How I Want To Die

The sky was alit with flames. Vibrant and orange and alive. Izabel stared on in wonder as she watched the scene unfold from her place on the ground. It amazed her sometimes how beautiful the world could be.

"That's how I want to die," A voice stated from behind her, pulling her out of her thoughts. She jumped a bit from the sound and turned to see her brother leaning against the old oak tree. He too was watching the sky, his eyes holding the same bright fire as the sky did.

Izabel laughed, using a hand to push a strand of her long black hair behind her ear. "You startled me." She said. The boy just shrugged in response, still watching the sunset.

It was silent for a few moments before Izabel cleared her throat and gave him a look of confusion. "Uh...what did you mean by that?" She asked.

He shrugged again. "I want to go out like the sun does." He stated plainly. "Bright and beautiful and alive. Full of color."

"Oh." She said simply, not sure how to respond to that. Once again, there was silence. The girl looked back to the sky. The sun was beginning to sink into the horizon, and with it, the light began to fade as well. The bright orange had transformed into softer pinks and purples. Just as beautiful, but more calm. More quiet.

"I think mom did too."

Izabel's eyes widened at the mention of their mother. She grimaced and squeezed her eyes shut. "Don't...say that..."

"She did though! She would always tell stories of magic and heroic adventures and dragons..." He paused. "I doubt that she wanted her last moments to be in a hospital room. Cold and dull and-"

"Can you stop talking!?" Izabel snapped, glaring at him. "Just shut your mouth for two seconds!"

Her brother stared at her in shock. Then he nodded and looked away, his attention back on the sky, now the dark colors of dusk. "Sorry..." He said quietly.

The girl sighed. "It's...alright."

Silence. Soon the sky was black and dead, the ebony void only broken by small pinpricks of white light scattered like dust around the moon.

"I don't think anyone dies like that... Not really." She finally spoke. "I mean...sure, some people have more exciting final moments, but...dying itself is supposed to be calm. Peaceful. Life is the exciting thing. Not death." She turned to her brother. "Right?"

He didn't respond, still staring at the sky with a sorrowful look in his eyes. He sighed deeply. "I miss her."

"Yeah..." Izabel looked back up at the sky as well. There were so many stars, each one producing it's own light. She realized that, despite the dark and the absence of the sun, the night had it's own sort of life to it. She hoped that her mom was somewhere up there too, among the stars. "Me too."