Finale

         The candle lit her room poorly, but enough to allow her to finish up writing the letter. She scribbled the last sentence and put the pencil down then stood up slowly, taking in as much as she could of her frail existence before it ended. She moved gracefully to her bed and made it up. Everything needed to be impeccable, perfect. Unlike her sinful self.

         She took a bite of an apple sitting in her nightstand, tasting its sweet juices once last time. Where she was going, there would not be anything like it. Her taste buds enjoyed the little snack, her mind off her grim future for an instant.

         She saw her violin. She remembered all the times she had made her parents proud by playing it. She trained hard, but it paid off multiple times. The recognition, the accomplishments and her parent’s proud faces. She made a mental image of it all, trying to carve it into her skull, where it could never be erased. A single tear slid off her eye.

         She walked up the balcony door and opened it. A cold gust hit her and the candle inside struggled to maintain its flame. She walked into the dark coldness of the night. No stars in the sky, only obscurity. She walked slowly up to the edge and looked down. It was time.

         Her decision was final, her resolve was unbreakable. She opened her arms and embraced death with a nervous smile. Her fall lasted an eternity. The candle’s flame died, her violin’s strings broke and the melodic silence of the night was dulled by a new sound: the sound of two souls departing this world…

         And a scream. She woke up touching her hidden belly, tears raining down her eyes.





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