“Kyohei… I’ve finally let you go.”

            Deep, grey clouds swept across the night sky. Darkness shrouded the cemetery and the figure in it. Howling winds swept past the tombstones and the lone figure standing amidst them. This figure belonged to a young woman who had long, raven-black hair and clear hazel eyes. Her pale skin made her look slightly sickly.

The woman briefly took out her cell phone to check the time, a strap reading “Kyohei ♥ Maia” hanging from the device. Digital numbers reading 11:57PM shone at her. She tucked her phone back into her pocket and gazed at the tombstone before her.

            “After all these years,” Maia said to the grave, “A-after yearning to feel your warm touch again, Kyohei, for so long… I know you’ll never come back to me. I finally realized that.” She drew in a shaky breath. The wind enveloped her in an ice cold caress, causing involuntary shivers. Hazel eyes gazed at the tombstone with a love once was and lowered her head to it. “Please, my darling Kyohei, rest in peace.” Maia gently kissed the weathered stone. A contented smile shyly grew on her face.

“I can finally move on,” Maia whispered, more to herself than Kyohei’s grave.

The raven-haired woman turned around to head home, and would have made her way if it were not for the strange, tingling sensation that enraptured her left ankle. Maia looked down and shrieked.

            It was a hand. A hand so decomposed that one was able to see the gleaming white bone that lay underneath the rotting flesh.

            Don’t leave me.

            “W-what?

            Don’t leave me alone.

            Maia tugged at her ankle, trying to remove the hand. It kept a steadfast hold.

            I love you. I will always love you, Maia.

            This haunting voice sounded so familiar, like a story forgotten long ago.

Maia felt the ground beneath her rumbling. The rotting hand seemed to shake with sick delight. Then, to her horror, the ground began to crumble away, revealing a maggot-infested arm attached to the hand. There was no explanation for what was happening. Maia could do nothing but stare at the scene before her. More dirt crumbled away, exposing more of the dead flesh.

I love you so much. So, so much.

The final specks of dirt fell away, revealing the identity of the corpse clinging to her ankle.

Kyohei gave a lopsided grin, his skull glowing under the moonlight. His once silky, blonde hair now existed in patches of matted dirt and blood. The beautiful amber eyes that Maia adored were completely consumed by maggots. Even at that moment, there were maggots wriggling around in his eye sockets. Decomposing flesh stretched over short expanses of bone. His ribcage could be clearly seen, some bones piercing through the skin. His remaining innards hung ungracefully from his abdomen. As Kyohei's decomposed body became clearer and clearer, Maia's blood ran cold. Her stomach convulsed and wrenched at her insides from the putrid stench and unsightly figure of the thing she once loved?

“K-Kyohei,” Maia uttered in disbelief, staring down at the pit that held her former lover. “How… why..? You’re DEAD.”

I want you to be with me forever.

“You’re dead, Kyohei. Dead. I can’t cling onto a dream forever.” The grip on her ankle tightened.

LIAR! The scream reverberated through the cemetery.

With his other hand, Kyohei began to climb up from the pit he resided in. Maia could do nothing but watch, the shock immobilizing her.

And there he was. Kyohei stood up right in front of her, in his rotting glory.

You are a liar.

Kyohei brought up his hand and gently ran his bony finger down Maia’s cheek. She looked at him with eyes filled with disbelief, shock, doubt, confusion, hurt, need, desire, love.

The dead man grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into a cold hug. Maia immediately stiffened at the contact. Bone and flesh enraptured her in an awkward embrace. She meekly tried to fight the hug, but Kyohei held her tight.

You are a liar.

“I-I’m not a liar…”

You finally “let me go”? Maia, you know that will never be true.

She knew he was right. Deep down inside in the innermost recesses of her heart, Maia knew that she was fooling herself. She could not forget Kyohei no matter how hard she tried. That strong resolve she had earlier dissolved and her mind fell into a blank state. All Maia wanted at that point, all that she really needed…

“Stay with me,” she whispered. Kyohei grinned.

So you want to be with me.

“I want to be with you.”

Forever?

“Forever.”

Maia returned the hug.

“I want to be with you Kyohei. I lied. I LIED. Let me stay by your side. I don’t want to live without you anymore,” she ended up screaming, clinging onto the back of Kyohei’s ribcage. Kyohei swiveled themselves around and let go of Maia.

Forever and always.

And he shoved her into the pit behind her. Maia hit the ground hard. Her legs and right arm were broken. A sharp rock was lodged into the back of her head. She laid there, blood gushing out from her body. Despondent eyes stared at the near-skeleton figure above her.

“Kyo…”

This way, you can’t try to leave me. I will never let you forget me. Maia, you remember how much I care for you. There can never be anyone good enough for you except for me.

Maia was on the brink of death. She vaguely registered Kyohei’s living corpse crawling down into the pit.

‘I somehow knew…’ she vaguely thought.

Kyohei continued to crawl towards her.

‘I wouldn’t have… forgotten him.’ Maia let out a painful gasp. ‘I’d be here… again. At this place…’

He held her hand and entwined his bony fingers with hers.

Forever and always.

“…Forever and always.”

Maia’s breathing became shallower until finally she drew her last breath, her accepting, bleak eyes staring into the night sky.

This was the writing piece that I submitted to apply for Journalism next year. Now that I read through it again, I feel rather embarrassed for turning it in. The Journalism teacher is the same teacher I had for English freshman year, & he said that he still remembered me [& where I sat] even though I didn't really talk much in his class. Awahhh.

I really hope I get into that class.

I don't know where I'd be without you, my dear xanga. You've been with me for the duration of my highschool life. Without thee, I'd be oh so bottled up inside & explode ages ago.

Anita & I are talking about blogging right now, & apparently she has a secret xanga as well. Imagine that.

Anyways, I want to thank  xanga yet again for letting me pour my excess thoughts into here.

:]

Love,

Me

<3