For Emma

Chapter 8

Snow has fallen constantly all day. The sky is a blinding white, and every time I look outside I have to squint. I turn away from the window as my eyes begin to water. I look over at the couch and see my mom asleep with multiple cans of beer lying around the sofa. Slowly I walk over to her. Underneath the beer cans is a picture of Sam from last year. It was taken after one of her volley ball game. Her arms are wrapped tightly around me and I smiling with my camera clutched tightly in my hands. The glass covering the picture is cracked with little shards sticking out. I carefully pick it up and accidently get glass in my thumb. I bight my lip so I don't wake my mom up as I slide the glass out of my thumb.

After some of the pain leaves I sit on the floor against the wall that separates the kitchen from the living room. Tears falls on to the photo blurring my vision from Sam's face. There's always something keeping me from seeing her. Angrily I wipe away my tears, but more just come. I throw the picture and hear the frame crack and more glass shatter.

"Emma, what's going on?" I hear my mother's voice but I don't stop.

I run to where the picture fell and begin stomping on until the shards of glass are almost invisible. I watched through tears as the picture is ripped to shreds.

"Emma!" My mother struggles to grab my arm as I trample over the frame. "Emma, stop." My mother stands in front of me. I meet her drunken eyes.

"Don't touched me!" I yell as I push her away, grab my keys, and run out the door.

***

The Black Water Cemetery's large iron gates slowly open. I hurriedly sit next to Sam's grave stone. The white rose has grown brown and wilted. With my guitar I begin to sing a part of a song by Iron & Wine "Each Coming Night".

Will you say when I'm gone

Your face has faded but lingers on

'Cause light strikes a deal

With each coming night...

"Sam, why?" I sob into the cold winter air. I pull out Annabeth's diary and read aloud.

"Dear my love,

Last night you told me you loved me. It's something you say to me every day, but I needed to hear it last night. Mary and her husband are moving to a small town called, Black Water, with Jeff. I'll be so alone. No more visits in the middle of the day, no more pictures from Jeff, and no more Singing on the deck. As I thought this that horrible song began to play in my head again and the man's voice began to sing that ugly melody. I began to cry heavy tears that soaked the sleeve of my sweater. Forgive me my love. I FEAR GOODBYES.

--Love,

Dearest, Annabeth"

"Hey, my goldengirl, what happened? Why aren't you flying with the doves? Why are you lying her still and broken. Get back up; I'm waiting. I can't leave I can't go forward with your glow diming." I sing as I strum my guitar. I stop strumming and say, "merry Christmas. That's your song."