Good Night World

Darkness.

Sarah couldn't see anything. She couldn't feel anything. She wasn't breathing. She wasn't moving. She wasn't alive.

Was she dreaming?

No. This wasn't a dream. There was nothing here. No sounds. No air. No pain.

But she was thinking. If she was thinking, then she still existed. Right?

She tried to move. Her body didn't respond.

She tried to speak. No sound came out.

Then, slowly, something changed.

A whisper around her. It was soft, distant. She couldn't make out the words, but it was familiar.

Michael?

The darkness flickered.

Another sound. This time, she recognized it. Crying.

Michael was crying.

Her chest tightened, but she had no lungs to breathe. but it still feel like it's there. She wanted to reach out. She wanted to hold him. She wanted to tell him she was okay.

But she wasn't okay.

She was dead.

More sounds drifted through the darkness. Voices. Muffled. Blurry.

Then, suddenly, she could see again.

She was in a hospital room.

Michael sat by a bed. His head was down. His hands were gripping the sheets.

Sarah stepped forward. "Michael."

He didn't react.

"Michael, I'm right here."

Still nothing.

She looked at the bed.

Her body was there. Lifeless. Pale. Tubes and wires surrounded it, but there was no beeping from the machines. No rise and fall of breath.

She was gone.

Michael let out a sob. "Sarah, please wake up."

Her heart twisted.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm so sorry."

She reached for him, but her hand passed through his shoulder like smoke.

"I didn't mean for this to happen," Michael choked out. "I should have been the one to fall. Not you."

Sarah shook her head. "No. I would do it again. I would always save you."

But he couldn't hear her.

The door opened. Their parents walked in. Just arriving from their work, after hearing the news. Their mother's face was red and swollen from crying. Their father's hands were clenched into fists.

Michael stood up, his whole body trembling.

His father grabbed him by the shoulders. "Why, Michael? Why were you up there? Why did she have to die?"

Michael flinched. "I..."

Their mother pulled their father back. "Stop. He didn't mean for this to happen." She turned to Michael. "But… why, sweetheart? Why were you on that roof?"

Michael looked at the floor. "I was going to jump."

Their mother gasped.

Their father's face went pale.

Michael wiped his eyes. "I was being bullied. Every day. I tried to handle it, but I couldn't. I thought… I thought it would be better if I just disappeared." His voice cracked. "But Sarah… She saved me. She pushed me out of the way."

Their mother covered her mouth. Tears fell down her face.

Their father took a step back, his hands shaking.

Michael looked at them with red, puffy eyes. "I'm sorry."

Their father sank into a chair. He looked exhausted. "Michael… We didn't know."

Michael's fists clenched. "Because you were never home. You were always working. I was alone. No one noticed."

Their mother broke down crying.

Their father didn't say anything. He just stared at the floor.

Sarah wanted to scream at them. She wanted to tell them to stop blaming Michael. He had suffered enough. This wasn't his fault.

This was the fault of every person who ignored his pain.

This was the fault of the people who hurt him.

She looked at Michael. His body was stiff, like he was waiting for them to yell at him.

But their father sighed. " I'm sorry, We failed our children."

Michael's eyes widened.

Their mother wiped her face. "We should have been there. We should have seen the signs."

Michael's hands trembled. "I don't want to live without Sarah."

Sarah's chest ached.

Their mother grabbed his hands. "Don't say that. She gave her life for you because she loved you. If you throw your life away now, then she died for nothing."

Michael squeezed his eyes shut. "But I don't know how to live without her."

Their father spoke softly. "Then let's learn how. Together."

Trying to comfort him but deep down they were hurt.

Michael let out a shaky breath. He didn't respond.

Sarah wanted to stay. She wanted to keep watching over them.

But the world around her started to fade.

The hospital room grew dim. The voices became distant.

Sarah reached out. "No! I'm not ready to go!"

Darkness swallowed her again.

She wasn't ready to say goodbye.