ABOUT
THE AUTHOR
I HAVE BEEN WRITING SHORT STORIES AND POETRY SINCE I WAS A LITTLE GIRL. MY TAECHERS AND ADMIRERS HAVE SHOWN ME THAT IT IS TIME FOR THE WORLD TO READ MY STUFF. [August 2006]
Ana was driving down the same old road. God knows she comes down here so many times, but it’s the only way to get to the shopping malls. Today was hot, and her air conditioner in the car was broken, of course. She had the radio off, nothing good on the radio anymore, nothing she could understand anyway. Ana just listened to the sound of the wind racing through her car windows; she found it to be a soothing sound. Ana admired how beautiful the sky looked at just before dusk, with a rainbow like haze at the horizon, reminded her of a water color painting she had seen before, Ana was in awe of its magnifigance, and thanked God for the stunning sunset.
Ana approached the end of the road, a feeling of extreme grief came over her, like a spirit rushing through your body, and she felt like the wind was knocked out of her. Ana felt like there was a dark cloud over her. Ana was passing over this small bridge and just over it she gazed upon something so brilliant, Ana thought the end of the world was here. Ana couldn’t believe her eyes, it blinded her for a moment and she couldn’t speak. There it was waiting for her in all its glory, the sun! Ana felt like she could reach out and touch it; it looked like a ball of flames. It glared at her, with its red furry. Ana almost stopped the car she was scared to go on.
Ana had already had been feeling an ominous feeling, and seeing this just made her feel worse. Ana turn to go down her street, and her eyes filled with pods of salty tears, Ana knew she would be getting news of great sorrow, someone has passed, and she knew who it was. Ana pulled up in front of her house, she did not want to get out, and she knew what awaited her.
Mitchell ran out to her with a dismayed look on his face, and he knew by the look on Ana’s face that she had already known. It happened in slow motion as Ana got out of the car, and fell into Mitchell’s arms, with agonizing tears. Mitchell was caressing her face, as he tried to quiet her pain away, but it wasn’t enough for her. Ana looked up to the sky, and held her hand over her heart, it was more pain than she could bare.
Jacob was the only family Ana had, he meant everything to her, and she was always his little baby sister, Ana and Jacob came from a dreadful childhood, filled with so much vile abuse, they still don’t know how they made it through it all. They had such a strong bond, no matter where Jacob would roam, Ana knew that he loved her, and she always thought he would never leave her. Ana believed Jacob would always be there to protect her, always be the hero to rescue her. He was a strong man, a warrior of this cruel world, but weak when it came to Ana, especially if she was ill. Ana was always so proud of him.
A piece of Ana was dying, she couldn’t even talk to her sister in law to console her, just pure weeping came out. She envisioned the look on her niece and nephews faces, and it felt like the world was closing in on her. Ana wanted someone to tell her that there was a mistake and Jacob was alive. As night-time came, the darker her mourning became, know she would have to see him at the viewing at the funeral home. That thought made her very nauseous, Ana was sure she was going to vomit at the door before she looked at him in private. Mitchell told Ana to be strong and he would hold her hand through it all. I think Mitchell knew deep down that Ana would not do well with this and braced himself for the worst possible reaction.
Ana heard the sobbing from the kids and her sister in law, and knew it wasn’t going to easy to do this. Slowly Ana crept up to the coffin, her eyes were focused, and she slowly slid away from Mitchell. Not a peep came from her, Mitchell just saw her just gaze upon him. When Ana looked up at Mitchell, her eyes were blinded by the intense sobbing, she slowly fell to her knees, with her head in her hands, it was the quietest crying anyone had ever heard. Mitchell was worried Ana was losing her breath when all of a sudden, she let out this intense sob, beating her chest crying for Jacob to come back home, she just kept calling for him.
It was time for all the other friends and family to come in, and Mitchell begged Ana to come away from the coffin and sit a while to come down, but the more he tried to comfort her, the more she backed away. Like a little child, Ana crept under the coffin, and would not leave her brothers side. Ana continued this through all the viewing sessions which lasted 2 days. When it came time to walk to the grave sight, Ana was walking along like a zombie, barely holding on; Mitchell had to keep catching her as she would slip away in her deepest grieving. As the priest was saying his prayers, a gust of wind flew through Ana’s hair, and a quiet whisper filled her ear so quietly saying, I’ll always be the wind in your hair. It made Ana’s hair stand up, but filled her with an intense emotional feeling that she still to this day cannot describe, she was in awe of his presence that day.
Ana waited for everyone to leave so, she could have a moment alone. Ana would say to Jacob “Jacob you are my wind and I will always look for you wherever I am, and I will see you again my heart, my soul, my hero. We all watched the wind race around Ana as she had her moment, it is what she needed to do. Ana very slowly walked away, very gently dropped a single stem rose on his coffin, with a gentle kiss. Goodbye angel she whispered.
Short story by: April Hansen
e-mail- hansenbarn@aol.com
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