• I sat in the corner of my small, empty room. No one cared about me. My foster parents hardly wanted me. I wept as I laid my head on the tops of my knees. Why had my mom and dad done suicide? They killed themselves together so that they would never be apart. I wondered if they are happy.

    I only found myself crying harder. I held my pet puppy, Teddy; locking him in my arms, covering him with tears. I almost thought Teddy was crying too. Then I overheard what was going on in the living room downstairs. He was shouting, she shouted back, he claimed he wasn't going to put up with this any longer. She begged, and then I heard a gunshot along with a scream.

    My foster dad stomped up the staircase, cocking a gun. I stood up and left Teddy in the corner of the room. I twisted the lock until it clicked, just as the door began to wiggle and turn. I went back to my corner with Teddy and hugged him; slowly stroking his head telling him everything was going to be alright. Holding him in one arm, and a small gun in the other, I gently told him everything was going to be alright again. The gun was at his head. There was a lot of pounding on my door. Then I whispered in his ear, "Everything is going to be alright, Teddy. We will never be apart, thought we may never be together. I'm sorry." Then I gently pulled the trigger. Crack. Next it was my turn, but I thought I should have some last words. I stood up with the gun at my head and spoke.

    "Eric, (My foster dad)" I was still sobbing, "Is this what you want me to do?! Shoot myself?! Do you want me to go?! Is that why you killed Amy (My foster mom)?! You wanted her to go?!" I sat back down with Teddy's body and whispered, "Teddy, I will see you in Heaven. We will die together. Like mom and dad." Then I pulled the trigger and saw Teddy. Mom and dad, too.

    My family was put back together again. We laughed as we ran around on the clouds of heaven. But mom and dad stopped and stared off into space. Heaven turned into our old house we lived in together before I was sent off to foster care. Mom and dad turned to me and mom said, "Bridget, we need to go. We will be back soon." She kissed me and walked out the door. Dad kissed me too and followed her out. But then I remembered where this memory came from. I couldn't let it happen again.

    I ran out the door, but the car was already driving away. I screamed for them to come back but the car kept moving along the road. I kept running as rain began to fall. This was my memory of when mom and dad drove away and killed themselves. My running slowed because it hurt to run any more. I kept going. They couldn't go. I wanted them to stay! I screamed, "Mom! Dad! Please, come back!" I was panting and the rain got heavier. I stumbled and tripped ofer a rock. I fell flat on my face and I could not get up. I lifted my head up and saw the tail lights of the car fade away. "Mom... dad..." I could barely get the words past my lips. They were gone. I put my head back on the cement and fell asleep in the middle of the road for the night.

    This is how I knew I was dead.