Her Goodbye [✔]

Four Minutes

Six days after the death of Miss Summers, Tilly, the younger Miss Summers, at twelve years old, was a stubborn child when it came to opening her letter. Tilly adored Maya, and it was evident through her moon-sized eyes, full of love and adornment. Mrs Summers didn't wish to give her young daughter the pink envelope that sat in the basket. Perhaps it was fear or a need for further explanation.

Tilly had taken the envelope from her mother's trembling hands and locked herself in her room; she was the more unstable of the two daughters' and didn't do very well with torment and denial. Yet, the juvenile girl tore open the envelope with no fear and no hesitation. Her room was painted a dark blue, covered in white dots, and a yellow moon had been painted on her ceiling; Maya had done that, and she was so proud of it too.

She had sat with her sister on her space-themed duvet, and they lay looking around at the room, full of wonder. Tilly was adamant that Maya was her sanity, and she'd get her through anything; and when Maya died, that was torn in two.

"Dear my beloved Tilly,

I'm so sorry to leave you a mere week before your first day of high school, or at this point, it may be tomorrow or the next day. Who knows when mother decided to open her letter, she might have three years later and ruined the whole thing for you.

I promise you, I had good reason to. I know that sometimes I could be an obnoxious idiot, and I'd ignore you, but I'd never forgotten, or hate you. We didn't have that kind of relationship, we were close. You have to promise me, you'll get that with Henry, and you'll protect him, help him grow upright.

I know we'll never have the opportunity to talk of boys, and gossip or cute pranks to play on our parents, but just to know I wanted to, I wanted to have that with you. I have some advice for you; if you're ever unhappy – ever, you make yourself happy. You get rid of the torture, and the pain, no matter what it is.

If I find out, ever, that you've got yourself a boyfriend that isn't good enough for you, be sure to know I'll get rid of him. I'll tell you I hate him, somehow, so you better make a good decision there.

Get rid of Jenny, she doesn't really like you the way you think she does, she's manipulative, and trust me – dead people know this sort of thing.

You also have to promise me, to try hard in school, I had always hoped you'd do well in your exams, and just get to grips with life better than I ever did, or will. Grow up, love, and live, darling. In this little world of your own. The perfect world of your own creation.

I love you – Maya."

Tilly didn't cry after ripping up the letter into pieces and she didn't cry after scrunching them up into a tight ball and throwing them in the fireplace. Tilly cried when she saw the girl burning at the window banging against the glass. She had to force herself to rub her eyes forcefully before falling against her duvet and falling asleep; it wasn't real, she told herself, it's all a dream.