every night, i meet with you
when i'm feeling sad, you're the same way too
and i feel the comfort of your arms
you coo me away with care and warmth
you lead me to your treasure trove
you're the gift heaven gently bestowed
a relief, a break, i love you, so
don't wake me up from this starless dream
take me away, i miss you, sleep.

- Black and White Stars on Hello Poetry

• • •

The day ticked by. The sun was hot. The water was gentle. The day of.

I knew that there was nothing I could do to stop what would happen, no matter how wrong the decision was. I knew that he was the monster lurking under my bed, and that soon, the monster will be gone from my nightmares.

That sunset was the last sunset of my innocence. I had lost it long ago, but that evening was the ever last. A man I loved, a man who hurt me, beat me, would soon be nothing but words. The sun slowly sank, the beautiful array of oranges and reds and purples. It was the most beautiful sunset I had ever seen.

My mum had noticed a shift in my mood, watching me over the week to try and figure out what was happening.

"Are you okay Georgia?" She asked me when we had moved back into the caravan, cleaning up after dinner, "something has been bothering you."

I breathed. "It's nothing really, just something happened."

She looked at me, compassion in her eyes.

"Well what ever it is darling, you can always talk to me about it. About anything."

I hugged her. I couldn't tell her what was happening, what was going to unfold. I couldn't tell anyone for that matter, but those words reassured me and that made me happy.

Wilson come over to me later.

"I got a message from Pete," he said, not overly too fazed by it, "he just said 'see you in the funny papers.' Do you know what that means? I haven't spoken to him since April."

I looked at him, trying to contain my horror. He was prepping, saying his last goodbyes. I couldn't stand the thought.

"Dunno," I told him, trying to regain composure, "maybe he just felt like sending something."

"Well it's a weird message to send dipshit. Wonder what's going through his mind."

I wonder too, I thought, but let it slide. Wilson will know soon.

When the time hit 11pm, we were all ready for bed, except me. A letter laid on my bed again, the last time I would see one. I grazed my fingers over it, opening it like a treasured work of art.

Tonight is the night, meet at the cabin where it all began.

I stood there, frozen. I knew what he meant, but I didn't understand. The cabin he was referring to was the apartment we hired out a year prior, before we decided to hire a caravan. It was in the middle of town, so I knew I had to walk. I didn't want to, because the last time I was there, he hurt me for the first time.

I grabbed my bag, leaving the caravan as my family slept. I began walking through the caravan park, the last time I would see it before everything would come tumbling down.

I walked and walked, preparing myself for the event that will fold out.

Pete's suicide.