happy.” I looked at her and said “Thank you..” she smiled “No problem, let’s head to sleep. I feel pretty tired.” I nodded and we fell asleep. 

The next few weeks, I hung out with her everyday and I felt so good. We headed to the beach, we splashed water, we tanned, made silly jokes and laughed. I felt so close to her, she was my best friend and practically a sister to me. It was about five pm and Jess wanted to head home, I begged her to stay for a little while to see the sunset and surprisingly she gave in. We sat in the sand in our swimming suits watching the sunset, the sun sat and it became dark. We covered ourselves with a towel and were ready to go to her car that was in the streets. We laughed and walked to the street the car was, there was a old woman walking in the dark with a stick supporting her. We were heading to the car, when we heard gunshots. We turned ‘round and we saw the old women in the floor, bleeding. I knew that Jess would run to help her, and I said “Jess… no.” “I’m sorry Del..” She ran across the street to help the old woman “NOOO!” I screamed. She bent her knees, she took off her towel and wrapped it around the woman’s knee. **GUNSHOT** I closed my eyes, thinking that someone shot me. I opened my eyes and saw Jess laying on the floor, she formed a pool of blood that surrounding her, I started ugly crying. Cowardly, I ran inside her car and drove away. 

Present..

'Goodbye' was ringing in my ear. As I shook myself back to reality, I began to drive. At this moment, little droplets hit my windshield and were almost immediately followed by huge globs of rain. Tears fell across my face down to my lap. "There is no good in goodbyes and nothing fair in farewell." That's when my life flashed before my eyes.

Next thing I know, hearing sirens and my body laying in the floor. I opened my eyes, I was laying in a hospital. The nurse came and asked me, “Do you know what happened?” I tried to recall what happened but I forgot. “No-o?” I nervously said. “Okay.. What do you remember?”  “Nothing…..” I answered. “You were wearing a swimming suit and sand covered your legs. Were you on the beach. If yes, Were you alone? Were you with someone?” She attacked me with questions. “Uhh- I don’t remember anything… or anyone.” “We found a girl and an old lady not far from you crash. Do you know anything about it?” “I said I don’t remember anyone or what happened!” I lost my temper but I felt like I was missing someone, but I didn’t know who….

The End