The Last Goodbye

• Bonnie Jones, Grade 11, Clairvaux MacKillop College
• Short Story
• 2015

Excellence Award in the 'The Write Track 2015' competition

As I walked towards Heaven’s gates, the feelings of complete sadness and utter grief washed over me. This would be my last goodbye. I stopped and turned to see all my friends and family dressed in an abundance of colour at my funeral. My dad was telling a story about how when I was younger my Mum dressed me up in a dress that I didn’t like and she had said, “You look beautiful Matilda,” and I replied, “No I don’t, and you don’t either.” Everybody laughed, some with tears in their eyes.
I didn’t want anybody to be sad over my passing, I wanted them to know that I was happy and safe. That I was going to be with my Mum. It wasn’t her fault that we crashed, it was an accident and I knew that deep down in my heart. Luckily, the family in the other car only suffered minor injuries. No need for anymore unnecessary loss of life.
It was a great feeling seeing everybody there at my funeral, showing that I would be remembered and missed. Because I would miss them all too. I smiled, remembering all the times my brother and I fought about stupid little things like how he used to eat all my chocolate, or how I would stand in front of the TV while he was playing video games. I would miss him and Dad the most. They were my everything.
Then I looked at my beautiful friends, they were hugging each other feeling the same amount of grief and loss. At least they had each other to cope with the pain. At that moment, I vowed to watch over each of their lives, for the rest of their lives, and make sure they were healthy and happy. To make sure that they never felt this pain again, for at least a long time. No one deserved this at such a young age of sixteen.
I turned back around, facing the large golden gates. A warm, bright light shone down upon me and it wasn’t blinding, it was welcoming. Angels fluttered around the clouds, playing harps and singing a beautiful song. Then I saw my mum, standing at the gate with her arms wide open, smiling down at me with tears in her eyes. I wasn’t worried then. I knew that she would look after me, like she always had.
I ran to my Mum at full speed, smiling and opening my arms. We embraced for what felt like forever, continuously saying ‘I love you.’ As I let go, I reached out and took hold of her hand and squeezed it softly, showing her my love. And as I turned around to walk through to the unknown, an angel appeared holding a big pair of golden wings, and he said “Welcome Matilda, we have been waiting for you,” and he gave me my wings.
This story was inspired by the passing of my friend Matilda Bevelander and her mother, at the start of this year.