Small-Town

Anniversary

Claires POV

April 12th, 2013

The hospital waiting room was silent. 

My parents were sitting on either side of my sister and I. 

We were waiting for the doctors to come and tell us what was going on. 

I remember hearing the sirens and my brother getting the call. 

Ryland quickly gave me a hug before leaving to head tot he hotel. 

He didn't come back. 

Police cars drove into our drive-way and my parents told Aspen and I to stay inside. 

"Aspen, What's happening?" I ask, looking out the window. 

she stayed silent. 

That's all this night was. 

It was all silence. 

I asked my parents the same question. 

They didn't answer. 

Insted my dad told me to get my sweatshirt and shoes on. 

I asked again in the car and got a quick "You'll know soon enough" From my mom. 

"I'm 12, I have a right to know" I snaped.

Aspen looked at me and took my hand, shaking her head. 

We got to the hospital to see my brothers fire squad in the waiting room. 

I noticed 5 guys were missing. 

Including Ryland. 

"Where is he?" I asked Josh, My brothers best friend. 

"He's going to be okay" Josh assures, hugging me. 

"W-what happened?" I choked out, starting to get upset. 

Nobody answered. 

And now we are sitting in silence. 

"Mr. and Mrs. Emerson?" A nurse asked, walking into the waiting room. 

My parents got up and went to talk to the doctor. 

Aspen took my hand and sqeezed it. 

A week later we were at a funeral. 

It was the first time I had seen most of the fire squad cry. 

"Bauer, Emerson, Kivel, Paege, Olson, These are the last names of the 5 men we are here for today" Thomas, The fire chief stated. 

I spaced out the rest of the funeral, sticking by Josh and Aspen the whole time. 

The weeks following were full of therepy and laying in bed. 

All the pictures of Ryland around the house were taken down for a month. 

We couldn't handle seeing those pictures. 

"Claire?" 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I snapped out of my thoughts hearing Aspens voice. 

"Claire?" She asks. 

"Hm?" I asked. 

"Ready to go?" 

"Y-Yeah" I stutter, grabbing a jacket. 

Aspen and I got into the car and drove to the cemetary. 

My parents didn't visit his grave at all. 

We got out of the car and made our way up to Rylands gravestone. 

When we get there we placed some flowers down before Aspens phoen started ringing. 

She answered the call and walked away. 

"Hey Ryland" I said softly "So um, I'm leaving in 5 days for college...crazy right" I scoff, sitting down "Nobody got to read my essay besides me and the school, everyone is still begging me, but I haven't let them, I had two boyfriends the past year, something I'm sure you would've hated, You would've hated Jacob more then Sam though" I laugh "We miss you, everyone, We are heading to the station now for the annual anniversary dinner and I have no idea how I'm going to keep it together, I can't believe it's been 6 years" I choke out ""My friends were invited but who knows if they'll show up" I sigh "This is pointless" I mumble. 

"Claire!" Aspen shouts "Lets go! We're going to be late!" 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heartbreak. A overwhelming distress. 

This is my life lesson. I've experienced this a few times in my life. When my first crush didn't like me back and when my Ex cheated on me.

 But the worst time was when I was 12. My brother Ryland Emerson passed away from burns and inhaling to much smoke. It was probably the worst feeling I had felt in my short 12 years of life. When a relative dies you go through grief, And grief ends up being therapy, and therapy ends up being you stuck in a room for 55 minutes staring at a wall with someone looking at you with sorrowful eyes hiding the frustration the persons feeling because you refuse to talk.

 Many people experience heartbreak, all in different ways. And that's what I didn't realize. 150,000 people die everyday. That's a lot of heartbreak from family's. It's what makes us human. Emotion. It's a sucky feeling but here's the thing. You have to focus on the positive.

 Rylands death was a negative but him being the best big brother for 12 years was the positive. When you break up with someone it feels like everything has fallen apart but you have to remember the positive of the relationship. And if you're lucky, you'll have friends there to help you through it. think of a time you've experienced heartbreak, then think of the people who helped you through it. There's always someone there. 

Thank you for reading my letter and I hope you will consider me. 

Submitted by Claire Emerson.