Dear Friend

 Dear Friend, where have we been? We climbed hills and travelled through dark and snowy lands, never worried about what would come our way. I never doubted you, and in doing so, I took you for granted. I was under the delusion of invincibility, much like my youth; I saw yours as even greater than that.

The marauder bands do not come in like falling skies, but like gentle snow falling, soft piano keys played, and lullabies. They seem invisible, and yet, they are nothing but seen, nothing but laying siege upon us, fires burning, acid falling, crying in the rain, pain and deterioration, and we fell slowly and denied it over and over again.

Unsteadied our steady love. It broke us without my knowing. It promised me we would go everywhere and do everything, and that things would only get better. As the sun rose one day, I packed for that wonderful journey. In one minute, I found myself standing at your bedside next to a window overlooking our oblivion. I did this. It was within my hands to stop it. I was blind. I was careless. Stupid. Ignorant. Petty. Cheap.

The days since that day have been first borrowed time, then catastrophic, then a graveyard that extended for far too long. I did this. I know it now. It gives me insight, and suddenly, I see there are so many like me now, slowly doing the same thing. I run around like a madman, screaming of the danger coming from Santa Mira! But they just look at me like I don't know anything. I am screaming in the vacuum of the same ignorance that broke my dear friend and me. I will watch this over and over again. It will always remind me of you, my friend.

My hope for you in the next world remains, because despite my limitations, you are still spectacular. I have to believe there is more for you. Yesterday, as you disappeared from view, I felt that there was. Saying good-bye did hurt, but there was nothing more that I could do. We had our day, and it was magnificent. I like to think that because of you, I will never be so careless ever again, that I will have an edge that no one else knows. You were here for the best days ever, and I am so grateful. Thank you, dear friend. Thank you.