Ven

Prologue

Jesane's POV:

I walked down the street quickly, heading towards the bridge. 

Please be there? Please please please? I pleaded as I reached the crest of the hill that led right to our spot. My pace quickened as the sight of it became clearer the closer I got and I felt a bead of sweat drip down the side of my face as I hoped and prayed to God my best friend was down there. But to my dismay, she was nowhere in sight. I quickly looked around the area in hopes of finding something, anything that would show me she had been here. The time was ticking and I had to know if she was alive, for if she was I had to find her. I had to know. 

I paced back and forth in thought when I heard the familiar sound of paper crumbling under my shoe. I bent down with speed like an eagle catching its pray and retrieved the tiny folded piece of paper that had been stuck in the ground with a pencil. 

Dear Jesane,

I know by now you, among others, have realized that I am gone. But not to worry, I am not dead. I am alive. I just couldn't take it anymore. I needed to go. I hope that in time you, along with everyone else, can forgive me for leaving. It was just simply something I had to do. I will try to tell you every now and then that I am still kickin' but it may be a long time before I can tell you that in person. Please, my dearest friend, do not try to find me for you will not succeed. Consider this my thank you for sticking with me up until this point. Underneath this note I have buried a box, and within it you shall find a wad of money, envelopes that I trust you will not open and you will deliver to the people I love,  and the possessions I hold most dear. Take care my friend.

~Ven. 

I knew by then tears had already formed and were slowly falling, but I didn't care, for at that moment I was digging ferociously for that box.

I felt the sharp edge of the corner of the box, and with new fervor than I had ever felt before, ripped the box out from the earth and pried it open. Awaiting me was exactly as she had said, a wad of money, envelopes, and various possessions lying perfectly preserved within the soft lining of the box. I gently pulled every last item out of the box and started searching through it all. As I fumbled to pick things up, I noticed one more piece of paper lying inside the box. 

Jesane, 

I think you should know that the necklace you gave me recently, you know the one with the black bat hanging from it? It is not among the things in this box. It is one of the only things I am taking with me during my journey. I have found it gives me strength and comfort. Now this is truly goodbye. Goodbye my friend. Thank you. And I am sorry. 

~Ven.  

I sat for a second just letting misery sink into me before finally packing everything back into the box and racing back toward the house.