25.03.07 - 29.10.10
She was seated on her bed, holding onto a photo. She stared at it, and flapped the photo lightly to shake off the dust. Gently, she ran her fingers down the photo; focusing on his face, his cheeks, that smile. It was as if she could feel him. For a moment, she thought she heard his contagious laughter from that smile. Tears welled up in her eyes.
She blinked. Tears rolled down her rosy cheeks, and onto the photo. She tugged the bottom of her blouse and pulled it over the photo to dry it.
Staring at the box with the flaps open just in front of her, she got up from her bed slowly and reluctantly. Staring at the photo for the last time, she half slipped the photo in, then quickly took it out again. She looked at it forlornly, tears welling up in her eyes again. This time, she held it close to her lips. With her eyes closed, she kissed it softly. She smiled. But she felt no joy.
Tears rolled down her now moist and rosy cheeks. She did not dare open her eyes as she dreaded reality.
Time seemed to stand still, she felt the stillness in her room, as if everything around her seemed to stop moving. Knowing she could not escape reality, she finally opened her eyes. Only to see the photo still in her hands and the box staring back at her.
She mustered the courage and hastily threw the photo into the box and closed it. She looked up at the cupboard and sighed. It was way too high for her petite frame. Dragging a stool, she climbed on it and heaved the box onto her left shoulder. The box was pretty heavy. With her other hand, she opened the cupboard door and shoved the box into the corner. Into the corner and high up where she could not see, even if the cupboard doors were open.
Slowly and gently, she closed the cupboard doors. And caught a glimpse of the box labelled “Thanks for the Memories” as the doors shut.
