April 7th, 2004

The feeling of her fingertips in mine had always been a comfort. Leaves gave way and crinkled under our feet as we strolled, her fingerprints rolling over my knuckles, reminding me that I’m alive.
“This forest could be hundreds of years old, you know. Imagine how many people have been here! We’re probably not the first couple to find this place.” Abigail shattered the silence, abandoning my hands to follow in the footsteps of the Romeos and Juliets before us. I could not help but slow to a stop and watch, enamored by the sight before me. The light fought through the pine trees, forcing their way to the skin of her arms and her flowing yellow sundress. Her bright red locks framed her face, her smile contagious.
I sat in the grass, letting the blades blanket me as she laid her head next to mine. Her curly hair entwined with my own, and I smiled at the sudden whiff of her lavender perfume battling with the pine in the air. Her hands found mine once more, and again her familiar fingers made their home in my own. I smiled, staring up at the sky above us as if it was my last sunrise.
“You know, we could just stay here. Grow roots and photosynthesize for the rest of our lives. As long as I’m here with you.”
I giggled, and rolled over onto my stomach. Abigail always tried to be poetic in that way that forced you to laugh.
The wind flew through, sending goosebumps over my pasty skin. She pulled me up, never letting go of my hand as she began to twirl me; we had a song only we’d know. The drumbeat of our hearts keeping time as we waltzed through the underbrush, her delicate fingertips telling me what to do.
I looked up again. When did it become so cloudy?

Drip. Drop.

The raindrops began to seek shelter on my cheeks when I looked back down at Abigail, her bright smile dimming as clouds coated the sky.
“I think we should get going, don’t you?” she whimpered, desperately clasping for my hand. I complied, following her out of the clearing and through the forest. The way was easy, I had been through it at least one hundred times, but the roots seemed thicker tonight. The mud sloshed beneath my feet as we dashed away, Abigail’s grip on my hand slowly loosening. I looked back at the darkening clearing, questions ringing in my ears when a loud whip of thunder shook me.

Crack!

I snapped back to reality, to the task at hand. But soon my running abruptly came to a stop as I slid down in the mud, frantically searching around me. Abigail’s hand vanished from mine as I tripped on tree roots.
“Abigail!” I called, my throat dry and scratchy as I jumped to my feet, frozen where I stood.

Crack!

I began running once more, hugging myself in the way I feared she never would again. My clothes soggy and heavy, hair sticking to my face as I ran as quickly as I could to the edge of the forest. My mind raced faster than I ever could, thoughts and anxiety beating against my skull as I jammed one foot in front of the other until the bright light of civilization reached me.

April 7th, 2007

“Hey, Abby. It’s been awhile, I’m sorry about that. Things have been crazy lately. I...I have a new girlfriend. Her name is Sammy. She’s bright and poetic and I think you two would’ve gotten along great. But I’ll never stop looking for you. Not a day in my life goes by without you. Isn’t that cool? You always said you wanted to grow roots, live forever. I guess now you can. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I place the lavender flower next to the others, and look up at the sky from the middle of the clearing.

The sun never shined as bright as it did that day.