Letting Go

By Hannah Marie

I set down my dog, Claw, so he could run freely toward the gathered crowd. The next instant, Bryson shouted to me, “Brooke!”

The world exploded. Orange and red surrounded me, lifting my feet off the floor, and smoke enveloped me while I flew through the air.

Then, I crashed to the hard ground and my bones snapped. I stopped rolling, finally still, barely able to breathe.

I couldn’t tell whether the ground was trembling, or I was.

My face burned, but I couldn’t cry. The dim thought that I’d failed to get out of the way in time barely penetrated the pain, and I panted for air.

My best friend, Bryson, was running toward me—I would’ve known his footsteps anywhere. But when I opened my eyes, everything was dark.

“Brooke! Brooklyn, look at me.” His hands slid underneath my back and lifted me into his lap to cradle me, sending another torrent of pain through me. “Brooke…”

Worry fractured his voice. I had to respond somehow. I had to let him know I was okay. It took all my energy to raise my hand. He laced his fingers in mine. His warm, rough calluses formed by years of playing the violin brushed over the smooth skin on the back of my hand.

His body shook as he held me close, his heart racing inside his chest. “Brooke.”

I needed to answer him. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

“Shh… It’s okay. Just lay still.”

It was all I could do.

Footsteps approached. Someone gasped. “Brooklyn…”

Paige? That was my sister’s voice. Her hand brushed my cheek, but her fingers were strangely cold. She placed her lips to my forehead. Then she removed them.

“Bryson, I don’t understand,” she said with a tremor in her voice. “She got out with the rest of us. Why’d she go back?”

His fingers brushed over my forearm. “For Claw.”

My dachshund had always been there for me. I couldn’t leave him behind.

“He ran out just ahead of her, but the fire…” He paused. His body quivered, but his fingers still squeezed mine.

I tried to comfort him with a small squeeze.

His breath hitched. “She was in the doorway and the explosion threw her out. I… don’t know… She’s hurt bad.”

My chest felt crushed, and my eyes still throbbed. A single tear dripped down my face. But I needed Bryson to know I was all right. Somehow, I had to tell him I was okay.

Paige spoke again. “Brooke… I’m here.”

I opened my eyes again, praying that I’d see something—anything—but everything remained black. Her cold, soft hand touched my face again sending a small shiver through my body. She didn’t remove it.

“Can you see me?” Her voice was tender now.

I wanted to embrace her and tell her everything would be all right. But I still couldn’t move. Even if I could, I would be lying. Everything was not all right.

“Say something,” she said. “Please.”

Speak… I had to speak. I gathered up everything in me and forced my mouth to move. “Something…”

Her laugh was beautiful but hesitant. “I’ll call 911.”

“Already did,” Bryson told her. “I was on the phone with them when the explosion happened.”

He squeezed my shoulders, a movement which sent tremors through my whole body, but I was too grateful for his hands keeping me stationed in reality to complain. Something fell onto my cheek. A tear. Bryson’s tear.

Was I dying?

Did he think I was dying?

I couldn’t be dying… I was only sixteen, had my whole life ahead of me. But if God called me home now, I wouldn’t fight it. I looked forward to experiencing what God had in store for me in Heaven, but that meant leaving my friends… my family.

I couldn’t leave them. I focused on the hands holding me. The hands that wouldn’t leave me, no matter what.

Sirens. An ambulance approached.

Bryson held me tighter. “Brooke, please stay with us.”

I had no thoughts of leaving them. But I wasn’t the one in control…

Paige let go and whispered, “Someone wants to say hi.”

A furry face brushed up against mine. A cold, wet nose nuzzled my cheek. Then a warm tongue licked my forehead.

Claw.

He was all right…

I couldn’t feel my legs and back. My hand grew numb.

No! I clenched my hands into fists and concentrated with all my might. I wasn’t going to let this happen. Bryson’s fingers squeezed mine. I forced myself to feel it. I fought with all I had not to lose him. I fought to feel Claw’s paw resting on my arm. I fought God as He began pulling me home.

I lost.

Bryson, Claw, their touch faded to nothing.

Only Paige’s hand on my cheek remained.

“We’re losing her!”

People rushed around me.

Paramedics told Bryson and Paige to move.

“No…” Bryson muttered.

Paige’s hand slipped from my cheek.

No—I needed her to drag me back from the smothering darkness.

I needed Claw.

I needed Bryson to touch me again, to remind me I wasn’t lost.

My hearing slowly faded until I was alone.

I was losing them…

Light—

There was light.

And I knew what lay on the other side of it.

The light grew until it enveloped me. Everything went silent. No sirens, no people, no noise. The clouds billowed, smooth and cool underneath my feet, while warm air brushed past me. What amazed me most was that I could feel it. A wave of calm flowed through me, knitting my bones together. My pain washed away, and my vision cleared. I glanced at my fingers. Moments before, Bryson’s had been laced between them. Now, they were empty.

Behind me, a voice spoke. It was deep and commanding, yet the most compassionate voice I’d ever heard. “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hannah Marie is a Christian teenager who enjoys writing, sketching, and spending time with her friends and family. She spends her time singing, debating, and playing percussion in the homeschool band and orchestra. Her friends and family are huge blessings in her life as they support her in everything she does. She is thankful to them for all that they do for her and to God for giving her this opportunity.

---

More Stories