Jerking awake suddenly from a bad dream, he sat up in bed sweating profusely. As he looks around the empty room, he felt something is amiss. His heart ached as if something dear had left his life.
Looking around once again to ascertain his surroundings, he saw the pale pink envelope lying on the pillow next to him. Feeling a sudden attack of fear, he grabbed at the thin object and almost ripped it apart in his haste. With shaky hands he pull out the folded sheet and unfold it.
As he read, his eyes grew larger and larger till they hurt. Tears start to form and he cried out loudly No! No! No!
Throwing off the sheets, he scrambled off the bed and ran to the wardrobe. With surprising strength he yanked apart the doors and pull out the shirt and pants hanging within view before him. Crawling off his pajamas, he pull on the pieces of clothing and ran out of the room still clutching her letter tightly in his hand.
My dearest love, I have to leave you now. After what we had been through, the laughter and the tears, the pain and the healing.
He drove half crazed towards the only place he could think of. The roads are slippery with sleet but that did not slow him down one bit. All the time they were together he only knew of this one place she would go, the place they first met; the place they would visit every winter.
When you told me that we would be together forever, that you would protect me from now on, I did not doubt your words for a minute. I know that you would have made me the happiest on earth.
The garden is empty as it would be every winter. Newly fallen snow covers every imaginable surface within sight. Beauty surrounds him but he could see nothing as he ran towards the inner grounds. His heart racing ahead of him with the strongest of all hope that she would be waiting for him.
It is not my wish to go. I had grown so accustomed to seeing your angelic face sleeping next to me the moment I open my eyes in the morning, your arms that held me tight, and your kisses that warmed my wintry heart. To leave you is to bring upon myself a pain that is so intense it completely destroyed me.
Tears starts to cloud his vision again as he ran faster than he thought he could. He is recalling every word she wrote, hearing them being spoken in her quavering voice. He could hear her tears as the words in her letter flash past in his mind.
The intensity of my feelings for you was never without doubt reciprocated but why do I feel that I am burning myself up into ashes?
His tears start to fall as he felt the pain she is experiencing. The pain is so real he starts to huff and puff in agony. But he refuses to slow down but instead reaches up to clutch his chest where his heart is.
The day has finally come, I have to leave you. Before I burn you up into ashes too. I am grateful for the chance to stand by you during your toughest times.
No! No! No! He mumbled defiantly. No!
Goodbye.
No! No! His screams echoed eerily within the garden walls. I wont allow it!
He dashed up the stone steps and stopped abruptly when he reached the platform on the top. Breathing heavily he look around expectantly. The place is empty, not a soul is in sight. He scans the limited area with disbelief and denial.
You have to be here! Where are you hiding? Where are you? He mutters unintelligently searching frantically.
When the truth finally hits him and he knows deep within that she is not here, he fell onto his knees in desperation and burst into bitter tears. Running shaky fingers through his hair like how she used to tease him, he raises his tears stricken face and look around once again. The white marble statues that stood in a line near the walls furthest away from him caught his attention.
Something prompted him to count them. 12? Somewhere in the mist of his befuddled mind, he could clearly remember that there were only 11 statues in this garden. Gut feelings made him go nearer to scrutinize them closely.
The first 11 statues look just as expected, plain marble statues. When he came to the last statue, he studies it even more closely. Somehow it is mesmerizing him. Sudden realization made him bit down on his tongue to stifle the scream that nearly escaped his lips.
Reaching up he place his hands on her shoulders, shocked by the harsh coldness of the marble. He can feel everything before his eyes start to spin and his heart starts to freeze.
He has finally found her.
