"Miss... Maarleeign ... Kattthhh... erine... Gwennn... dolyn..." She slithered, the stranger's ancient voice barely above a whisper.
"It... um... it's Marleigh. Katherine. Gwendolyn. Ma'am." She said, trying to sound polite.
Marleigh was not as ordinary as most teen girls. At nineteen, she really did look like some delinquent, despite her overwhelming timidity. Rarely did she speak, unless spoken to (even then she tried to make it short, and barely audible, though that was not purposeful). She had long, curly midnight blue hair on most of the left side of her head, the rest was shaved off neatly. She had almost every inch of each of her ears pierced, with piercing in her nose, eyebrow, and lip; and tattoos covering arms and her back, with a few on her legs.
Marleigh re-adjusted her button down, erasing already invisible wrinkles. She smiled a nervous grin at the woman, which was met by a scoffed at her appearance. Finally, after her very causative inspection, she gave a shaky breath, a quick disdainful nod, and then squared her bubble like spectacles, with Marleigh's dark brown (almost black, as her brother frequently pointed out) eyes.
The woman had short, white, curly hair, that was neatly groomed and kept out of her face. Gigantic, bubble like glasses sat on the edge of a rather peculiar bump on the woman's nose, that magnified her eyes to magnificent spheres, which reminded Marleigh of mud puddles.
Long, thin fingers grasped the edge of a manilla folder, and wobbly turned it over to see page after page of information on the timid girl in the wooden chair. But, let us return to Marleigh and her situation.
The woman ignored her, continuing with her wet interrogation.
"Whhhat... makesss... you thiiiink... that... youu are... quaaaliiiified... forrrr... thiss... possssiiitttion." Her voice whistled as she spoke, and she shook, slightly like a Chihuahua, or some kind of wet dog.
"Um... well... you see--" she stuttered from the intimidation of her interviewer. "--I love literature, and I've enjoyed reading since I was a kid, and when I saw your ad in the paper, I figured, why not?" She began, her voice shaky and quiet while she tried to show her kindness.
"Whhhhyy... arre yoou... quaaliifiied... miss Gwwweendolyn?" She repeated, her tone sour.
Marleigh was shocked at the rude reply.
"I was trying to be nice!" She had thought. So, despite what she might normally do, and out of anger and spite, she straightened her back and spoke again.
"Ma'am, I have been reading since I was three. I have taken advanced Science, History, English, Mathematics, and am fluent in Spanish,German, and sign language. I am beginning to prepare for a major in art and music theory, and have a standing opportunity for a scholarship."
"I feel that I am suitable for this position because I have the mature capacity and responsibility to aid those who visit this library, and work with clientele already present. I will perform with the utmost professionalism, and maturity to do this job as successfully as possible."
Marleigh remained tall, but sweat was rolling down her back.
The woman interviewing her pursued her lips, looking Marleigh over again, and nodded to herself. Her bubble like eyes squinted as she slowly leaned herself toward Mavis.
"Whhherrree... dooou... youu... come froom?" She asked.
Marleigh squinted her eyes in confusion.
"She has my résumé right there. She even looked at it! Did I not put it in there?" Marleigh thought, panicked and confused.
The woman remained silent, but started with with boredom at Marleigh's stuttering form.
"I... um... I live in a small apartment on... on Malaria street. It's about a... let's see, twenty, no, fifteen, no, sorry ma'am, a um, a twenty-five minute... drive... from... here." Marleigh slowed as she saw the very irritated face of the tiny woman in front of her.
"Missss... Gwwendoolyyn--" she began in a high pitched voice. "--whhere... dooo... you... coomme... frooom?" She repeated, irritation visible on her pudgy face.
Marleigh straightened her back even more, growing more and more nervous by the minute.
"I, um, I come from my mother, Martha Gwendolyn. She, um, she passed recently. I've been providing for my, um, my brother and sister and myself. My has dad been out of the picture since I was two. I, um, I'm the oldest."
"I believe my mother was an immigrant from Canada. My father studied there, and he wanted to move back to America, with my mother as his wife."
"She talked about her home a lot, and her parents. She said that they were both descendants of this clan in Scotland... Gillespie I think... or was it Irland? I, um, sorry, my great-great-great-grandfather moved to Michigan with his father when he was young, his name was Clifton Gillespie. He married my great-great-great-grandmother, Mary, she went by Jenneane, Sutherland, in Kentucky. They had four girls, and, um, that's all I know. Sorry... for rambling."
The woman seemed calmer, and pity was on her face as she looked at Marleigh. Marleigh knew the look well. Squinted eyes, frowning lips, and the words, "I'm so sorry, dear.", or some variation; but what came next surprised Marleigh.
"Whhhaat... isssss... myyy naaamme...?" She asked, a small grin on her face as she looked at the bewildered face of Marleigh.
"Her name?" Marleigh thought, "Why does she want me to know her name? It was on her desk-" but Marleigh's thought stopped abruptly as she could no longer find the name tag on her desk. It had been sitting there. The only thing that wasn't dusty, it's was bright, and shinny, but--but what was on it!?
All of a sudden Marleigh felt something very strange happen. She shivered as she became exceedingly nervous and began to shake with unexplainable rowdiness. Her finger tips tingled, and she felt like something--no someone--was embracing her. Then, like nothing was wrong, the words rolled out of her mouth, like they had always been there.
"Minerva Flicker, you are the guardian of this library." Marleigh (if it really was her) had said, as calm as spring. Shocked and frightened with herself, she clasped her hands over her mouth, terrified of how she composed such an answer.
Minerva smiled, her large bubble eyes were now a warm chocolate color, like all judgment and rudeness had washed away.
"Welcome to the library, my dear." Her voice was warm, and the old womanly whistle and long winded speech was gone.
Marleigh sat in her seat, completely amazed as Manervia handed her a small hourglass, attached to thin, silver chain. It landed softly in her palm. The chain winding into a pile, as the hourglass gave off a bright yellow glow.
"Don't lose that, you'll be needing it!" She said brightly.
Marleigh shook with confusion, as she started at the hourglass, then Manervia, then the hourglass, and back to Minerva, who was still smiling.
"Our new guardian!"
-X-
"Marleigh...Marleigh...come on Mar'...MARLEIGH!" Danny shouted, growing irritated at his older sister's ignorance. Holly stared at Marligh and Danny in a daze, mute to the yelling of her older brother.
"Daniel! Do not shout at your sister!",Phil, the trios' uncle, shouted. Holly, the youngest sibling, tugged at Marligh's shirt, silently asking to be picked up. Marleigh complied, leaving her haze, and hoisted the four year old into her lap. One chubby fist latched onto the older sister's index finger, and signed a good morning to her sibling. Marleigh thought back to that doctor's appointment, when Mr. Latham, had diagnosed Holly deaf in both ears. Back then, when Holly was barely a year old, the infant girl had been oblivious to the tragedy. Marleigh had taken upon herself to teach Danny, herself, their mother, and Holly sign language, so they could communicate. Holly had been two years old when she began to understand her ailment.
"How are you?" Marleigh signed back, mouthing the words.
"Hungry." Holly motioned, placing a tiny hand on her belly.
"What you want to eat baby doll?" Marleigh had always been accustomed to showing tenderness to Holly, out of pity, sadness, and mere affection.
"Cereal." The toddler signed, pointing to a cabinet above the fridge. Marleigh nodded, bouncing a Holly on her hip as she strode toward the cereal, dodging Danny and Phil as they continued to bicker.
"Cereal it is then."
-X-
"Phil, I'm out, see you when I get home." Marleigh said, waving goodbye to her uncle, who stood by the apartment door, waving as well to Marleigh.
The job expedition yesterday had freaked her out. She couldn't sleep, eat, or focus on anything, because her mind always drifted back to her interviewer, and the overwhelming weirdness of the event. Phil, after speaking with Marleigh, had convinced her to go back.
"Strange things like that don't just happen! It's for a reason!" He had said, oblivious to Marleigh's anxiety.
So here she was, walking toward, what she felt to be, her eminent doom.
Marleigh trudged along, trying to distract herself from the situation. Marleigh took then long way, going through town and passing by the book shop. She hated going through the populated areas of the city. She never had the strength to tell someone off when they were rude and bumped into her. Girls her age always pointed at her, making fun of her hair or her tattoos. Children would ask, to their mothers horror, what was wrong with her, and why she had medal sticking out of her lip, ears, and eyebrows. She was always kind, and explained that she just likes them. It was better this way, she thought. People stayed away this way.
Soon enough she was behind behemothic mahogany doors. The overwhelming idea of turning, not looking back and just forgetting about this place was tempting.
"So tempting..." Marleigh murmured to herself. Despit better judgment, she rapped on the mahogany doors three times. Each met by silence.
Marleigh turned ready to scurry back to her apartment--overjoyed that no one occupied the library--when a blast of wind made her turn around. The once silent and still doors were swinging open now, beckoning her entrance.
"I don't think I can do this." Marleigh exasperated, slowing walking through the doors. When she entered they closed again, suddenly, and dangerously. Marleigh was, at the very least, panicked. She pounded on the doors, regretting this decision.
"It won't do any good, you know." A light voice had said from a distance. Marleigh hurld back around, wondering who else was in the library with her. She was met by none other than Minerva.
"I knew you would return dear! Now, you forgot your hourglass. That is very important dear. Try not to lose it again! Now where shall I start. Maybe an entry way through all the guests! Or a little paddle through the time river! Or even a view of imagery valley. Though some of the guests are rather--"
"Ma'am, stop. Please." Marleigh begged, grabbing the puny woman. Marleigh's head was pounding from this woman's excitement, and she really only wanted an explanation to this off situation.
Minerva looked at Marleigh in shock, then, in understanding, she smiled. Marleigh set Minerva down and started walking with the little woman, at a much calmer pace than before. They past book shelf after bookshelf, but this so called library never stopped. She walked in elaborate zig-zags and took sharp turns, making it difficult for Marleigh to keep up.
"You wouldn't mind...explaining, a little...would you?" Marleigh panted, trying to be polite, but still very curious to the whole ordeal. Minerva smiled, and started down a new path of books. Suddenly, she stopped, causing Marleigh to bump into her. Marleigh suddenly forgot her mishap, and was amazed at the beauty before her.
The roof was a dome, and it held picture of all kinds of moments in history. The declaration of war for America. Hiroshima and the Twin towers (both before and after the bombings), the construction of the Statue of Liberty, the Egyptians, it was all so stunning. There were gigantic windows on every wall that shined in, and identified all the dust in the air. The tallest bookshelves Marleigh had ever seen were shaping the dome, and were so beautiful. Their brown glow was like a well persevered and beautiful antique against all the dust.
"This, miss Gwendolyn, is the library of time. Previous guardians have referred to it as the Memory Among the Stars, The Land Trapped in Time, and even just Time itself; but it is so much more than that. Now you, my dear, may call as you please. Though do be mindful, it is a rather sensitive lot." Minerva said, stroking a bookshelf.
"Guardians serve one hundred years, evaluating the need and success of future humans. You, will decide if humanity should continue, or cease to be. That is...if you finish. If you don't...well, you become a memory."
"What about my family?" Marleigh asked, terrified.
"If you finish, you will return to your family, and all memory of this library will be erased from yourself and anyone who you've shared it with. If you do not finish, you will disappear, and become a memory. Your family will believe you were in some kind of accident. No trace of your body will never be found." Minerva sighed, saddened for the girl in front of her.
Marleigh was close to tears, but mainly over wheeled by numbing shock.
"Why me?" She cracked out.
Minerva looked at Marleigh's frightened form. A small, but sad smile came to her face. She took Marleigh's hands into her own."Because you deserve a second chance." She said determinedly, her watery eyes flashing with certainty. Marleigh couldn't speak.
"This all some kind of dream. Or, I've gone insane. Oh dear lord this can't be real." Marleigh said, aimlessly walking through aisles.
"It's all too real dear; and infact, you have some catching up to do!" Minerva said, guiding Marleigh back to the center of the dome-room.
"Close your eyes, and release all of your worries, the common misconception, your troubles. Just let it all go..."she sighed with a sweeping of her hands.
Marleigh sighed, closing her eyes, "easier said than done.",she thought. Minerva continued on with her direction.
"Hold out your hands."
"Like this?"
"Perfect." Minerva said, looking up and down at Marleigh.
"Bend down dear, if you don't mind." Minerva asked, and to which Marleigh complied, kneeling down for the old woman. Minerva took the small hourglass around Marleigh's neck, smiling at the object. She looked back up at Marleigh, her eyes still closed and her face relaxed. Minerva smiled for the last time.
"My what a marvelous guardian you'll be."
Marleigh felt weightless, as a blinding light was seeping in through her closed lids. She 'let go' of...well she wasn't really sure, wither it was worry or not. She just felt lighter after it all. When she finally felt like she was back on the ground, she slowly opened one eye, and peeked, looking for Minerva who was no longer there, or anywhere for that matter, but that was unknown to Marleigh. When she finally decided to really look, she was amazed at what she saw. The dust was completely transformed into golden stars floating through the air. The dust littered everything. The ancient and dead look of the library was gone. She saw apparitions of children, all in a beautiful glowing bronze color, playing ball or with dolls. One little girl giggled and chased after a butterfly that landed on Marleigh's index finger. The apparition swung a net over the butterfly, and she giggled even more. She ran off, not even seeing Marleigh.
Mothers were baking with their children, and grandmothers with their grandchildren. Fathers were throwing baseballs with their sons. She saw such happy memories. People graduating, and their caps being thrown into the air. She smiled so wide at the joy surrounding her. Marleigh wanted more than anything to share this with Danny, Holly, and Phil. They would love the whole thing.
Marleigh started toward the gigantic doors that glowed with a fresh finish. She pushed happily on the doors, ready to run home and fetch her family. To her surprise though, they did not budge. She pushed harder, remembering the conversation with Minerva. Fear engrossed her, and she pounded on the wood. She looked down, as she saw the erratic swings of the hourglass.
"No..." Marleigh breathed. The hourglass was have empty. How much time had she wasted pounding on this door?
"Oh God no." She panicked, pushing with all her might against the doors. The finish began peeling away from the beautiful wood, and was scratching at her through her sweater. The beautiful brown was turning a menacing shade of green. Marleigh felt the joy being sucked out of the room, as she continued to fight with door. She closed her eyes, hiding from the misery around her. The children were no longer bright. The balls had all popped, the dolls heads fell off, the butterfly had died. Reality crashed down on the children. The mothers abandoned their youth, and grandmothers past on, alone and sad. Men started to appear, fathers without their wives, their wedding rings hidden in their pockets. With a strange woman on his right. Gambling was taking place, and people were losing. Marleigh coughed, continuing to push. Her throat burned from the taste of alcohol, and she felt their unmistakable depression. She fell to the floor, holding her knees to her chest. She realized why it was her. She was frightened and scared. This place was supposed to teach ever to be brave; but she wasn't. She was lonely, she wanted her family back. She would give anything to be their hero, even if it meant throwing away her fear to protect what mattered to her most. She didn't need a hero, a hero is only good for a story. This was real, this was reality, and it was horrifying.
The darkness was enveloping her, and the books and their surroundings were fading. Marligh held herself closer and tighter; and praying to whatever God in heaven there was, that she could just go back to Holly and Danny and Phil. She would never stand down to her bullies again, she would stop this timidity, because there was no reason for it anymore. She had to be her own hero, not some scared child.
"Just please, let me go home!" She sobbed, tears cascading down her cheeks. She grasped her shirt, holding onto anything to not have to see this darkness and fear surrounding her. Screams were echoing in her ears, and little children were clawing at her legs, begging for her comfort. Marleigh held herself tighter, and scooting up against the doors while she tried to escape the distresses clutches of toddlers. Marleigh choked down a sob, mumbling her plea over and over again to herself.
"You are home, sweetheart." A voice so clear and loving slithered to Marleigh in the darkness.
Her heart froze, and color drained from her face. This...this is much worse than the darkness. This voice is....
"Oh God please, tell me this is some sick joke, please!" Marleigh whimpered, squeezing her eyes tighter.
"Oh darling, you have no need to fear now." The voice said, so sweet it sent awful shivers down her spine, and gave her gooseflesh.
Marleigh looked up, daring her eyes to close again. Though now, she met lifeless gray eyes. Her heart beat rapidly out of fear and shock.
"M-Mother?" Marleigh whispered, hoping that her eyes were playing some kind of trick. Horrifically, no. This was no dream, or nightmare. This was the past. It happened, and it was all too real. Marleigh looked around, she was back in her old home, in Chicago. Holly was two, and playing in her crib, with a stuffed bear. Judging from the calendar, it was a month after the diagnosis. Danny was eight, and fiddling with the toy fire engine that Phil had given him. Late bills, pocket chips, and whisky bottles littered the tiny apartment. Some empty, others broken, and one full and on the coffee table.
"What did you do, Marleigh?" Her mother asked, gripping a handful of midnight blue tresses. She pulled, dragging Marleigh along with it. She tugged harder, making Marleigh cry out in pain.
"Who did this to you!?!" Her mother screamed, throwing Marleigh into a chair.
Martha Gwendolyn was a seething ball of rage at the moment. Her short blond hair was tangled and messy. Her suit crumpled and stained with whisky. Her lifeless gray eyes shone with unbridled anger as she starred at Marleigh's terrified form.
"Marleigh Katherine Gwendolyn...WHAT DID YOU DO!?!" She screeched, viciously tugging Marleigh's hair and shirt. With eyes purely filled with rage, she surveyed Marleigh like her next prey. Unsuspecting, innocent, but fearful as to what crept behind in the shadows.
Marleigh closed her eyes, hugging her body as she felt her stomach dropping six feet. Her mother always had this effect of making her so terrified that she felt like she was going to upchuck the contents of her stomach.
Her eyes remained closed, but heard the clicking of her mother's heels, and the opening of a cabinet. The heels paced back to her, with a venomous "snip" on every footstep. She felt her mother throwing the scissors onto the table, and grabbing her arms, and squeezing her face.
"What have you done to yourself, what is this...tattoos on your arms, and back, and even your legs!" Marleigh could feel her sweater being attacked by her mother's intrusive hands. Marleigh let out a yelp of pain as her mother jerked her nose piercing.
"What is this?! Piercings too? Even on your belly button! And your nose!" Marleigh pushed her sweater back down over her naval. Marleigh's mother backed away revolted by the sight of her daughter.
Her face dropped its horrified and terrible expression, and was replaced by that of repugnance.
"You are disgusting." She spat, grabbing the scissors from the table, and clenching handfuls of Marleigh's curly locks.
Terrifying rage was evident on her face, as her hand shook from horribly blinding, and insane anger.
"Snip-Snip-Snip-" she sang, snip-snip-snipping the scissors with the beat.
"Rip away the nasty bits-" she shrilled, pulling Marleigh's hair. She inched her face closer to Marleigh, groping her face and forcing her to make eye contact.
"To reveal the flower tips again." She whispered, chills running down Marleigh's back and gooseflesh igniting on her skin, as she ran a hand down Marleigh's cheek, caressing her face.
Her mother drew the scissors up silently and swiftly as she aimed for her hair. Marleigh was terrified. All of her built up abuse was welling to the surface, and it made her sick, like she was choking on all of her mother's profanity, assault, and alcohol. Marleigh, sick of this never ending cycle of torture and misery, grabbed the scissors hurtling toward her head.
"No." She said, deep and angry, looking up at her mother's enraged face.
"No? What do you mean no!? You defiant little girl!" Martha shrieked, aiming to cut her hair again.
"I'm not a little girl anymore! I'm not your punching anymore!" Marleigh yelled, gripping the scissors tighter, feeling her mother's hand squirm under her lock.
"Marleigh, why would you do this to yourself?! Making yourself like... like scum!" She screamed pulling the scissors harder, tripping over her heels, and falling to the ground. Her face was sickly deranged, as her eyes darted from corner to corner, looking for a way out, almost like prey. My, how the tables had turned.
"I did it so people would stay away, so I wouldn't get hurt and a used like an unwanted dog! I did it so people would stay away from Danny and Holly, so they wouldn't get picked on because they're mom was a gambling, unreliable, drunk, like how I was made fun of! I didn't want to feel scared anymore. I wanted to be free and make friends and maybe even start a family!" Marleigh cried, pointing the scissors at her guilty mother.
"But because of you, I was too scared to speak! I didn't speak for a year mom! Because I was afraid you would waltz back through that door and take away me, and Holly, and Danny, because you were too selfish and drunk to depend on anyone else, so you would feed off your kids." Marleigh was too angry to stop. She saw red, and it clouded all judgment.
"I'm still scared! Look mom, look at me!" Marleigh screamed towering over her mother, and lifting her sleeves.
"They're...disgusting." Her mother said, backing away.
"I love them mom! Their beautiful! Look, here is Holly and Danny's names. Phil has plenty of tattoos! You were so judgmental to him! Because he has dark skin and piercings and wasn't a horrible person and even worse mother!" Marleigh screeched, throwing her arms up in exhaustion and frustration. Marleigh was so tired, her adrenaline was wearing thin and the scissors felt so heavy.
"He just wanted a sister who cared...I...I just wanted a mom who loved me, and acted like a mother to her kids, so I didn't have to." Marleigh croaked, wiping tears from her face. She fell to the ground, and all of her strength felt sucked away from her body. The scissors slid under the table, far away from both broken women.
Marleigh's mother looked at her daughter--a heap on the floor--broken and angry.
"How could I have ever love you?" She asked, her face in a sneer. "You're a constant reminder of him."
"I can't help that...you did what you did. I'm not him. I never was him. I don't even know him! So how can you blame me!?" Marleigh persisted, pleading with her mother.
"Because you were so perfect like him. You would never be a failure, no matter how hard I tried to make you one." She spat, eyeing Marleigh's figure.
Marleigh's heart broke once more, now knowing why her mother was so cruel. Marleigh heaved herself up, wobbling as she walked toward her mother. Who sat still, her face still an evil and putrid sneer. Marleigh stood before her, and fell to her knees. Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. She gripped her mother's jacket, adding more wrinkles to the garment. Her hands shook in anger and betrayal.
"I hate you." Marleigh choked out, gripping the fabric harder. "I HATE YOU!" Marleigh screamed, pushing her mother's lifeless body with all her might.
Marleigh felt awful, to say the least. She may have stood up to her mother, but it still hurt to know her underlying fear was true. Her mother never loved her, never.
Marleigh turned suddenly when she heard whimpering. Her eyes clouded over at the sight and her heart, what little remained, shattered.
"H-Holly, D-Danny..." She whimpered her voice trembling at the heap of her brother and sister.
"No, no no no no no, what have I done. No, please God no, please!" Marleigh pleaded, sprinting toward her siblings' lifeless bodies.
She held Holly and Danny in her arms, wiping away their tears.
"Shh-sh-shhhh-shh." She stuttered, unable to catch her breath and perform a coherent action.
"It's okay, babys. I-It's okay. I'm h-here now. It's o-okay." Marleigh sniffled, ducking her head between her siblings. Marleigh moved a star piece of brown hair from Danny's head, and he latched onto Marleigh's wrist as she went.
"Mommy, mommy hurt...she hurt..." Danny tried to choke out. His little eight year old arms were cut in several places. Holly was crying, her stuffed bear decapitated. Marleigh remembered this day. Their mother had come home from a casino in a drunken stupor. Marleigh came home to find Holly on the ground with a bruise on her forehead, next to a decapitated teddy bear.
Danny had been in their mother's arms, and she was trying to stifle his crying. A broken high chair lay next to them, wood chips littered Danny's shirt.
Marleigh had taken Holly and Danny away. They went to a police station, and were later put in the custody of Phil, their mother's half brother.
"It's okay... I'm here now." Marleigh whispered, hugging the two closer.
Unbeknownst to Marleigh, the sand in the hourglass was running out. Time was almost up.
Her siblings flickered, and Marleigh cried out in agony. Holding onto the only joy that God had ever given her.
"I'll always be here for you!" Marleigh screamed, crying harder. Holly was weightless, and Dannie's eyes fluttered shut. Their bodies were so soft, and so bright. Marleigh ignored the pain in her eyes. Tears streamed down her face and she held onto the apparitions.
Ten grains of sand were all that remained in her final minutes. Her heart broken more and more with each beat.
"Don't leave me! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!" Marleigh begged, burying her face deeper into the light.
Two grains.
"Don't go...you-you're all I have left!"
One
Danny and Holly evaporated, their light was no more. Not even a shadow. The headless bear fell to the ground, and the broken toy engine that Danny always carried around, rolled to the floor with it.
Marleigh felt light. It wasn't a good kind of light. No, it was painful and agonizing, because she knew she was fleeting.
She held herself, and sobbed. She pleaded and she begged, as her life flashed before her eyes; and the only thing she could do was cry harder.
Phil had died at eighty-three. He had a wife and two children. He went on to be a tattoo artist, like he always wanted. Marleigh smiled at the picture of her he had tattooed on his arm. Holly had gone on to teach children, she had three of her own. One girl, two boys, and they were all beautiful, just like their mother. She lived to be seventy-six. She died of a brain tumor. Danny was a firefighter. Marleigh choked down her sob as she saw him marrying his wife. He had one child. He named her Marleigh. They both died in a crash. She had just turned fifteen, and Danny was fifty-five.
Marleigh cried harder, knowing she would never meet her cousins and nieces and nephews. She would never be at her siblings graduations. She wouldn't be able to get a tattoo from Phil. She had missed it all!
"THIS IS CRUEL!!!" Marleigh cried, with a throbbing ache in her chest. The world and the light was dimming. The kitchen was a blur behind her tears.
"D-DON'T TAKE ME!!" Marleigh begged as the show was fading. The darkness came back, and then was swallowed by light. Marleigh sobbed, knowing she was no more. She begged one more time, knowing it was futile.
"Please...don't take them away."
