Chapter 1
If anyone had told me I’d have a conversation with death today, I would have laughed in their face and walked away.
Yet here I was mere minutes after my best friend’s funeral seated across from her.
A few hours earlier…
I tied a black scarf around my neck to complete the outfit as I looked at myself in the mirror.
The scarf made me look elegant without appearing as though I had tried too hard.
Just because the occasion was sad didn’t mean my outfit had to be.
I threw on simple black sandals and black shades to hide my puffy eyes and just like that I was ready to go.
I grabbed my bag and opened my room door only to see my father standing there with a faraway look in his eyes.
“Dad” I shook him gently. He blinked and looked at me with a sad smile.
“I’m ready to go,” I said, heading towards the stairs.
“Honey, are you ok?.” he asked, concern filling his voice. I didn’t answer immediately because
I didn’t trust my voice not to break so I walked down the stairs then looked back at him and answered with the best fake smile I could muster.
“I’ll be fine dad, let’s just go. I don’t want to be late.”
Maybe it was just me, but outside the sky looked dull, almost like it was mourning Sarah too.
The ride to the church was short and quiet. I got a text from my mum apologizing that she would be a bit late.
Within a few minutes, we were at the church. Dad opened the door and helped me out of the car, squeezing my hand silently.
I walked slowly to the church as if that would change the fact that she was gone.
The church was still scanty as we were one of the first to arrive.
I spotted Sarah’s parents, Jessica and John standing awkwardly side by side as John spoke to the Pastor.
I walked straight toward them and hugged Jessica fiercely as she sobbed, I started crying too.
When we had both calmed down a bit I broke free from the hug and took my seat at the second row of the pew.
Dad soon joined me followed by Mum.
As more people trickled in for the service I disappeared into my own world again, thinking of the letters Sarah left me.
The pastor started the service but his voice took a backseat to my thoughts.
I could hear people crying quietly, Jessica sobbed lightly in front of me but everything felt unreal.
Like I wasn’t really here or just observing through someone else’s eyes.
There were thirty letters.
I wondered what was inside them but I also couldn’t bring myself to open them yet.
I just wished I could bring her back.
The letters contained my best friend’s last words to me and I didn’t think I was ready to read them yet.
The pastor’s closing words snapped my attention back to the present; though our hearts are heavy with grief and questions fill our lips, we lay Sarah to rest. As we say our final farewell we will cherish her memory knowing that she lives on forever in our hearts.”
The congregation then rose as we said the grace. For a long moment, nobody moved. Then the pallbearers began to lift the casket.
I closed my eyes tightly as they passed, my nails digging into my palm.
I quietly followed them outside. Lucas, my boyfriend, was right beside me squeezing my hand silently.
As the engine rumbled and the car came to life, my breath hitched as I watched them drive away. Tears pooled in my eyes until it started to spill, hot and unstoppable.
Lucas hugged me and let me cry till I had no tears left to cry.
Then he pulled my face from his chest as he asked me “Are you okay?”
I was far from okay but I nodded and murmured “Let’s just go to the reception.”
Back at Sarah’s house, the living room was fuller than I had ever seen it, with people eating and moving around, I even heard someone laughing behind me.
I needed a break from all the noise so I told Lucas I would be at the backyard and left.
In the backyard, the cool breeze of the night was a welcome feeling, along with the silence.
Out of nowhere, I heard footsteps and a girl about my age walked up to me.
She was dressed in all black, her hair was long, straight silver, her skin was deathly pale and her eyes were black it was almost scary.
A chill ran down my spine as she walked towards me.
Her face didn’t look familiar at all, if we were attending the same school I’m sure I would have recognized her.
“Hello Tracy Reid,” she said sitting across from me. I frowned in confusion. How did she know my name?
“Who are you and how do you know my name?” I asked.
She smiled an eerie smile and then answered, “I have been called different names by different people at different times. Some know me as Thanatos, the Grim Reaper, and Anubis but I am most commonly known as Death.”
I blinked at the teenage girl staring at me, I didn’t know Death personally but I sure as hell didn’t believe Death was a teenage girl.
I pinched myself really hard to wake myself up from this silly dream yet nothing happened.
Then I looked at her. Really looked at her from her pale skin to her eyes and the smell that surrounded her, some part of me believed her.
I laughed hysterically, I couldn’t believe I was falling for this, grief had a way of opening up your mind I guess.
“Tracy Reid, I have come to make you an offer I don’t make often”, she said, all traces of a smile gone from her face.
“ Sarah Williams gave herself thirty days, so I’m giving you the same.
One letter for each day. Find the thread of hope and pull it if you can” she finished.
I looked at her dumbfounded, it didn’t make any sense. “Why me and why thirty days?” I asked after gathering my thoughts.
“You are her best friend and in those thirty days she looked for a reason to live, just one reason and she wouldn’t kill herself. So you have thirty days to help her find that reason. I don’t usually do this but something about her made me hesitate”
“How will I know if I am successful before the 30th day?” I asked.
“That which connects the present to the past will no longer be in your possession” she answered.
“What happens if.. If I can’t save her?” I asked, even though I had a feeling I didn’t want to know the answer.
She just stood up and gave me the eerie smile again, “you don’t want to know” she said, walking away.
I quickly stood up and went inside, my mind still reeling from the encounter.
That night as I reminisced about what happened earlier, I tried to convince myself that it was the grief playing tricks on me but as I remembered her soulless eyes and pale skin I knew what I experienced was real.
Thirty days, thirty letters, and a chance to save my best friend.
