Sheila has always wished she had a normal family. She wanted one like she saw in movies, where the parents were caring and the siblings were kind. The mom would make breakfast, and the dad would drop the daughter off at school, saying, “Good luck, kiddo.” She would dream, but it hardly took her anywhere. In fact, the only place her dream took her most days was Sauter Bridge near 55 Adam Street, the bridge near her high school.
Her dream meant something, and she wanted to know.
The next morning, skipping her chores, she embarks for Sauter Bridge. It feels eerie for her to go down the familiar pathway not wearing her dreadful uniform and not being bullied. Looking down at her second-hand store hoodie and crumpled kicks, she looks around to make
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Does he want to brag about his new trophy wife? Or maybe he wants to reconcile with a daughter he has not seen in years? She doesn’t know, but the thought gives her some sort of inexplicable pleasure.
She takes a long look at the river. “This is it,” she says. Looking down at the flowing stream, she takes in a deep breath.
She’s always hated water ever since her brother got into a water-skiing accident, which left him dead. Sheila believes that it could’ve been prevented if only she’d known what to do at the naïve age of six. She should’ve known better. His death is because of Sheila, and Sheila’s death will be because of him.
But before she does anything, one last detail comes to mind.
She wonders, Will the problem ever stop, even if I die? Will the problem finally stop? Will it make things easier?
She understands she’ll just be passing the problem on to everyone she loves and cares about. And she doesn’t want them to suffer. She certainly will not do this. She will get rid of this monster head on. She will.
Crying, she says to herself in tears something her brother once said, “It will get better, maybe not today, but it will, and you will live to see that