Just a little touching story i decided to type up after the SAT today.
The Last Dance
The room was dark with only a few tendrils of sunshine making its way through the tightly shut blinds. The air was cold and lifeless. The dust hung in the air, occasionally reflecting the small rays of sunlight. Numerous beer bottles were strewn about the floor, some completely empty, some only half empty. In between the beer bottles were thrown pictures showing two people, one man, one woman, and in the middle of all this mess, she sat. Kate sat curled up on the ground with her knees pulled tightly to her chest. Dark circles ringed her piercing blue eyes that had long since lost their luster. Her hair hung in matted clumps around her cheeks that still bore the trails of tears. Fresh red lines, not even a day old, crisscrossed on her wrists.
This is how Kate had been sitting for the past three days since her release from the hospital: no sleep, no food, nothing to stop the suffering. Kate reached beside her and drew up one of the half empty beer bottles and took a long drink. Alcohol had probably been the closest thing to comfort she had found these recent days, ever since that day... As the memories flashed through her head, sobs wracked her body. A muffled cry of both pain and suffering resonated in her throat. Why? This was the only thought that Kate could think.
Kate reached in front of her and pulled towards her one of the photos that were helter-skelter over the ground. She ran her finger over the man in picture lovingly yet with a touch of longing and loss also. Why him? Why not me instead? Why did I live and not him? It was September 23, 2005, and Kate and her husband, Tom, had been coming home when a drunk driver coming from the opposite direction had swerved out of his lane at the last moment hitting Tom’s side of the car. The only thing Kate could remember was lights, blinding lights, and then an ensuing darkness that seemed to choke the life out of her. Just when she was begging to die, she opened her eyes and found herself in a hospital bed. Tom had not been so fortunate. Even more sobs found their way out of Kate’s throat. She couldn’t take this any longer; she grabbed the knife beside her and drew a line on her wrist. As her life trickled out of her slowly, Kate fell unconscious onto the tear stained floor.
There was only darkness, but Kate could hear sounds: the sound of waves crashing onto the beach. Kate could feel the sand between her toes and the cool breeze that whipped her platinum blonde hair around her slender face, now clear of tear stains. Slowly, the world around Kate came into focus. Her eyes had regained that shimmer that had first captured Tom’s heart. She was on the beach, and it was dusk with a gorgeous sunset that seemed to paint the skies the most glorious shades of violet, orange, and red: just like the day of their wedding...
It was then that Kate heard the sound of clapping over the rhythmic crashing of the waves. She slowly walked towards the sound and saw the sight. Tom and Kate stood before her eyes, both dressed for their wedding. They were kissing and the audience was clapping. Soft music filtered to her ears as Kate watched herself dance with Tom after the wedding ceremony. They gently swayed to the tune of the music while looking lovingly into each others eyes. The sight of her old memories playing out before her caused Kate to start sobbing once more. She crumpled onto the sand and looked longingly on as she recalled how happy she had felt dancing with Tom that day. Then, as she watched, she saw Tom take his gaze away from the Kate in front of him and turned to stare at her. As he stared at Kate, she saw him unmistakably mouth the words, I love you, Kate. All Kate could say while crying was, I love you, too. These very words were on her lips as she woke up on the floor of her bedroom, hair even more disheveled. I love you, Tom, and I will go on for you. I’ll see you sometime later.
62 years later...
The sound of children playing and screaming rang down the street. The sun shown brightly and the wind was gentle, caressing the clouds that looked like cotton candy above. At the end of the street sat an old woman on her porch. She serenely watched as the children ran up and down the street. She closed her eyes and let sleep overtake her.
Kate was twenty-three years old again as she climbed the hill. She had climbed this hill many times in her dreams, but just as she neared the top, she would always wake up. Kate walked further and further towards the top. She knew nothing would stop her today. Finally reaching the top she looked down. There was a small house on the other side of the hill, her house, and there was a table set outside with all the foods she loved to eat. Then, she saw the thing she had wanted to see the most. The back door opened, and Tom walked out singing his favorite tune and carrying the last touch for the table. Once Tom set the dish on the picnic table outside, he glanced up and beckoned for Kate to join him. Kate ran down the hill with tears of joy in her eyes and leapt into Tom’s waiting arms. She had finally come to join him...
FIN
Even if you can’t hear my voice, I’ll be with you my dear...
The room was dark with only a few tendrils of sunshine making its way through the tightly shut blinds. The air was cold and lifeless. The dust hung in the air, occasionally reflecting the small rays of sunlight. Numerous beer bottles were strewn about the floor, some completely empty, some only half empty. In between the beer bottles were thrown pictures showing two people, one man, one woman, and in the middle of all this mess, she sat. Kate sat curled up on the ground with her knees pulled tightly to her chest. Dark circles ringed her piercing blue eyes that had long since lost their luster. Her hair hung in matted clumps around her cheeks that still bore the trails of tears. Fresh red lines, not even a day old, crisscrossed on her wrists.
This is how Kate had been sitting for the past three days since her release from the hospital: no sleep, no food, nothing to stop the suffering. Kate reached beside her and drew up one of the half empty beer bottles and took a long drink. Alcohol had probably been the closest thing to comfort she had found these recent days, ever since that day... As the memories flashed through her head, sobs wracked her body. A muffled cry of both pain and suffering resonated in her throat. Why? This was the only thought that Kate could think.
Kate reached in front of her and pulled towards her one of the photos that were helter-skelter over the ground. She ran her finger over the man in picture lovingly yet with a touch of longing and loss also. Why him? Why not me instead? Why did I live and not him? It was September 23, 2005, and Kate and her husband, Tom, had been coming home when a drunk driver coming from the opposite direction had swerved out of his lane at the last moment hitting Tom’s side of the car. The only thing Kate could remember was lights, blinding lights, and then an ensuing darkness that seemed to choke the life out of her. Just when she was begging to die, she opened her eyes and found herself in a hospital bed. Tom had not been so fortunate. Even more sobs found their way out of Kate’s throat. She couldn’t take this any longer; she grabbed the knife beside her and drew a line on her wrist. As her life trickled out of her slowly, Kate fell unconscious onto the tear stained floor.
There was only darkness, but Kate could hear sounds: the sound of waves crashing onto the beach. Kate could feel the sand between her toes and the cool breeze that whipped her platinum blonde hair around her slender face, now clear of tear stains. Slowly, the world around Kate came into focus. Her eyes had regained that shimmer that had first captured Tom’s heart. She was on the beach, and it was dusk with a gorgeous sunset that seemed to paint the skies the most glorious shades of violet, orange, and red: just like the day of their wedding...
It was then that Kate heard the sound of clapping over the rhythmic crashing of the waves. She slowly walked towards the sound and saw the sight. Tom and Kate stood before her eyes, both dressed for their wedding. They were kissing and the audience was clapping. Soft music filtered to her ears as Kate watched herself dance with Tom after the wedding ceremony. They gently swayed to the tune of the music while looking lovingly into each others eyes. The sight of her old memories playing out before her caused Kate to start sobbing once more. She crumpled onto the sand and looked longingly on as she recalled how happy she had felt dancing with Tom that day. Then, as she watched, she saw Tom take his gaze away from the Kate in front of him and turned to stare at her. As he stared at Kate, she saw him unmistakably mouth the words, I love you, Kate. All Kate could say while crying was, I love you, too. These very words were on her lips as she woke up on the floor of her bedroom, hair even more disheveled. I love you, Tom, and I will go on for you. I’ll see you sometime later.
62 years later...
The sound of children playing and screaming rang down the street. The sun shown brightly and the wind was gentle, caressing the clouds that looked like cotton candy above. At the end of the street sat an old woman on her porch. She serenely watched as the children ran up and down the street. She closed her eyes and let sleep overtake her.
Kate was twenty-three years old again as she climbed the hill. She had climbed this hill many times in her dreams, but just as she neared the top, she would always wake up. Kate walked further and further towards the top. She knew nothing would stop her today. Finally reaching the top she looked down. There was a small house on the other side of the hill, her house, and there was a table set outside with all the foods she loved to eat. Then, she saw the thing she had wanted to see the most. The back door opened, and Tom walked out singing his favorite tune and carrying the last touch for the table. Once Tom set the dish on the picnic table outside, he glanced up and beckoned for Kate to join him. Kate ran down the hill with tears of joy in her eyes and leapt into Tom’s waiting arms. She had finally come to join him...
FIN
Even if you can’t hear my voice, I’ll be with you my dear...