Sincerely, Yours Dearest

"The person who completes suicide, dies once. Those left behind die a thousand deaths, trying to relive those terrible moments and understand ... Why?" - Clark (2001)

What does it mean to be alive? Fifteen-year-old Maise Carter used to think she knew the answer. She was breathing, her heart was beating. She was brimmed with aspirations - writing, singing, and theater, and she felt secure and content encircled by friends and family. But the only constant in life is change, and just as quickly as her world was vibrant, it began to crumble around her. She herself began to crumble, sinking into depression and losing the strength to tread as the people who should have been lifelines became currents dragging her under. To FEEL alive, you need something to live for. But Maise has lost everything she cares about and all hope of returning to shore. Afterall, in such a vast sea, who would notice one person drowning?

So, she decides to end it. She writes letters to her friends and family, leaving them with one final remnant of their dearest Maise, and surrenders to the riptide of her thoughts.

But maybe, she left more of a ripple effect than she realized.

Trigger warning: Self harm, sexual assault, suicide.