There’s a crooning in my ear. “Shh, now come with me.” No! No, no, I can’t, I don’t want to, please don’t make me!

I feel hands on my arms, pulling me away. I turn and see in relief that it’s only Gabriella, my older sister. “You startled me!” I exclaimed to her, trying to look angry but laughing. “Don’t do that!”

“Sorry,” she said, looking about as sorry as I was angry.

“How have you been?”

“I’ve been well. Just doing some soul searching. You know.”

I didn’t know, but I nodded anyway. “I haven’t been doing much. Just staying here. Why’d you come back? I thought you’d decided to leave.”

She smiled. “To see you, silly! I missed you!”

“I missed you too,” I told her honestly. “I wasn’t really very sure why you even left.”

“I wanted to get away from Mom and Dad,” Gabby grinned. “I see you managed that ahead of schedule.”

“Huh?” I asked, but Gabby just smiled.

“Goodbye,” she said.

“No! Don’t leave!” I yell, but she fades anyway. “No! No! Don’t go!”

I feel the straps snapped around me again, so I can’t follow her. “GABRIELLA!”

“Gabriella is dead, honey,” My mom is talking to me. I look at her, her painted face against the stark white. “The car crash, a year ago, honey.”

How could she say that? Gabby was just here a moment ago! Just here! She’d come back… and then there would be no straps… and I could follow her, follow her to wherever she went… yes… follow…