"Come on Nate, catch me if you can." A brown eyed girl with freckles laughed running across a warm and sunny playground, swings swaying back and forth in a gentle fall breeze; her curly shoulder length brown hair flying our behind her as she runs.
"Slow down Gracie, I can't catch up." Nathan pants running after her smiling.
Gracie looks back when she hears Nathan calling, her smile widening. She holds out her hand, "Come on Nate just a little farther. You can make it. I know you can. Come on T.T. come catch me."
"I'm trying. I'm almost there." Nathan doubles his pace reaching out his hand to grab his cousins, but just as soon as their hands meet she vanished leaving Nathan standing alone in the middle of the deserted playground.
"Gracie? Where are you?" Nathan shouts turning around in circles.
The sun suddenly vanishes taking its warm glow with it, the gentle breeze turning into a cold harsh wind. Nathan feeling panicked begins running in the direction his cousin had been heading before she vanished.
When he comes to a stop he's in a secluded part of the park. There's a small creek bubbling and churning, the sun reflecting off its pebbled bottom; lush green grass billowing in the wind and standing by the edge of the creek with her back to him in a long flowing white dress is Nathan's beloved cousin Gracie.
At the sight of his cousin Nathan breathes a sigh of relief. "There you are Gracie. I was afraid I'd lost you. Don't scare me like that."
Gracie slowly turns away from the creek her oval chocolate brown eyes gazing sadly into Nathan's blue ones, a small frown forming. "Oh Nathan I am so sorry, but I have to leave you now. My time has come. You've gotta let me go."
"What? No Gracie you can't leave me. I can't..... I can't..... Gracie, please don't leave me all alone. I don't know how to make it on my own. I need you." Nathan cried tears forming in his eyes.
"Nathan, you are so much stronger than you know, and even though you cannot see me I am still there for you."
"No I'm not. I can't do this on my own."
"Yes, Nate you can and you must."
"Why, why did you have to go? Why did you have to leave me here? Why couldn't I come too?" Nathan asked through the tears he's desperately trying to contain, a dull ache forming in his chest where his heart should be.
"Nathan..." Gracie sighed sadly, "Everything on this earth has a time and a place. Flowers start to grow in the spring, bloom in the summer, fade in the fall, and die in the winter only to begin again. That is true for all forms of life we grow, bloom, fade, and then we die."
"And just as the seasons that bring the changing of life, my time for blooming has come to an end-
"But why? Why does your time have to end? You're only sixteen, Gracie. Why does your life have to cut short when my own has been extended? It should have been me not you. Why couldn't it have been me?" Nathan sobbed falling to his knees burying his face into his hands, his tears falling freely pooling into his hands.
"Gracie smiled sadly at her cousin tears filling her eyes. "Oh Nathan, I know how hard on you this must be and I know if it were reversed I'd be a wreck too." Gracie sighed. Wiping the tears from her eyes she kneeled down in front of her cousin. "Look at me Nathan."
"Why? It's my fault you're gone." Nathan mumbled through his hands.
"No Nathan it's not. It was my time."
"But why?"
Gracie leaned forward pulling Nathan's hands from his face and gently lifted his head. She looked into his bloodshot eyes. "Listen to me. You cannot keep blaming yourself for this you must let me go-
"But I can't. How could I ever let you go? You're my everything."
"Oh Nathan, you were my everything to, but you have to let me go."
"No, I can't."
"Why can't you?"
"Don't you understand? If I let you go that'll mean that I'll never see you again.... If I let you go it'll mean you're really not coming back....you'll have gone and left me all alone." Nathan whispered his voice cracking.
Gracie sighed, "Nathan, you are my cousin, my best friend, my other half. Remember what Mom and Aunt Jen used to call us?"
Nathan smiled a watery smile, "Yeah, we were the Trouble Twins."
"That's right. We were and we always will be the Trouble Twins." Gracie then got to her feet pulling Nathan up with her. "I will always be with you in here." She said placing her hand above his heart.
"But it's not the same." Nathan whispered tears still shining in his eyes, placing his hand above hers holding it to his chest.
"I know it's not, but you still have me, and just as one door closes another one opens."
"What do you mean?"
"I can't say yet Nate, I don't even know, but I do know there's still a purpose for you."
"Yeah, right what purpose could I possibly have?" Nathan huffed rolling his eyes.
"I'm not joking Nathan. Everyone has a purpose in life, and the same goes for you." Gracie snapped pulling her hand free from his grasp.
"Calm down, Gracie. I just meant how could I average Nathan Sea ever have a purpose that could make any kind of difference. I'm not like you, Gracie. I never wanted to change the world; the wrong one left too soon."
"Stop selling yourself short. God has big plans for you; you just have to have the faith to see it."
"Faith? That's your answer to everything, and look what happened, you died at sixteen how can you still believe that?" Nathan spat angrily.
"Because I can see the truth. I unlike you am not blinded by grief and anger-
"I am not blinded by-
But Gracie had had enough interruptions. She reached out and placed a hand over Nathan's mouth. "That's enough. You need to quite cutting me off. I'm running out of time and there is still more that I need to tell you."
Nathan shook off her hand. "What do you mean that you are running out of time?"
"Just listen please."
"Fine." Nathan snapped.
"Thank you, Mr. Attitude-
"Uh-
Nathan tried to interrupt but Gracie wasn't having it. "Ssh. Listen yes you are blinded, but that's natural with what has happened. However, you do not need to let it continue to eat at you like it has been doing. Believe it or not, Nathan my passing was not your fault. It was an accident-
"But-
"Hush, I'm still talking. Now my time has ended, but you still have time and a purpose-
"Okay, but if everyone has a purpose what was yours?" Nathan interrupted swiftly.
Gracie sighed, "I do not know. Perhaps it was to inspire the people around me to be their best, or to love everyone around me and help them spread that love to everyone around them."
"Seriously, Gracie that sounds like a load of bullshit and you know it."
"It does. But you asked and that's what I think so take it or leave it."
"I think I'd rather leave it." Nathan rolled his eyes. "Why do you have to insist there's some big noble plan at work? Why not an, I have no idea I'm making this up as I go kind of thing?"
Gracie gave a soft chuckle. "I'm gonna miss this, Nate. I already miss you just as much as you miss me."
"Doubt it." Nathan sighed.
"Whatever Nates, whatever."Gracie rolled her eyes.
"I really do miss you. I don't know what I'm gonna do without you. Why did you have to go?" Nathan sighed pulling his cousin close hugging her tightly.
"I dunno Nate, but I do know that I'll never truly leave you. I'll be by your side every step of the way."
"But it won't be the same." Nathan murmured sadly.
"I know, but you will have me. I'll be in the wind that ruffles your hair. The rain that comes will remind you that I am watching over you and wishing I could be by your side. When life brings difficult paths your way I will be there every step of the way, and if you fall I will be there to help you get back up."
"I will be your shadow for the rest of your days, and when your time on Earth is done I will be there to welcome you home. My dear cousin, cherish the memories we made together, but make new ones too. Let me go and live your life to its fullest." Gracie whispered into Nathans ear as he continued hugging her tightly.
"I don't want to, but I don't have a choice. Do I?" Nathan whispered releasing his cousin from his tight embrace. "It won't be easy and I won't guarantee that'll happen immediately, but I will try to keep moving forward for you and only for you would I try to move on, when with all my heart all I want to do is find a way to join you."
"Thank you for agreeing to try Nathan. Seeing you happy would mean the world to me."
"Yeah, well I really don't want to let you down." Nathan looked deep into Gracie's chocolate brown eyes, "I'm gonna miss you Trouble Twin. I'm gonna miss you more than I can say."
"I'll miss you too T.T., and thank you for trying. I know you'll get there." Gracie smiled. "Nathan, before I go I have a favor to ask of you. Will you hear it?"
"Of course I'd do anything for you, you know that."
"I know, Nate. I know." Gracie offered a faint smile before speaking her last request, "When life offers you the chance to help someone in need, no matter how big the need or how small, take it. Help them, but don't do it only once or twice do it as often and for as many people as you can. Can you do that for me?" Gracie softly asked her eyes shining with passion.
"I guess, but why do you want me to help others? I don't really understand how that's a favor to you."
Gracie smiled sadly. "I know it doesn't seem like a big deal to you, but for me it'd mean the world."
"But why, I mean I'd be ecstatic to grant you this one last request, but how would this make you happy?" Nathan asked confused.
"You know that I loved helping people every chance I got, well now I can't really do that, but if you were to help others even if it's as simple as carrying a bag for an elder or helping someone whose fallen down get back up again; then it'd kind of, almost be like I am able to still help others, that my dream to spread kindness to as many people as possible still has a chance to come true. Ya know?"
"Yeah, I guess. I mean when you put it like that way it makes sense." Nathan smiled pulling his cousin close again, "I'll do my best, and that's all I can promise to do. After all there's only one Gracie and I'm not her. I could never be like you, but I can try my best to fulfill your last request."
"I know you will Nate, and that's all I can ever ask of you. I love you forever and always. Remember me, but don't forget to live. My greatest wish is for you to live the rest of your life to its fullest and be happy. If you do nothing else will you do that for me? Will you live life and be happy?"
Nathan stood back staring into his cousins eyes. He sighed, "I'll try Gracie, but I can't promise this."
"Why not? You can promise to help others, but you can't promise to be happy in life. Really?"
"Gracie, after everything that's happened I just don't know what I'm doing anymore. I don't know where life will lead me. All I know is I am lost and alone."
"Oh Nathan," Gracie chocked pulling her cousin to her in a tight embrace. "I will always be with you." Nathan leaned into his cousin's embrace closing his eyes not wanting to let go, wishing their separation would end.
Still holding onto her cousin Gracie whispered, "I will love you forever and always. I hope one day you forgive me. Goodbye Nathan, May God bless you with a long and happy life. Love you T.T." Gracie's final goodbye was swept away with the wind.
When Nathan finally opened his eyes he was no longer in the secluded part of the park with the lush green grass and calming creek, but in his bedroom. It's navy blue paint glowing in the light of the moon.
Nathan laid there his cheeks damp from his tears, staring at his ceiling reliving his dream. That can't have been real. There's no way she'd have been able to visit me like that, but then again that would be such a Gracie thing to do. And what about that promise she wanted me to make. To help other people and to be happy.
Like that's ever gonna happen. Well at least right now it's not, but maybe later on. I don't know I just want one decent night's sleep without some kind of nightmare or crazy dream. What time is it anyways? Nathan reached over and picked up his phone checking the time. Ugh, it's only four-thirty in the morning. Are you kidding me right now? Maybe I should just get up and get ready for school, but I'm sooo tired. Ugh. I hate my life.
Nathan sighed then, sat up in bed still contemplating whether or not to get ready for the day or go back to sleep when a light flashed in his window accompanied with the sound of multiple car doors caught his attention.
What in the world? Nathan got out of bed and went over to look out his window toward the house next door his heart hammering in his chest. Who would be out and about at this time of night? When he looked outside he saw a small group of people gathered around the back of a mover's truck. In the middle of the group stood a teenage girl, her skin so pale she was almost glowing.
That must be the new owners of Aunt Katie's and Uncle Riche's house, but why are they moving in, in the middle of the night. Nathan quietly raised the window a crack trying to hear what they were saying better.
"This is ridiculous it's the middle of the night. Don't you think they are going think something weird and suspicious is going on when they realize we've moved in, in the middle of the night?" a young female voice's carried on the wind.
"Not if you keep your mouth shut. Now get inside the house." A gruff male's voice replied. Nathan watched as someone shoved the teenage girl forward and into the house.
The remainder of the group began unpacking the truck. Their voices mixing together. Nathan just rolled his eyes shutting his window. Okay, so the new neighbors appear to be crazy I'm going back to bed. Please, please just let me get some sleep.
Nathan then laid back down throwing the covers over his head hoping for a dreamless sleep. Paying no more attention to the sounds of the family moving in next door. Not hearing the raised voices, the heart wrenching sobs coming from the bedroom across from his, and not hearing the sound of drill and hammers wafting through the night air.