Chapter Eight - The Girl Who Lived

A Chapter by Taylor Ann

Skylar

The room was heavy with sorrow. I stood just behind my body. I looked to be sleeping, eyes closed peacefully, with my hands folded gently over my stomach. It would’ve been peaceful too, if it wasn’t for my body lying in the coffin.

My mother broke down in sobs for the hundredth time behind the podium, her cries echoing throughout the entire church. My father stood beside her, rubbing her arms in comfort. She covered the microphone with her hand looking away from everyone in the pews. It was so much for her. Before they started embalming my body, she told them to stop, because she couldn’t bear to live with the thought. My father told her how it would prevent my body from decaying, but she didn’t want to believe I was dead. It hurt me to see her sorrow.

“Skylar will be greatly missed,” my father whispered into the microphone, before helping my mother down the steps. His voice held sorrow and pain. My father was never weak, always confident. But he was hurt, and that’s what killed me the most.

There was silence in the church as I looked out at the people. My friends, family, classmates, and even teachers were there for me. Everyone.

Suddenly someone rose from a pew in the back. Their head was hung low as they walked towards the front of the church. My eyes glassed over with tears when he looked up, Grayson. He stopped before my motionless body, as I watched him. He reached his hand out and touched my face. I could feel his palm against my cheek, as two tears coursed down my face.

He looked up, as though seeing me, my soul. “Everything’s going to be alright,” he whispered. His icy blue eyes looked directly at mine, but he couldn’t see them like I saw his.

His jaw clenched for a moment before he took his hand away from me, and walked up to the podium. He held a piece of paper in his hands as he looked down at the writing sprawled across the page.

His eyes pooled with tears, “I had written this for guidance,” he said into the microphone, “But screw it.” He crumpled the paper, throwing it to the ground. He gripped the podium, as though a life preserver. “Skylar was the only guidance I had. I never really knew my meaning until she came along.” He was quiet, swallowing a lump of pain.

More tears fell from my eyes. I wanted to wipe away his tears so badly. I wanted to kiss him and tell him how everything was going to be okay, how I was still there. But he didn’t know that I was. I was just a ghost. No one could see me.

“Skylar,” he whispered. I looked up at him, feeling my invisible tears soak my cheeks. “I know you’re here right now, and I know you’re not happy. It kills me to know that.” A cry escaped his lips as he straightened up, trying not to show it. “You are the most beautiful person I have ever seen. You are so talented, and so very caring.” A tear fell from his eye, but he didn’t bother to wipe it away. “You were my guardian angel, and I was yours. You were flawless in my eyes, and I loved everything about you.” He ran his fingers through his hair, letting out a sigh. “I don’t just love everything about you. I love you as a person, as a friend, and as my guardian. If you were here,” his voice choked up, “And if you were here,” his voice was heavy.“God d****t, Skylar! Why did you have to leave me?” His voice rose, his fists clenched. He looked at me, not at my body, he looked at me, “Come back to me,” his voice was desperate, “Come back.”

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