Fading

Once Upon A Time

Dear Dad,
Its been 1,461 days now. Todays officially the first day of winter break. Which means i have two weeks till i see my friends again. On the brightside i dont have homework or classes. Auntie asked what id like for Christmas and its unfair to ask her for what i want because its not up to her. Its up to you. All i want for Christmas is to hear my fathers voice, read his hand writing, hell maybe even see his face. I met a little girl Ember yesterday with stage 4 brain cancer and you know what she asked for Christmas? To see her family one last time before she died. I told her shed see them, that she would survive this. What else was i supossed to tell her? Its my job to keep her happy. It broke my heart to know that we had almost the same wish. If i was on my death bed just like Ember. Would i still be like her lonley wishing for my family. Would you just let me dye without saying goodbye?

Dear Santa,
Its Ember again. I have a new list this year of gifts i would like the elves to make me and wishes i want to come true.

1. My family so i can open presents with them.
2. A teady bear
Thank you Santa ♡

I sat there in the hospital room writing a letter to santa because thats what Ember wanted to do. She wanted to make sure santa got her wishes in time since the north poll is so far away. My list consisted of utter bullshit like a car or a new phone, i just put anything to make it seem like santa was real.

"Autumn?" I hear a small voice ask from the bed and i look up right as she continues with "Where do they put these letters since santa isnt real?"

The question caught me off guard considering we were doing this so she could talk to santa "What do you mean of course hes real. Where do you think the presents come from?"

Ember seemed to just shrug "i dont know but i didnt get what i wanted last year." She said in a sad tone of voice.

"Well what did you ask for?" I said trying to sound like i believed the big man in red was real.

"I asked to not be sick any more..." Her skinny pale fingers folded the letter into a small rectangular shape to fit into her envelope "but i just got worse"

I sat there shocked not knowing quite what to say to her about santa clause. "Well sometimes Santa cant grant wishes right away. You just watch youll get better some day."

The girl never smiled but she did somehow seem happier aftwr she said that "Ok well you need to hurry and put our letters in the mail so santa doesn't forget us."

A wide smile spread across my face ear to ear "dont worry ill take them right after our play date."

Ember pulled the covers over her small fragile body laying down to rest her head on the soft pillow. "Tell me a story so i can go to sleep. If you dont all the bed bugs might get me."

"Once Upon A Time,
There was a yellow bird named Spring, a orange bird named Summer and a brown bird named Fall. Each and every year they would fly past a tower while changing the seasons. In the tower there was a beautiful princess waiting for her prince charming to rescue her. Her name was Winter. Every year she would look out watching the seasons thrive and change because of the beautiful birds. Then every year after Fall she would begin to cry and cry and cry over and over. She couldnt stop, the tears just fell from her eyes and out the windows. Her tears were filled with so much sorrow that out side would become frozen and it would snow. The princess would cry since shes been waiting for so long to be rescued and it just wouldnt happen. Winter wished she was like the birds flying free outside and working but the only exsit from her room was her window so far up off the ground. One night she was crying and crying in her room and the birds came to sit in her window just watching her. Slowly, so she wouldnt scare them, the girl began to approach the birds. They flew off her window and she got on the edge trying to follow them and slipped out the window on her own tears. Falling down the tower you could hear her screams. A prince charming never found her... because after she fell through that window her screams turned to a song. Right before she hit the ground something magical happened. She flew. She flew up to her widow and took a look into her old room chatching a glimpse of herself in the mirror. The princess had trance formed into a beautiful glowing blue bird, the same as shes been envying and watching for her whole life. All the other birds flew next to her. Now there were four beautiful birds flying every year. Winter. Spring. Summer. Fall.

By the time i finished she had fallen asleep curled up into a small ball as if she was cold or a small puppy. I walked over and kissed her head softly before silently sneaking out. Allen was at the receptionist desk so i walked over. "Hey allen Embers asleep..."

"No i want the purple m & m's!" He whined into the phone like a little kid "I promised a little boy purple not green or blue or red. Get me purple you big dope" he hung up looking over to me "if you give me a high five ill let you go home early."

I gave him a confused look giving a long moments hesitation to his request but i figured nothing bad was going to happen. "Oookkkkeeeyyy" i said high fiving him.

He jumped with excitement and pumped his fist like he accomplished his life goal or something "Yes 502nd of the day" he began walk away and leaped in the air "wooo new record! life is finially looking good Autumn! Looking good!" He yelled while turning the corner.

After that display i couldnt help laughing while walking out quickly to my scooter. Thats when i got a call.

"Hello?"

"Hey beautiful its me what are you doing?"

"Just got off work, why?"

"Come hang with me Ryan and Alex. My place."

I smile to my self before saying "Be right over" and hanging up the phone.