In the end, my body was sent for cremation.
The three of them stood outside the crematorium, watching as I was wheeled toward the cremation chamber.
The attendant moved slowly, as if trying to spare the mourners a little pain.
But no matter how slowly he moved, he eventually reached the end.
Graham stood rigidly upright, tears falling in silence.
Maya stood beside him, barely able to stay on her feet.
She clung so tightly to Evan’s arm that it was the only thing holding her up. She bit her lip until it bled, tears streaming down her face.
She was on the verge of fainting from crying, yet she forced herself to remain standing.
Overnight, Evan’s hair had turned completely white.
He’d believed that if he worked hard enough, earned enough money, and got me cured, everything would be okay.
Now he understood just how wrong he’d been.
He’d told himself it was all for my own good.
But the truth was, he’d been tired. So tired of caring for a sister who never seemed to get better.
He’d wanted a normal sister.
And he’d forgotten to ask himself one simple question.
If Lily never got better, would I stop seeing her as my sister?
Before long, my ashes were brought out in an urn.
Graham took it, his face blank.
He stared down at the vessel in his hands, unable to connect it with me.
The attendant had to have made a mistake.
I was still inside the crematorium. Any moment now, I’d come out laughing and throw myself into his arms.
So he stood there holding the urn, foolishly waiting for me to come back.
Eventually Evan approached and took it from him.
“Let’s go.”
Only then did Graham seem to wake from a dream.
He wiped his eyes, straightened up, and walked toward the parking lot.
Maya sat in the passenger seat, clutching my urn to her chest.
Evan sat in the back, staring silently through the window.
Nobody spoke on the drive.
Only Maya’s broken sobs and Evan’s strained breathing disturbed the silence.
The air inside the car felt heavy enough to crush them.
Soon they pulled up at Seabrook Memorial Cemetery.
Graham lowered my urn into the grave, his hands shaking uncontrollably.
When he stood, his vision darkened.
He steadied himself against the headstone and turned to look at Evan and Maya.
Three people. One headstone. One small grave.
And just like that, it was all over.
My spirit began to fade.
I floated above them, watching them grow blurrier and blurrier as they stood at my grave.
I wanted to say something, but I had no voice left.
So I never saw Maya wipe away her tears and walk toward Graham.
Her face held no expression as she pulled a knife from her pocket.
She raised her arm and drove the blade into his chest.
“Lily loved you more than anything.”
“She’s all alone now. Why don’t you go keep her company?”
Graham looked down at the knife buried in his chest.
He didn’t struggle. Instead, he took Maya’s hand and pressed the blade farther in.
As the point pierced his heart, he even smiled.
“Lily, I’m coming to find you…”
With blood covering her hands, Maya swayed, no longer fully aware of what she was doing.
She stumbled out of the cemetery and vanished without a trace.
Only Evan remained.
As though he were the last person left in the world.