Live and Let Die

chapter 1

"Emma! come down for breakfast! there's mail for you!" I was awoken by the shrill nagging of my roommate and best friend, Claire.

"Shut up. I went to sleep late" i replied, annoyed, trying to buy a few more minutes of silence. there was no reply. i lay my head back down on my pillow and started to relax...

"Em-ma!!!! I think it's from Ma-at!" she extended the syllables in a taunting singsong voice. "Seriously, Emma I'm not joking." I doubted that the letter was from Matt, because he had only left a week ago, and the air mail would take more than 2 weeks to come to our tiny little town. "Emma! fine then. I'll open it myself." i heard the ripping of paper, and a loud "Ooh" from Claire "To my dearest Emma. I haven't stopped thinking of you..." she trailed off. i couldn't take it any more, so i got up and leaped through the obstacle course of trash in my unusually messy room.

By the time i reached the kitchen area, Claire had already finished reading the letter and was making her breakfast. "Finally, little miss Em." she had a teasing look in her eyes. "Loverboy's been really passionate -and descriptive. " her expression changed from teasing to disgust. she dangled the delicate sheets of parchment paper infront of my face.

"Gimme that!" i yelled, grabing for the letter as she swiped it swiftly behind her back.

"Never! " Claire held the pages up and, to my dismay, they where in flames.

"Claire!!! put it out, you bitch!!!" she dropped the pile of flames on the floor and proceeded to snuff them out with her feet. as soon as they where out, i sprang for the pages, now half burnt, and examined them carefully. on the first page, all that could be made out was:

To my Dearest Emma,

I haven't stopped thinking about you. Your smile, your pretty eyes, and of course your beautiful presence.

The middle part of the page was charred and black. I continued to the bottom of the page

My time here may be a week shorter than anticipated, if the next few days go well. But if they don't, my time here will be doubled.

Can't wait to see you again dearest.

Love,

Matt <3

My eyes filled with tears of sadness and happiness. The possibility of him coming home one week early was great, but what if he had to stay? I turned to the next page, which was only legible for the first few sentences.

It was dated the next day:

Good news, and bad news. I am coming home early!!!! Bad news: I have to be re stationed for a few weeks in--

I could not make out the rest. I was dying to read the rest of Matt's letter.

"Claire, I officially hate you. Did you read the entire thing?"

"No, Em. I only got the first bit. I'm so sorry."

"Seriously? Of all the Facebook messages, love letters and diary entries, you only decided to be considerate this time?" my voice wavered and cracked, as I tried to conceal my emotions.

"Em, I mean it, em. I'm so sorry. I thought that since you were so upset about Matt leaving, and that you had only left your bed if you really needed to... I-I really didn't mean to burn them." I could hear the sincerity in her voice, but I was not effected by her words. After giving Claire my best "it's ok, but it really isn't" look, i ran upstairs, in tears.