Short Stories

Story 4 - Death

Dawn cracked through the graveyard. The dew soaked earth glimmered from the morning sun, lightly softened by the mist hovering in the air.

Abigail stepped between two columns of marble, a lone figure in the sprawling cemetery. She carried a bunch of red tulips in her hands, the stems barely clung together from her tight grip.

Tears slowly spilled out from her eyes as she made her way to the aged headstone. The name engraved there was becoming harder to read with every passing year, but it was clear enough to her - it was her mother's.

Abigail recollected all the memories she had of her mother, from the days when her mother would sing to her as she fell asleep, to the times she would scold her for playing in the mud. Then finally, her mind drifted to the day she said goodbye to her mother for the last time.

Death had taken her away too soon, but it was only now that the weight of that loss was finally settling on her.

She knelt down and placed the tulips at the foot of the headstone, her throat tight with emotion. She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer for her mother's soul, promising that she would make her proud in this life.

Abigail bowed her head, and stayed there for a few moments more, before finally standing up to leave. As she turned away to leave, a single tear cascaded down her face, glistening in the sunlight.

No matter how much time passed, Abigail would never forget her mother - or the pain of her death.