A/N: I thought of this while I was in a daze due to being terribly sick, so it's kind of bad. Hope you'll like it still.
A friend of Claire visited her house, worried since she hasn't heard from her for a two days. It was weird, since she'd always talk to her online and on the phone. Even if she was offline for a couple of days, Claire would tell her beforehand why she won't be able to talk in that specific period of time. When she opened the door to her house, she was surprised to see that it was unlocked. Even more worried, she continued to enter to see the living room/kitchen/dining room to be clean. There's a few unfinished cups of a now-cold hot cocoa and coffee here and there, and already finished cup of noodles, but besides that, everything looks okay.
The door to Claire's room was slightly ajar and being the curious person that she is, she walked in to see her lifeless body on the bed. She looked around the room which was a total mess with bottles, wrappers, foil wrap etc dirtying the floor. Puddles of unknown substances around and dry stains of blood on the bed where Claire's body is on. She cried and mourned over her for who knows how long before calling the police and an ambulance.
When she regained her senses, she went over to the desk where tons of paper were piled on it. She read the paper with blood spots all over it. The paper curled into itself, concluding that it was caused by either tears or just water.
Nevertheless, she read it. After a while, she clenched the paper into her fist, crying once again.
The letter is read as follows:
"I don't know if this is the last time I'm writing, but for once, I'm scared. Not scared of dying, no. Scared of being forgotten. I'm unsociable as I am already but I at least wanted to see my family and my friends in the last couple of days.
"It's my fault for getting where I am, but I do treasure the few relationships that I have as they are so much more meaningful than the times I insisted to stay alone.
"I admit I presented myself to society entirely wrong- I could have had more friends and achieved more, however I never wanted to be anyone else but me.
"I'd be cringing when I wake up to this later but I'd like to remind myself that I love my family and friends. I know I don't show it often, yet please do remember, future self, that you do and you'd rather not have anyone else.
"Kind reminder to future self that you need to fix yourself up and adopt the kid already. It'll be difficult, yes, but it'd be so much worth it.
"Cheers,
Claire
Written on July 19, 19:58"
She looked at her watch. 19:58. A full day went past when she finished writing the letter. She tried to reason with herself how the hell Claire died. That went on for 10 minutes of her head aching, trying to overcome the overwhelming sorrow that was overflowing in her chest. With a heavy heart, she concluded that she might've died of pneumonia. A couple of days before, Claire told her she was sick with a cold. Knowing how careless Claire is, she might've mistaken her cold with influenza... Which quickly escalated to pneumonia. She knew all the signs, so she knows perfectly well how utterly stupid she is for leaving Claire alone like that. She sat there for a good 20 minutes before the police officers and physicians entered the room. Everything was a blur during that time. When she came to, she was already at the morgue, looking at Claire's pale white face which glowed with life days before.
Oh, how death quickly takes the ones who are unfortunate. She was depressed for who knows how long. But she told herself she needs to get back on her feet. Claire wouldn't want her mourning this long. She wanted so much to, but thinking how Claire would scold her about it made her chuckle and attempt to live on. It's what she would've wanted anyway.
*****
Faith walked up to the altar filled with pictures and sunflowers with a five-year-old boy in her arms. She pointed to a picture of a smiling woman in her 20s who was holding a small sculpture that showed she won one of the greatest literature awards in the world. "Now that's your mother." The little boy tilted his head, "My mother? Aren't you my mother?" Faith shook her head. "Oh child, I have so many things to tell you of the kindest person in the whole world. Her name's Felicity Claire Joyeux, and you better remember that name, little one."
YOU ARE READING
The Battlefield Within Me & Out
Poesie✫彡 Poetry, Excerpts & Short Stories ✫彡 bat·tle·field /ˈbadlˌfēld/ - a noun which is defined as the piece of ground on which a battle is or was fought. - also defines as a place or situation of strife or conflict.
