Rain drops glittered on the boy’s ivory-skinned face as he knelt in the middle of the forest. Tears flowed from his eyes without end and his body shook with the intensity of his sobs. In his arms he held a girl, the girl he loved. His eyes never left her face and his arms never moved from around her. He screamed and his voice shook the trees around him. Still the girl in his arms made no movement. He bent over her and pressed his lips to hers. She gave only a feeble cough in response. Anybody else would have missed this almost-inaudible sound but not this boy. He heard her as clearly as he had ever heard anything.

   Guilt rose up inside of him as he stared down into her eyes. If she died it would be his fault. He had left her alone for only a few hours but even those few hours had been enough to take her from him. Silently he cursed himself for asking her to run away with him. If only they had stayed in town she would not be facing death right now. More tears poured down his face as he began speaking, begging her to stay with him.

  “Baby please…please don’t leave me. I swear I’ll never leave you again. I’ll never let anything hurt you again. Just please don’t leave me! Please…please…oh God baby don’t leave me!” he whispered, his voice breaking.

    The girl struggled to open her eyes. She had to say it, to hear him say it back just one more time. When her clear blue eyes were staring into his dark green ones she gave him a weak smile. His arms tightened around her momentarily and she reveled in the comfort the feeling of his arms gave to her. Tears welled in her eyes but she didn’t allow them to fall. Seeing her cry would only make his pain greater and the sight of his pain was already too great for her to bear. When she spoke, her voice was faint but did not betray the pain she was feeling.

 ”Emmett….I love you. You have to know that. If you are certain of nothing else, be certain that I love you. It doesn’t matter that you left me, it doesn’t even matter that you couldn’t save me. The only thing that matters now – has ever mattered – is that I love you. I love you baby, I love you so much. You are the only person in this world that has ever loved me and I have loved you with everything I have. I’m just sorry that my love wasn’t enough to keep me here with you. I love you Em.” she whispered, her voice growing in strength as she spoke.