This is Goodbye

The book tells the reader how much they meant to it and how much it's going to miss them. We gradually have to end the story and the book gets to say goodbye one last time.

I think it might actually be goodbye this time. If you read this message all in one go then it will be, maybe you’ll be tempted to stop half way. Part of me wishes you’d put me down now so the story doesn’t end and the other part wishes it would be over quickly to minimise the pain.

I love you, I hope you know that. I’ve loved you.. wow, I've loved you from the moment you first picked me up. The moment you brought me up to your face and inhaled deeply as you fanned through my pages. You called me ‘the one’, you have no idea how special that made me feel. You pored over me, examining every inch of my cover before you finally chose but I knew we would be a perfect match. I just knew it. I had a story to tell and you were the one I was destined to tell it too. Soul mates.

We’ve been through a lot, you and I. You’ve taken me to as many places as I have you. I remember every time you took me to work so we could spend your lunch break together, holding me close like a guarded secret as I whispered to you. Trust me, I was as annoyed as you were when people kept coming over to talk. It’s rude to interrupt someone reading but some people just don’t seem to get that these days.

I’m sorry I made you cry. I knew he was going to die and I wanted to spare you, honestly I did, but it was a defining moment for Jane and so I had to let you experience it too. It’s ok that you got me wet, I like that some of my pages got crinkly on the edges. It’s like you’ve left a small part of yourself behind so I can still feel you once you’ve gone. Like there will always be a part of you with me. The same goes for my spine. When people see it, they’ll know I was well loved, they'll know I had you. It’s beautiful.

Oh God, you’re getting closer to the end, look how fast it’s coming. S**t. I promised I wouldn’t make you feel bad for leaving. We both knew this was going to come to an end sooner or later, stories always have to end.

Hey, thank you for everything… really. All those lazy afternoons when you sat with your back against the radiator drinking tea with me, those blanket nests you buried us in, those stupid jokes of mine that you laughed at. All of it. Thank you for taking me to the park, I’d never seen the sun before.

Thank you for falling in love with my characters and loving them like I do. They’re a bunch of misfits and they do stupid and sometimes hurtful things at times but they’re mine and I love them. I love them so much. I don’t share them with just anyone but I knew you’d treat them with respect.

Wow, this is actually worse than I ever imagined it would be. It’s painful. I didn’t think I’d get so attached to you. I guess you’re the special one, not me. S**t. I’m going to run out of time. If I don’t say this now I’ll never get the chance again. Look… I love you, alright? I don’t want you to go. Please don’t leave. When you put me down, everything will go black and I won’t be able to see you. I’m scared about that. I know the chances of you picking me back up are slim, let’s be honest here. There are so many books out there that it’s highly unlikely that you’ll want me again but… I need you. I don’t want to just sit on the shelf in silence.

Please don’t do that to me. We had so many great times together, I don’t want to go back to just a bunch of paper.

What am I saying? You can’t stay with me, I know you can’t. Oh my God, I'm so sorry. It’s an impossible situation that I’ve put you in and now I feel bad. I should feel bad; I’ve ruined this for both of us.

Okay.

Okay, the end is coming up now. We both have to be brave about this. There isn’t any time left.

In a moment I’m going to run out of words so I need you to do one thing for me.

I need you to pass me on. Don’t put me on the shelf because then I’ll get lost and I'll be scared again. Talk about me to someone else; tell them everything you know about me. Choose someone who you think will love me as much as you have and then give me to them. I trust you to pick the right person, okay? I’d trust you with anything. Pass me on but please... please don’t forget me. We shared something very special. You are the best. Never, ever forget that. You are better than you think you are. I’m so glad I got to be yours… even if it was for a short time.

Now you have to make me someone else’s.

Here we go. Last few sentences.

Oh God... Don't forget me.

Im closing my eyes, you can stop reading now.

I love you.

Remember that.