Dear Mom,
I heard about Seth...How are you holding up? I know that this is hard on you but you need to stay positive. I might be coming home soon. My supervisor thought it would be best if I took time off from the hospital to come see you. I can’t focus much. My eyes are red and
tears are falling down my face...I miss him too. He deserved a better life. He was a straight A student mom. You were always so proud of him.
I remember that he and I would always compete with our grades. He always got the better grades though. He was always the best in everything. We both loved soccer too. He was great at it too. He got scholarships. I wasn’t as good as him but I was proud of him.
Do you remember how we always talked about going to college together? He and I never did though. He had a great job, a family. Now he’s gone. His wife and kids, how are they holding up? I’m coming home tomorrow night. We can go see them. I’m scared to see him at his funeral. How bad does he look mom. I’m scared…But it can’t be undone I’m going to just go -- like my supervisor suggested -- I’ll see you tomorrow night.

        Love your daughter,
          Brooke

My brother Seth died in a car accident three days ago. He was driving home from work, he always stayed late. He was on the road with one other car. The car was heading towards him.He saw the car on his side of the road coming towards him. He must have thought that it was just because he was tired because he didn’t swerve. They found out the other guy was drunk. He shouldn’t have been behind the wheel. He killed my brother.
My brother was the only one in my family who I always talked to. He cared about me. He said that he would never leave me. Now that he’s dead I feel alone. My father died a few years ago from heart cancer. So I only had my brother and my mom… now I only have my mom. She was always busy at work. My brother and my dad were the ones who really raised me. That's why we were all so close. Usually you would think that brothers and sisters wouldn’t get long but we were always like two peas in a pod.
I really miss him. When I first heard about the accident all I wanted to do was to find the guy who killed my brother and kill him. But what would that do? It wouldn’t bring him back no matter what I did. I threw the framed picture of my dad, brother and me at the wall. I screamed at the top of my lungs and went and picked up the frame. I saw the broken glass on the floor. I picked the glass up and walked into the bathroom. I put my arm over the sink and put the glass to my arm. Before I could push the glass down and cut my arm I heard my brother’s voice. “Don’t do it Brooke, don’t leave mom alone. I know it hurts right now but she needs you.” I frantically looked around hoping to see my brother. The only thing I saw was the picture in the shattered frame. I cried harder and looked in the mirror. I looked broken. My makeup was smeared and my eyes looked blood red. My lip was bleeding from me biting it in frustration and anger.
I turned the shower on and  stepped into the boiling hot water. It felt good, like the pain in my heart was burning away. I looked at the water and slid down the shower wall. I’m all alone. I stay sitting in the shower for a long time. I lost track of time just staring at the shower water. I woke up the next day still in the shower. I quickly got up and turn the water off and wrapped a towel around me. I looked around the bathroom and remembered last night. I walked out of the bathroom and got dressed. I looked at the clock. 10:00 a.m. My stomach grumbled but I was not hungry.
I saw my suitcase on the floor and packed all my stuff for my mom’s. I packed everything in my car and got in. It was already dark by the time I started heading out. On my way to my mother’s I thought about how he died. I started to get really nervous when I saw cars coming towards me from the other direction. I started to swerve a little then I calmed down and stopped swerving. Think right Brooke ~ stop swerving.
Brooke was always impulsive. She was always such a smart and pretty girl. She had these beautiful blonde curls that hung down to her mid-back. I was always jealous of her looks. She looked so much like her father. I always loved that she was observant-- never drifting off about something else. She was such a bossy girl.
Her brother seth was so diffrent compared to her. He was never impulsive-- always slow and careful. He had short straight brown hair. He looked so much like me. He was never very observent-- always reading never really looking up in the car just to stare at the scenery.
They were the same in some ways, too. They were both smart and very attractive children. They would both be so bossy towards each other. When I would come home from work they would all be in bed and i’d ask my husband how they behaved and he would always say “ Bossy Fight”. They were such great kids..
I cant wait to see Brooke. I heard she was coming down so I went to the store to get stuff for a nice dinner. On my way back I started thinking about my son and I swerved into the lane beside me. The person in the other lane swerved out of the way--but I could have almost killed that family-or myself. I wonder if this is as distracting and upsetting to her as me? I’m worried abot her. She’s driving here by herself--what if something happens to her?
I went back to thinking about my brother and my eyes glazed over and I stared at the bright headlights coming right at me. Like how Seth died. The person keeps getting closer and closer but I can’t get myself to turn my steering wheel to swerve out of the way. The next thing I know all I saw was black and all I heard was an endless ringing in my ears. I felt my clothes get wet fast around my stomach and I gasped for air.

Dear Brooke,
I got your letter. I'll see you when you get here baby girl. I can’t wait to see you. I really need someone I love with me right now. I always loved how you and your brother got along. I know I wasn’t always there for you guys and i’m so sorry; I wish I could change that but I can’t change the past. I will be a better mom for you. I promise.
Your brother was a great kid but he wouldn’t have been the straight A student without you. He always did it for you. He just wanted to be a good role model for you. He always cared about you. You both were so much alike. I was so jealous about how well you guys got along.
My brother and I never got along like you two. I miss him so much and I know that you miss dad too. He was always there for you when I couldn’t be and I am so glad he had you both. I was a horrible mother and I know that I just want you to know I never hated you -- I’ve always loved you and I’m always gonna be here for you baby girl. I love you, Brooke… Just please be safe on your way over here.
       Love,
         Mom

I open my eyes and see my mom standing beside me, crying. I try to ask her why she’s crying but she doesn’t hear me. I sit up and look at her and she keeps crying so I stand up to hug her but I can’t. She walked right through me. I turn around and look at my body lying in a hospital bed and I start crying. What happened to me. The doctor comes in and pulls the blankets down on my body and I see my bloody bandages around my stomach head and leg.
The nurse tells my mother that I lost a lot of blood and i’m in a coma. I felt my heart drop and I scream at my lifeless body to wake up. I look at the nurse and she touches my mom's shoulder. I stare at my mom as she sits by the bed and starts to talk. “Please wake up Brooke. I love you. Please don’t leave me alone I need you I can’t lose you too!”
The next thing I know is my brother is standing beside me. “Don’t give up, Brooke -- fight for your life. Don’t die like I did. You deserve so much more in your life. Wake back up and have a family, Brooke, and tell mine I love them. I love you Brooke but you need to wake up, okay?” I start to cry and then I open my tear filled eyes and notice i’m in the bed.
I look at my mom and whisper to her ‘mom’. She looks at me and smiles. She calls for the doctor and I lie there looking at them, talking. All I hear is ringing in my ears and my head hurts really bad and I cannot move my legs or arms -- all I can move is my head.
My mom turns towards me and smiles once more while she’s crying and comes over to me and kisses my cheek. She whispers to me which I hear faintly “I love you baby girl, I love you so much but I want you to let go. I know it's hard for you to hold on. Just let go baby girl I love you to the moon and back.”
I take my last breath and let go.
Beeeepppp….
All I see now is…
darkness.