A Dim Light in the Night Sky

9

Having failed to prevent Marisol's death which my nightmares have foretold, I was devastated and looking for answers. I did not get a wink of sleep what was left of that night or the next two nights for that matter. Weary from a lack of sleep and the loss of Marisol, I really wanted to just break down and give up on everything. What was the point of living life without Marisol in it? The world was a much colder and darker place without her.

However, even with all the dark storm clouds above me, Lina was a small ray of sunshine that peered through the clouds. Her innocent presence was a beacon of hope, a reminder that life, despite its cruel twists, still held moments of light and love.

Without me, Lina would have no one to feed her or take care of her, and aside from some material belongings, Lina was all I had left from Marisol. I had to protect her and make sure she stays alive no matter what.

Lina was very good about taking her naps and going to sleep at bedtime. She would sleep peacefully through the night.

Unfortunately I couldn't say the same about myself. What happened to Marisol kept me awake at night. I just kept asking myself: Who was it that drove her to take her own life? What did they do to her? I really wanted to know, but I wasn't getting anywhere.

In despair I collapsed on the bedroom floor. My tears had run dry by that point, I just laid on the floor wallowing in my sadness. My fatigue was starting to catch up to me, and I was just about to doze off, until I felt something strange on the floor.

"What's this?" I mumbled weakly as I picked up a small object in the carpet and held it between my fingers. I took a look at it and it was a small round purple tablet. "Is this candy?"

I got up and looked towards the top dresser drawer above where I was lying. I opened the drawer revealing Marisol's panties. Just the sight of her panties made me feel devastated all over again. Knowing she will never wear them again caused me great heartache, but it was necessary for me to power through. In that drawer may have been a vital clue.

My suspicions were reaffirmed as in between her panties I saw the edge of a sealed zipper bag. Carefully, without touching her panties so as to not contaminate them, I pulled out the bag and inside it I saw more of those tablets.

This left my sleep deprived mind even more confused. It really didn't make sense to me. Why would she hide candy in her panty drawer? Could it have been some kind of drug? That seemed like the most realistic possibility.

Unsure of what they were and knowing they looked like candy, I felt it necessary to keep it them hidden from Lina so I put them in the very back of the panty drawer. The last thing I needed was for her to find them and mistake it for a treat. I needed to protect her from anything that could cause her harm.

As I closed the drawer I noticed white envelope on top of the dresser that I didn't see before. The color of the envelope blended into the dresser, making it nearly invisible.

Curious and slightly apprehensive, I picked it up and saw my name written in Marisol's handwriting. My heart raced as I opened it and found a letter that read:

Dear Zephyr

I'm sorry I left you behind like this. Ever since I was little I never got along with my family. It was my fault really because I was always bratty and rebellious. I never did well in school. I often skipped school to play games at the arcade. In my teenage years when my breasts grew, men started noticing me and inviting me to the bar to buy me drinks. I would drink and have fun. When I got home I would get scolded and locked in my room.