Our Short Journey

Chapter 8 : Last Chapter - The Final Goodbye

Owen stepped into the familiar silence of his childhood home, the walls echoing with memories he could no longer bear to face. He placed his bags down by the door and dragged himself upstairs to his old room. The bed creaked under his weight as he collapsed onto it, staring blankly at the ceiling. Everything felt empty, hollow-just like the house. His parents were gone, as always, consumed by their work, leaving him alone in the vast, quiet space. But the silence now felt different, suffocating, because Sally was no longer with him.

The realization washed over him like a cold wave, and he could feel the tears welling up again. There was no more laughter, no more shared dreams, no more Sally. It was just him, drowning in memories and regrets. He couldn't stay here, not like this. He had to see her, one last time.

With heavy steps, Owen left the house and made his way to the cemetery. The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the gravestones. He found her grave easily; he had visited it many times before, though never fully grasping its significance until now. The words on the stone were simple but hit him like a punch to the gut

Chou Sally.
Born 11/5/1999. Died 17/9/2019.

His knees buckled as he knelt in front of her grave, tracing the letters of her name with trembling fingers. The date of the accident was engraved there, stark and cold, a reminder of the day his world had shattered. The more he looked at the stone, the more the reality of her death consumed him, tearing at the edges of his fragile sanity.

"Sally... I'm so sorry.." he whispered, his voice breaking. "I should've protected you. I should've been the one... I should've been more careful. But now, I'm all alone... and I don't know how to keep going."

Tears flowed freely as he sat there, the weight of his guilt crushing him. He stayed like that for what felt like hours, until the night began to fall and the cemetery grew dark. The cold air bit at his skin, but he barely noticed. Nothing seemed to matter anymore.

Eventually, he forced himself to stand and made his way back home, his legs heavy as if they carried the weight of the world. Once inside, Owen moved on autopilot. He sat at the kitchen table, the place where he and Sally had once planned their future travels, now a space of unbearable loneliness. He reached for a piece of paper and a pen, the finality of his decision settling in his mind like a stone.

He placed the stack of polaroids beside him, each one a snapshot of a place they'd visited together, each one a memory of a moment they'd shared. The photos showed him smiling, laughing, full of life-moments he knew he could never recreate.

With a shaking hand, he began to write his final words:

Sally, my love. We completed our journey, but I'm lost without you. Can I meet you now ? There's no light in this world without you by my side. I'm sorry I couldn't be stronger, but the truth is, I don't want to live in a world where you don't exist. I'm ready to join you now. I miss you so much. Forgive me for choosing this path. I love you, always.

He finished writing, his heart aching with every word. Gently, he placed the letter on top of the polaroids, as if arranging them for someone else to find-a final testament to their love, to the life they could have had.

Then, with a numb resolve, Owen retrieved a rope from the closet. He tied it securely to the ceiling fan, his movements slow, deliberate. Every action was accompanied by memories of Sally-her smile, her laugh, the way she would look at him with those bright, hopeful eyes. But she wasn't here to stop him, to save him from himself. She was gone.

He stepped onto the chair, slipping the noose around his neck, his heart pounding with fear and anticipation. His last thought was of Sally, her face in his mind, her voice echoing in his ears. "I'm coming, Sally." he whispered, just before he kicked the chair away.
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For a moment, everything went dark, a blackness so deep it felt like drowning. And then, a strange sense of peace washed over him, a release from all the pain, all the guilt. But in that final moment, as the darkness closed in, Owen thought he heard her voice one last time, soft and filled with love, "I'll be waiting for you."

The world faded away, leaving only silence.
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THE END