Brendan Is Writing

Leaves of Roses

"Leaves of Roses"

"Hope is in everything, even in death. You just need to look for it."

Everything started when Morgan jumped off the cliff.

It was sunset. The sky was painted with orange and gold, adorned by the occasional flocks of birds and the small amount of clouds. Chilly wind blew hard on her often, reminding her of the coldness of the world. Only the birds and the wind made sounds in the cliff she was standing at, which was barren of any plant.

The cliff was her safe haven - no one except her knew of the place. It was her go-to area when she had no one, and it was her first time in it for a long time. It didn't change a bit, still devoid of anything green, still reminded her of how alone she was.

For minutes she did nothing but stare below the cliff, a mass of trees, the nearest greenery aside from the thick woods behind her. She was deciding if she should be done with her life or not

Life was so hard on her. She didn't understand why her parents needed to have that stupid divorce. She didn't understand why everybody hurts her even if she did nothing to them. She didn't understand why Levin, the only person she could call friend, the only person she relied to, have to say those things, to do those things.

A month has passed since the last time she talked to him, and what happened wasn't really a talk. They yelled at each other, all because she pulled off the earphones off his ears. Her parents were fighting because her again, and she needed an outlet. Now she had no one but herself.

She could almost laugh. Eight years of friendship, eight years of something she thought would last a lifetime, all gone because of something so trivial. All gone because of some freaking earphones.

Then her problems worsened. She found out her parents were now using underhanded tactics to win her custody. Somebody posted a note saying "Flower Slut" again on her locker. She didn't see Levin anymore, except in the classes they were in together. And on those classes, instead of seating next to her and doodling things to make her laugh, he was on the farthest seat from her, focused on his notebook silently.

Yesterday she went to his house, almost crying, asking to come see her. She missed his messy dark brown hair, his dark blue jacket, how his smile creates dimples and a magical twinkle in his eyes, and how he seemingly understands everything. His mother let her in their house, but he did not let her in his room. He didn't even answer her knocks.

That was her last straw. She can't take everything the world gave to her anymore.

And now she has decided. She wanted to fly before she died. It only took a few steps towards the edge. She spread her arms, closed her eyes, and jumped.

Winds blew against her face. She felt weightless. Though she felt nothingness in her heart, she wanted to scream in fear, but it was stuck on her throat.

She fell, and fell, and fell, but she didn't hit the ground. She thought it was just death. She remembered someone saying the moment of death feels like everything slowed down. But her fall seemed endless. Then all of the sudden, the feeling of the winds blowing and the weightlessness were gone.

Curiosity made her open her eyes, and she, for some reason, wasn't surprised to not see the forest around her.

She found herself in some sort of an office room with a black-and-white motif. The room would have a chic minimalist style if not for the black roses everywhere, from the table beside the couch from the drapes. Even the floor had black rose petals contrasting the white carpets.

She glanced at one of the large windows and saw a starry night sky instead of the orange sunset she saw before she jumped. Is this...death? Afterlife? Purgatory? She thought.