Black Raven | Wattys 2018

Chapter Fifteen

Don't let fear hold you back,
For you won't always have a tomorrow.
Live as much as you can today.
Adventure today;
Laugh today;
Have fun today;
Forgive today;
Love today;
Make memories;
Regret nothing,
For it's only our memories,
That we take with us
And last 'till the end.

...............................................................

The Next morning, while Lena was out with Asher, and the guys were at the beach, I was at home sitting on the bed writing letters to my siblings. I didn't know how much time I had left, but I could feel my body getting weaker and the headaches were getting worst; I knew there was no way I could get better. Sobbing, with tears falling down my cheeks, I wrote to Lucas,
"Whenever you feel sad,
My little dove,
Look up high,
I will be watching
From the sky above.
You'll always be loved.

Always follow your dreams; never give up. Don't let anything drag you down. Be good, be humble, and be kind, the world needs good people in it; be one of them. Love with all your heart because you will never feel more alive than when doing it. Don't ever forget that I love you and I always will, no matter what.

With love,
           Your sister".

I folded the paper and grabbed another one to write to Nick,
"Dear Nick:
I know our lives were not easy, but I know you did everything in your power to make sure Lucas and I were safe. I know you didn't ask to be responsible for us; I know you didn't ask to miss out on your childhood to become an adult before your time to take care of 7 selfish kids. I'm sorry you had to go through all that. I'm sorry you had to grow up before time. I'm sorry I had to leave you alone with the burden of all that, but know this, you're gonna be okay. You will conquer the world. You will become a great neurosurgeon and you will save lots of people like me; you will ease their suffering. I know you'll be happy. Thank you for loving me and for taking care of me. Don't weep for me, I'm gonna be okay. I'll be with mom and dad again. Always remember, no matter where I go, I'll always love you and you will always be my brother.

With love,
          Emma".

Again, I folded the letter in half and put it over Lucas' letter. I grabbed another unused, white sheet of paper and wrote to Scott,
"Dear Scott:
Don't ever say I never gave you anything. I'll leave you this letter in which I start writing with no idea of what to say to you, but I'll start with this:
I was lost, hurt, broken, but you fixed me. When I felt like I was alone with the demons inside my head, you held me; you made my demons go away, and replaced them putting flowers in my head. I didn't feel alone anymore and I didn't feel scared. Every time I needed someone, you were there. You changed my life. You made me see things differently. You taught me to live in the moment and enjoy every second of every day. You saw the best and the worst of me, still you didn't run away; instead, you loved me. You taught me that love stories don't need to be long to be unforgettable. Thank you.

With love,
           Emma".

I finished writing the letters. I wiped my tears and went into their rooms to leave them the letters. I hid them in their drawers under all their clothes. I heard the front door being opened, so I rushed downstairs. The sliding door that led to the patio was opened. I walked up to it and went outside. Billy was standing in front of the hole I had dug the night before. He noticed my presence, so he faced me. He looked really pissed off. He put his hand on his side, his fingers brushing against his gun; which by the way, he had gotten a new one, 'cause Ian never gave him back the other one. Really frightened, I took a step back, but before I could run away, he grabbed my arm. "What is this?"-He asked angrily pointing at the hole. Stuttering, I answered, "A hole". He grabbed my arm harder, shook me, and said, "Don't try to be a smart-ass, kid. I know is a hole, but why is it there? Who did it?" I was really scared, so I lied, "I don't know. Let me go. You're hurting me". He grabbed me by my hair and yelled, "You're lying. What did you find down there?" "Nothing, I swear."-I said seriously. "You're coming with me".-He told me harshly. He dragged me by the hair down to the laundry room. He handcuffed me to the wire shelves above the drying machine and then he left the room.