Forever ago, I had the idea for Ava and I to swap our usual genres and write a short story. This was like, months ago. Anyways, I wrote a short story that I really fell in love with, so much so that I wanted to try submitting it and see if I could get it published. Unfortunately, that meant that it couldn’t be shared here. Hopefully you all will get to read it soon, since I’ve sent it out to some places, but for now, it shall remain a mystery.

So then Ava was left with her piece, and no matching article to go with it. Very rude of me. I finally got myself to write a new piece to share here with you all, so Ava’s cute fae story will see the light of day.

While this piece isn’t as good or as dark and horror-y as my previous one, I’m still pleased with his this one turned out. I didn’t really have a plan going into it, just the prompt that Ava gave me, about someone not being what they seem. So, without further ado, here is my (second) attempt at writing a horror piece! I hope you enjoy.

---

Not What She Seems

The right time to move in with someone is whenever one of your leases expires. It’s as simple as that. 

This is what Everleigh tried to remind herself as she helped move her co-worker turned situationship turned girlfriend into her apartment. This will work out well, she said for the umpteenth time. Sure, they’d only been dating for three months. And Everleigh needed to switch departments after word of their relationship reached their boss. And Jenny had a cat. Which normally wouldn’t be a problem, but the creature was prone to hissing or biting whenever she got within five feet of him. 

She walked up the single flight of stairs that lead to her apartment door, arms laden with a box full of cook books and assorted spices. She passed Jenny, who was heading back down to the uhaul. “Looking good,” Jenny said smoothly, lightly slapping Everleigh’s ass as she passed. 

Maybe it all would work out afterall. 

~

Jenny flopped onto the bed with a sigh, snuggling in right next to Everleigh. “Thanks, babe. That is such a weight off my shoulders.”

“Course,” Everleigh said, wrapping her arms around Jenny. She had to admit, this was nice. Jenny luckily didn’t have too much to move in, and what she did bring complemented Everleigh’s cozy maximalism well. Colorful books and brightly glazed potted plants lined shelves and tabletops. Lamps lit the apartment with a warm glow, and Jenny’s patterned decorative throw pillows matched her blue sofa in the living room. Plus, Caspar hadn’t bitten her yet. 

“I was worried when I asked you to let me move in,” Jenny murmured, her words tickling Everleigh’s ear. “I know it hasn’t been all that long, but I really was in a rut with my shitty roommates and I couldn’t afford a good place on my own. I think few people would be willing.”

Everleigh felt her heart swell. It happened more and more often, the more time she spent with Jenny. “It’s really not a big deal, I think we would have moved in together pretty quickly, anyways. Besides,” she said, sitting up and looking down at her girlfriend, her curtain of brown hair coming down around Jenny’s face. “You’re helping me. Now I can actually save up for a new car!”

Jenny laughed, and Everleigh began to shower her with kisses, the warmth in her chest spreading through the rest of her body. 

~

A week later, things were still going well. Better than well, actually. 

Everleigh had never seen Jenny happier. Over the weekend, Jenny woke her up with gentle singing and the smell of breakfast cooking in their kitchen. Jenny was working on her pottery again, going to the studio after work a few times after their shifts. And every night, the two fell asleep in each other’s arms, happy as could be. 

Everleigh was happy, too. Just a bit tired. It was harder to get out of bed in the mornings, and she found herself napping whenever Jenny was in the studio. Nothing alarming, but it wasn’t like herself. She blamed the fact that things were simply different. Even good different was different, and her body hated when things were different. But seeing Jenny doing so well after a particularly tumultuous month of dealing with roommate drama was wonderful. She’d adjust soon. 

~

“Leigh Baby? Are you sure you should go in today?”

Everleigh was startled from her daze. She had been in their bathroom, brushing her teeth. Foamy paste had dribbled onto her chin and her blouse in her stupor. Shit. 

Jenny came from the bedroom, still clipping on one of her earrings. She put the back of her hand to Everleigh’s forehead. It felt nice and cool. “You’re burning up, babe. You should call out.”

“But they need me,” Everleigh mumbled, wiping the suds and spit from her face. “We’re supposed to close on the Henderson deal today.”

“So they’re almost done! Meaning they don’t need you.” Jenny cupped Everleigh’s cheek, brushing her thumb over her mouth. “Besides, Henderson is a simple guy. I’m sure the rest of your team can handle him.”

Everleigh leaned into her cool palm. “Okay,” she mumbled. She let Jenny guide back to their room, out of her clothes, and into their bed. She called her boss to let him know she wouldn’t be in while Jenny grabbed her medicine from the cabinet. She took the pills without fuss, drifting off as Jenny left for work. 

~

The most surprising part about her week-long sickness was that Caspar kept her company almost the whole time. Like a hot water bottle, he stayed on her lap and purred contentedly while she laid in her fevery state, zoning in and out of old seasons of The Great British Baking Show on Netflix. Her boss had assured her that, with the closing of the Henderson deal, now was as good a time as any for her to use the PTO she’d been building up steadily over years. 

Jenny continued to work and to sing while she cooked and to make her pottery. In fact, she had even taken to doing yoga in the mornings, which Everleigh enjoyed watching. Having Jenny with her was so nice. Normally when she was sick she lived off of Doordashed Panera Bread split pea soup. But now Jenny cooked for her every night, feeding her warm fresh meals, like taco bowls and chicken coconut curry. She also made sure Everleigh took her medicine regularly, alternating between the bright orange off-brand dayquil gelcaps and the dark green ones at night. 

“I’m glad you’re feeling good,” Everleigh said one morning as she watched Jenny’s calf muscles flex and shift. She had nice calves. She hoped Jenny would keep doing yoga every morning.

“Well I’m just glad I’m here to take care of you!” Jenny said cheerfully, shifting to a new pose. “Who would be taking care of you if I still lived across town?”

~

Eventually, Everleigh did need to go back to work. At Jenny’s insistence, she got a blood panel done, and the next day was back in the office. She hoped that nothing serious would come up on the panel, but Jenny did point out that it could be some sort of hormonal imbalance affecting her. 

Everleigh was feeling better. She at least didn’t have a fever, and her runny nose had calmed to a trickle, but she was still dealing with the fatigue. Work luckily wasn’t bad upon her return. A few more deals had been started, and the tedious work had already been done. 

On her first day back, Jenny drove them both to work. “You can take the car home when you’re done, babe. I want to glaze my bisqueware today.”

“Do you need me to pick you up?”

“I’ve been thinking of jogging home, actually! I think the exercise would be good for me. It’s only a few miles, and if I can get that down, I can do a 5k in the spring!

~

Everleigh’s blood panel came back normal. She wasn’t too surprised. She didn’t have a family history of imbalances, and was doing okay, all things considered. She had been hoping to get feeling back to her normal self so she could resume going to her evening pilates class, or even join Jenny for yoga, but after a full day of work she still felt so damn tired. And even after a full night’s sleep she was exhausted. No winning there. 

Jenny, as always, was doing amazing. In addition to morning yoga, singing while cooking their meals, doing her pottery, and now even jogging home, she had recently decided to begin selling her pottery at the farmers market on weekends, as well as homemade crocheted plant hangers. 

Everleigh had no idea how she did it all, and had to forcefully remind herself to not be jealous. All things considered, things were going very well for them both. Their relationship was better than ever, Caspar let her pet him now, and having two incomes meant that she was able to add to her savings and indulgences a bit more. And seeing one’s partner thrive was always nice. 

She just wished she wasn’t so damn tired all the time. 

~

After another week of the same exhaustion, Everleigh drove Jenny to the airport. Jenny had been asked to attend a conference the next state over, where there would likely be good opportunities for outreach. Jenny had tried to get out of the trip, not wanting to leave Everleigh, but after persuasion from the bosses and Everlight herself, Jenny had agreed.

“You shouldn’t need to clean the litterbox, I put in fresh litter this morning,” Jenny said as they drove to the drop-off section. “And his feeder is full so as long as it still goes off for dinner you don’t need to worry about him eating. Unless he doesn’t eat, which he might. Then just add a scoop or two of wet food to incentivize him. And-”

“Jenny, don’t you worry,” Everleigh soothed. “Caspar and I are so chill now. I bet he won’t leave my lap for the next three days.”

Jenny sighed. “You’re right. This is just the first time I’ve had to leave him for more than a day.”

And the first time we’ve been apart since we moved in, Everleigh thought. It’d be weird without Jenny. But if she managed it just fine a few weeks ago, she would manage just fine now. Plus, she had a cat to keep her company this time. “He’s a big boy.”

“He is, isn’t he?”

Everleigh brought the car to a stop at the entrance. “Call me when you land, baby. I’ll see you in a few days.”

Jenny leaned over and gave Everleigh a kiss. “Of course. Take care while I’m gone, okay? I’ll miss you.”

“Love you, Jen.”

“Love you, too.”

~

Remarkably, the evening after Jenny departed on her flight, Everleigh found herself with not only motivation to do something, but also the energy to go with. Deciding to start small, she settled for a light walk on the treadmill in the apartment gym. It wasn’t as nice as the one she went to for pilates, but for a simple walk, it’d be perfect. 

After about 30 minutes of walking, and even 15 of a light jog, Everleigh felt refreshed and fulfilled. She’d missed being able to do anything more tiring than simply walking up the stairs to her apartment. But now, walking up the flight of stairs, she barely felt fazed. In fact, she rather felt like cooking. 

Everleigh made an omelette for herself, and watched as Caspar made the mad dash to his feeder when it dispensed his nightly meal. They ate in contented silence together. 

~

The next day, Everleigh’s alarm went off at its usual time, but she remarkably felt well rested. It was almost shocking, but she chalked it up to her jog tiring her out. She’d have to see if she was energized enough after work to go again. Maybe that was the secret to getting herself back to some sense of normal. She’d just have to work through it. 

Work went by without a hitch. She called Jenny during her lunch, and was delighted to hear that the conference was going well, even if some of the talks were boring. Jenny had even found a potential client, who was looking to expand into their area. While life hadn’t been bad by any means lately, today felt like the first good day in way too long. 

After work, she felt good enough to run again. She managed a quick warm up and even 30 minutes at a jog. It felt incredible. Almost as incredible as the cold shower she took, and the spring cleaning she was able to do. In her tired haze, her desk had gotten rather cluttered, and her paints neglected. She wasn’t a master by any means, but enjoyed painting landscapes from time to time. She opened up her gouache paints and sprayed the palette. Maybe she’d still have the energy later this week to do some painting. 

~

The rest of the time Jenny was gone, Everleigh felt like her life had taken a full 180. Work didn’t drain her, she hit the gym every day for at least 30 minutes, and she did some warm-ups with her paints to get back into the swing of things. She even found the time to brush out Caspar and practice his tricks with him.

She was ready to see Jenny, though, and was very excitedly drove to the airport on the evening of the third day. Now maybe we can finally go out and do things together, now that my funk is all over. 

But when she saw her girlfriend walk out of the arrivals gate, she looked dead on her feet. Jenny pulled her suitcase after her in more of a drudge than a walk. Her hair lacked its usual shine, her clothes were rumpled, and there were even bags under her eyes. 

“You okay baby?” Everleigh asked, helping load the luggage into the trunk. 

“Yes, just exhausted.” Jenny replied, sliding into the passenger seat. “I did so much out-reach nonsense that I never want to see a business card again!” She put on a tired, but genuine, smile. “All I want now is to curl up on the couch with you and enjoy the weekend together.”

~

And enjoy the weekend they did. They spent the evening under the blanket on the couch, watching a movie while eating some doordashed sushi from Jenny’s favorite place. Caspar wailed while they ate and their laps were occupied, but then made happy biscuits on Jenny’s tummy as their movie droned on. 

Saturday they spent at home, both working on their own craft projects while the latest season of a random Netflix baking show played. Jenny was crocheting another plant hanger while Everleigh painted. Jenny looked much better after the night’s rest, and Everleigh knew she’d be back up and at it come Monday. She herself was feeling a little more tired, if she thought about it, but just drummed it up to wanting a nice lazy weekend. Nothing wrong with that. 

Sunday Jenny resumed her morning yoga. Everleigh thought about joining in, but she had woken up with a headache. She resigned herself to watching Jenny work her amazing legs. She had missed those legs. 

Jenny went back into the studio to check on her projects that were fired while she was gone. Everleigh forced herself down to the gym, but barely managed 15 minutes of walking before she felt winded. What the hell is happening? I thought I was over this. 

~

By the time the middle of the week rolled around, Everleigh was back at her half-alive state, the energy she had regained over Jenny’s absence all spent. Jenny had recovered from the trip and was back to her many hobbies and activities. 

Once again, Everleigh had to try not to be jealous. She instead turned her energy to wracking her brain for the possible cause of her exhaustion. It wasn’t a cat allergy, since she did just fine with Caspar during Jenny’s trip. It wasn’t something she ate, or anything that could have shown up on her blood panel. Dread filled her stomach as she settled on the only thing that made sense to her. 

Could it be Jenny? 

She told herself she was being paranoid. Jenny couldn’t possibly be the cause, right? Jenny ate all the same meals she cooked for Everleigh, and hadn’t brought anything new into the apartment that appeared to have an affect on her. The only thing it could possibly be was Jenny herself. Somehow.

A plan began to form. Someway she could test this. 

~

“I wish you didn’t have to go,” Jenny said. She stood in her robe by the car as Everleigh loaded it. The way she said it sounded more like a demand than a statement. It was chilling. 

“Me neither, Jens, but my brother needs me.” It wasn’t a lie. When she offered to babysit her niece so her brother could take a much needed break with his wife, he jumped at the offer without question. So now he did need her. “It’s less than a week, just five nights. I’ll be back before you know it.”

“But what if I need you?” Jenny pressed. “Let me come with you.”

“You don’t have the PTO, babe. We already talked about this.”

“But this is the longest we’ll have spent apart. I don’t know if I can handle it.” She didn’t sound like a lovesick partner whining about being alone. She sounded like she actually meant it. 

Be strong. You’ll be sick with doubt if you don’t test this. “I know you can, Jens. You’ll have Caspar, too, remember?” Everleigh gave her a hug and a kiss and got into the front seat. “I believe in you.”

Jenny’s lips pursed. “Just try to hurry back. No dawdling.”

“Course, babe. Love you.”

“Love you,” Jenny mumbled back. She stayed standing where she was in the parking lot as Everleigh drove off, still visible in the rearview as until she went around the first corner. 

~

The drive was just a few hours long, back to Everleigh’s hometown. She listened to a podcast as she drove, trying not to think about how strangely Jenny had acted. It’s all a part of this test, she told herself. It may be a factor. 

When she arrived at her brother’s, she knew right away that she was right to come. Her niece was a little fireball of a seven year old. Her brother had bags darker than hers had been, even over the last few weeks, but he still managed a smile at her. She promised to keep Ahverie occupied for the evening so he and his wife could finish their packing. 

It was a different kind of exhausting than what she had been experiencing, but there was something so rewarding about spending time with a child. They played dress up, Everleigh did their hair and nails and even detangled several dolls who had been rat-kinged together. Ahverie bounced around the playroom the whole time, but they kept it contained long enough for her parents to be all ready to drive out in the morning. 

She enjoyed a few drinks with her brother and sister-in-law after Ahverie had passed out for the night, clearly drained by the wonderful excitement of her aunt visiting. 

“Thanks for agreeing to watch her,” said her sister-in-law. “We’ve been talking about taking a trip for ages, and we just had to jump at the chance when you offered.”

“It’s been too long since I’ve seen you all, and even longer since you’ve had some couple time,” Everleigh replied, taking a sip from her wine. “I’ve had a bit much of that lately, so I figured a change of scenery was due for us both.”

~

Everleigh awoke to two missed calls from Jenny, and a text:

Nothing urgent. I just miss you. Come back early if you can. -Jens ❤

Everleigh sent an appropriately sappy response and got out of bed to help feed the monster that was her niece while her parents got ready to go. 

The morning went off without a hitch. With pancakes consumed, car loaded, and Paw Patrol playing, parents departed without so much as a tear. Ahverie was mostly just excited for the fun week ahead, and Everligh had to agree. 

~

The week was indeed very fun. They went to the trampoline park, chased seagulls at the pond, rode bikes, and watched enough Paw Patrol and Bluey to last Everleigh a lifetime. Remarkably, she had the energy for it, and found herself waking up even before the kiddo to make fun breakfasts and plan out the day. It was just as she thought would happen. 

She found the time to give Jenny a few calls. Jenny had turned down any requests to FaceTime, claiming she had a nasty breakout that she didn’t want to look at in the corner, so Everleigh didn’t push. 

Jenny sounded tired, just like she did after coming back from her trip. Even through the phone it was clear she was becoming a shell of her usual bright and productive self. Just as she had thought. 

“I need you here, babe. I’m just not myself without you,” she said during one of their calls.

“Two more days, I promise. I think you’ll manage?”

“What if I don’t? What if I wither away into nothing?”

Everleigh had to laugh, even though Jenny sounded dead serious. “You’ve got this baby. I know you do.”

~

The rest of her time at her brother’s went swimmingly, and before she knew it, the trip was over. Ahverie was delighted to see her parents, her parents were refreshed and delighted to be home, and Everleigh was left with much on her mind. 

She was invited to stay one more night and leave in the morning, but she declined. She had promised to come home as soon as she could, after all. Even if she wasn’t sure what was going to be awaiting her. An inevitable breakup? A confrontation about their inability to coexist? She wasn’t sure. 

She tried to call Jenny on the drive home, but got her voicemail instead. She sent a few texts promising she’d be home in just a few hours, in case Jenny was asleep or busy. Probably asleep, if she was indeed struck by the same unusual fatigue that Everleigh dealt with. 

The drive went quickly, considering how much her mind was racing. She had no idea what she was going to do. She did love Jenny, but could she spend her life as half a person, other than times where she could find escape? Was there something sinister about Jenny, something intentional about this strange draining of either of their energies? Could they possibly find a way to coexist?

Everleigh would only get answers to some of those questions. 

~

Everleigh opened the apartment door, and immediately things seemed… wrong. All of the lights were off, including the usual lamps they kept for ambient light. Caspar ran to her and started meowing up a storm, which he never did when Jenny was home. 

“Jens?” She called, setting down her purse and abandoning her duffel bag. “Jens, are you okay?”

She checked around, strangely scared to turn on the lights for fear of what they may reveal. She pressed on, checking the bathroom and office for signs of life. Nothing. Caspar continued to press and weave between her legs, his lamenting meows echoing through the dark apartment. 

Everleigh opened the bedroom door, and wished she hadn’t. The dim light from the hall shone through the slit doorway, the vertical stream of light aligning on the bed. Jenny was in the middle, or she must have been, judging from the pile of blankets and the person-shaped form beneath them. But what she saw peeking up to rest on the pillow wasn’t Jenny. But maybe it was. 

In a trance, Everleigh approached. Swaddled under layers of quilts and duvets was a literal husk of a person, dried up and mummy-like. But she recognized the figure. Knew the piercings in the shriveled ears. She had felt the cheekbones that now jutted out from gray skin. Kissed those once-perfect lips, with their once-defined cupid’s bow. There was no one else it could be. 

It was Jenny. Withered away to nothing, as she had feared.

Jenny. Dead. 

~

After the shock had worn off and Everleigh was able to call the non-emergency line to get help with Jenny’s body, she had been thoroughly questioned by the officers who came on site. You don’t often find a body in a condition like this, they explained to her. Unless there was something strange going on, like that one cult that drank colloidal silver and mummified their leader. She explained that she didn’t know what had happened. That she was out of town the whole time. That she had the text messages with her brother and Jenny and emails with her boss to prove it. The officer took some names and numbers down. She wasn’t a suspect or anything, but she was told they’d be in contact, especially after the autopsy report. 

They took her body away in a body bag. 

Everleigh sat in numb silence on her couch, Jenny’s cat–her cat–winding between her legs, either seeking or giving comfort, she didn’t know. 

She didn’t know a lot, in that moment. Why she hadn’t shed any tears yet. If she would blame herself for Jenny’s death. How something so drastic could happen to someone usually so alive. What she herself possibly could have to do with her death. Did I do this? By leaving her for too long? Why didn’t she tell me?

~

Everleigh slept on the couch that night. The room still smelled too musty, too much like Jenny, for her comfort. Maybe she’d have to get a new bed entirely. She didn’t know how you could share a bed that once held a dead person. That had held your lost lover. 

As she was getting ready for bed that night, hastily changing into pajamas in the bedroom so she could vacate it immediately, she spotted something she had missed earlier. A piece of paper, tucked underneath a few balls of socks in her drawer. She had grabbed the paper and fled to the living room. 

Now, seated on the couch, Caspar in her lap, she opened the letter, which was covered in Jenny’s familiar swirling handwriting. 

~

Leigh Baby, 

I should have told you long before. A naive part of me hoped I’d never have to tell you. I guess I can say that I was just scared, but that’s a lame excuse for my inaction. Still, everyone I’ve told in the past has pushed me away. Everyone I’ve told about my curse. 

I don’t know how I got it, I just remember it beginning to happen. The vigor I started to feel every time I shared a bed with someone. And the more time I stayed with them, the more alive I’d feel. Hobbies and activities that once seemed impossible were at my fingertips, time and energy no longer a barrier, but mine to bend. 

At first, I ate greedily. My high school boyfriend was my first real victim. I didn’t know about the consequences. But when he began to get too exhausted to stay alert during football practice, and he was kicked off of the team, he grew to resent me. How could I manage to edit the school newspaper, and be on the yearbook staff, and be in the upcoming play? How could I do so much and he could do so little? How could I be so selfish? He broke up with me. 

That’s when it started to happen. When I started to feel the same drain that he must have felt while on the field. After a few days of what I thought was just sickness, I knew that I was dying. And I knew I needed to do something about it. 

So I found someone else to sleep with. Dated them for a bit, regained my strength. It didn’t need to be every night, but every few days was enough to at least keep my grades from slipping, even if I had to drop the spring play. After a few weeks, this new partner began to feel the same drain, until they actually had to drop out of school due to dropping grades and health concerns. 

Then I was onto the next person. The good thing about high school is people break up and start dating all the time. I didn’t care if I started to get called a floozy, so long as I was able to stay alive.

College offered similar opportunities for me. Plenty of business majors to go on dates with, or frat boys for one night stands, or bi-curious girls to take for a spin. I could bounce around enough to not take too much from anyone. But it was never as delicious, as invigorating, as when I was with someone for long term. So I tried again. 

I took too much, too quickly, from this person. I still feel awful about it to this day. They took their own life. 

I almost let myself die, too. Let myself feel how long it would take to lose my life entirely. My skin started to sag and turn gray. My eyes grew hollow. In less than a week, I was literally a shell of my former self. I drained so much faster than I did when I was a teen. I guess it takes a lot more to power a full grown soul. I swore I’d never take again.

But I’m a weak person, Leigh. I took again. Found someone desperate for a quick bang and went from there, moving up and up until I was back on my feet. It’s a miracle I didn’t fail that semester outright. 

I still resolved to never go steady. And I did good on that for a few years. Never staying with one person long, never getting the tantalizing bursts of energy I craved, but never leading someone to die at my hands. Taking just enough to keep myself going. 

And then I met you. Bright, cheery, you. Not to mention gorgeous, generous, and so full of the life that I craved. I tried to stay away, knowing I would never be satisfied with little tastes, but you drew me in. Gave me so much. Offered your home to me when I lost mine. Like an addict, I let myself use again. Use you, drain you so much more than anyone else I have before. I was burning so brightly, because of you. Because of what I took from you. 

Part of me isn’t sorry. I hate that part of me, but I can’t ignore it. That same part was what made me hesitant to tell you. Because I knew that no one else would be as fulfilling as you were. Because I knew that if I lost you, everyone else would pale in comparison. 

I cheated on you. Just once, while I was on that business trip. I’m sorry, baby, but to get back to you, I knew I’d need the energy to last. I was burning out so fast, after being used to feeding on you every day or two. I took one drunk businessman to bed with me, just for the fuel to keep me on my feet for that very last day. 

I felt awful about it. And awful still when I saw how you had begun to glow again while I was gone. Returned to your beautiful self in my absence. I thought about leaving you alone, of finding relief elsewhere so I wouldn’t need to take just from you, but Leigh, you’re too perfect. And I’m too weak. 

I knew you were on to me when you proposed your trip. I knew you suspected something. I’d never make you stay, you’re your own person, but I was so scared to let you go. Scared of what I would need to do to survive during those dark days without your light. Of how many people I’d need to bed. 

The second night, I tried. Tried to find someone to have for one night. But I stumbled into something that shook me to my core. Saw my old high school boyfriend, the one who I had taken his football career from, on the TV in the corner of the bar. A beautiful woman on his arm. A baby in hers. Talking about their donation to a program to support high schoolers in depressive episodes, just like he had gone through as a teen. 

Leigh, he was so alive. More alive than he was even before I started to take from him. Burning so brightly, doing more good than I ever will, despite what I had taken from him. And in that moment, I knew. Knew I could take no more. If he could do so much good without me, you could do so much more.

And that brings us to now, to me writing this note. To my plans to wither away to nothing. I’m scared. I don’t want to die. In my moments where my resolve wavered, I begged you to come home. But I hope you won’t come home to me still alive. Hope you don’t remember me just as a taker. But most of all, I hope you go on and live life to the fullest. Don’t burn with the light of others, but shine in that way that only you can. For me, Leigh Baby. Keep going for me. Live brighter than I ever could.

I love you. And I’m sorry. 

-Jens ❤

---

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