Haunting

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

“What’s this?” Shannon said softly so no one would over hear her talking to herself.

Reggie furrowed her brow. “What’s what?”

“This.” Shannon waved the letter in front of Reggie and her eyes widened in comprehension.

“Shannon…” Reggie trailed off, unsure of what to say.

“Is this a suicide note?” Shannon asked, her voice cracking and tears streaming down her face.

Reggie stood up. “No, Shannon…”

“Because that’s what it looks like,” Shannon interrupted. “‘Dearest Shannon...’” she quoted.

Reggie may have spoken but Shannon didn’t hear her, she was hypnotised by the words Reggie wrote to her that she wasn’t supposed to read just yet.

Dearest Shannon,

Saying goodbye is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. And I know that it’s cowardly to do it in a letter but if I did it face to face I know that I would never be able to let you go.

I love you Shannon, I truly do. I'm so sorry that I left you the way the way I did, without a proper goodbye. But I knew that if I did I would never be able to go through with it. You did so much for me, I can’t find the words to tell you how amazing you make me feel.

The last thing I want is to hurt you but I have to do this. For the both of us.

I can’t sit back and watch you waste your life with me. I want you to fall in love and get married and have babies, but you can’t do that with me and I don’t want you to miss out on anything.

I know you’re probably angry and hurt, but I had to do this for the both of us. It may not make sense to you now but I hope that, in time, it will.

I love you and I'll miss you, but please don’t spend too long missing me.

Shannon, remember that I love you and that from where ever I am I want nothing but good things for you.

I’m sorry for whatever hurt I cause you. I love you.

Reggie.

“I don’t get it Reggie,” Shannon yelled, slapping the lined paper onto the bed. “Why did you write this? What the hell where you going to do?”

Reggie was silent for a moment, waiting for Shannon to calm down. “It hurts Shannon,” Reggie whispered, the familiar silver tears trailing down her incandescent cheeks and disappearing into the air. “It really hurts.”

“So you were just going to kill yourself?” she asked, her volume rising in anger and pain.

Reggie began pacing the room. “Don’t you get it Shannon?” she burst out. “I’m already dead. Your grandmother was right, I don’t belong here anymore.”

“Yes you do,” Shannon said. “You belong where ever I am.”

“But it’s not mutual.”

“What do you mean?” Shannon asked. “I love you Reggie, I truly do.”

“I know you do Shan, but that’s not what I mean.”

“Then what did you mean?”

“I meant that you don’t belong where I am.”

“That’s not true.”

“Yes it is love. You have a life, friends, school, family. You have a future Shannon. “I don’t have any of those things. All I have is you.”