Sorry - Inkheart

Sorry

Meggie finished the letter, her hands shaking. She folded it, slid it carefully into an envelope, and sealed it.

A tear rolled down her cheek. She could still remember Farid, his lips, his warmth.

She knew he was somewhere. 

Somewhere. What a generic word. In the vast, fantasy land that was weaved so carefully by a man with words on paper, somewhere was nowhere.

Farid was somewhere, far, far, away. Dustfinger had recieved a message claiming that Farid was somewhere, a thousand miles away, performing for the poor. And she didn't know where he was. He didn't know where she was either.

She stood up shakily and opened the door. Doria stood outside and saw her come out. He kissed her, but now that Farid was gone, Meggie found that she didn't really like Doria as much as Farid. Farid had really cared and loved her, Doria was just... well, average. No tingle in her chest. No fireworks. Just, an emptiness where Farid used to hold her heart.

When Doria left, Meggie stood there, tracing the 'f' of Farid's name with her finger. She wished to be with him. But it was time for her to go.

Meggie pulled up a black hood over her head and walked to the market. There was someone throwing two torches. Meggie's heart ached; she remembered how Farid could have easily thrown five torches and much higher than that.

She went up to an old, poor, woman. She was a lady who knew Farid and remembered him when he had handed her money. 

"W-When Farid comes back," Meggie's voice broke. "Please give him this."

The woman silently agreed and stashed the letter in the folds of her clothes.

Meggie thanked her and walked back to Mo's place. It was time, and there was no going back. Darius held up the sheet of paper and Meggie took it carefully, her eyes resting on the grave marked with her dead brother's name. Thieves had come and gone, killed Meggie's brother, finally making the group deciding officially.

She read the words, and they were gone.

                                                             -<=====+|@|+====>-

The sons prayed. They had cried when their old mother had passed away right on the streets. She had fallen, spoken a few words, and died peacefully.

A letter fell out of her pocket when she had died. It was a year old, fancy writing decorated the front. They could not read it. Their mother carried it around always, like she said, "Just in case the boy comes around unexpectedly,"

The sons never knew what that meant, but 'the boy' never came, even after a year. Farid or something other. Whoever it was, the sons believed the letter was cursed and caused their mother to die. They threw it out onto the streets.

                                                               -<=====+|@|+====>- 

Farid sat in the rain, his hair plastered to his forehead, his head in his hands.

Meggie. Oh, how he missed her. He was hundreds of miles away, and he had no way of knowing where she was or what she was doing.

He just hoped Doria was treating her well. Meggie deserved it.

His arms ached from days of performing. His feet, bare like always, were covered in mud as the rain poured down, angry at the ground.

Two years. He had not seen any one of them - Meggie, her father, her mother, the others, for two years. 

Sure, two years. Many beautiful girls had come up to him, asking him to come with them. He always politely refused, the memory of brave, smart, pretty Meggie burning into his mind.

Meggie, Meggie, Meggie. Her fair, blonde hair, her amazing voice that brought fantasies to life, her bravery that saved everyone's lives so many times, just Meggie, who he had fallen for, who taught him how to read, who taught him a new perspective of life.

Farid sighed and stood up. A few detours had made his trip long. It had meant to be one year, just one year so he could visit her again. It was extended to two. He was finally going back to visit. 

He started to walk on the dirt paths. A golden haired girl passed him, Farid's eyes flicked for a moment when he thought it was Meggie.

There was a deep, huge secret that was hidden in his heart. He knew Meggie didn't love him anymore. He could understand, but a huge part of him just wanted her to just, remember him.

A yellowed, old, and nearly destroyed envelope caught his eye. He picked it up, and his eyes widened. An F, followed by an A, and the rest of his name in beautiful letters.

He ran under a roof and tore open the soggy letter. He saw the date - two years ago. A little after when he left.

He read it. Choked back tears. Folded up the letter. Jumped, hoping to awaken again on the other side, awaken again to see Meggie.

                                                               -<=====+|@|+====>- 

Dear Farid,

I am missing you. Even as Doria stands just outside, waiting for me, I cannot rush to meet him. Here I sit at my desk, with a pencil in my hand, trembling as I write to the boy I realize I still love. Doria does not know, but I do clearly: I do not love him. I was in confusion.

So when, or if, you receive this letter, I must tell you - I still love you. I think about you every day. And I would do anything to tell you this in person. But you are a thousand miles away, and I hope you think of me as I think of you. You are and will be the only boy who I will ever love truly, and I realize that. I hope you will forgive me, letting you leave alone. 

By the time you are reading this, I will be gone. Back to our world. Remember, Farid? Cars on the streets, electric light bulbs. I am back there because my brother has been killed, and we must leave. Yet you are left. I already said this, but I would do absolutely anything to let you know right now so you could come with me. But I cannot delay and stall any longer, I already have halted Mo's decision to leave for a week. The killers of my brother are part of a large group. 

'They'll find us again, Meggie.' My father kept telling me, yet I kept stalling. I was waiting for you, but you never came, like as it is.

I am now long gone. I know you love the Inkheart world much more than ours, and that there are no more people in Inkheart to read you out, but I wanted you to know that I will remember you forever.

Please forgive me. I love you. 

Sorry.

~Meggie Folchart