The Unseen Presence

the day she died

The sky was a dull grey, casting a melancholic shadow over the gathered crowd. She walked towards the gathering, noticing faces she hadn't seen in years—distant relatives, family friends, and even her brother-in-law, Marcus, who had tried to end her life just days ago. The memory of the struggle replayed in her mind, her escape from his grasp, the relief of survival...or so she thought.

As Jen approached, she called out to her sister, Elise, but Elise didn't respond. No one did. She was greeted with cold indifference and averted gazes. Bewildered, Jen moved closer to the front, near the casket. Her heart pounded as she saw her mother, tear-streaked and frail, clinging to her father's arm. They all looked broken, devastated.

Jen's confusion grew as she saw herself reflected in the tears of her family. How could she be here, yet not be seen? She looked into the open casket and her breath caught in her throat. There she was, lying peacefully, her hands folded over a bouquet of lilies. The realization struck her like a thunderclap—she hadn't survived. Marcus had succeeded. She was dead.

The world spun around her as she pieced it all together. This was her funeral. She was the ghost, the unseen mourner. Her heart ached with the weight of unspoken words, unfinished business, and the love she could no longer share. Jen's eyes fell upon Marcus, standing smugly at the edge of the crowd. He had won, and her family was left to mourn a life stolen too soon.

As the final rites were performed, Jen felt a pull, a gentle tug towards the beyond. Her vision blurred, and she knew it was time to leave. With one last, longing look at her family, she whispered a silent goodbye and faded into the ether, leaving behind only the echoes of her existence.