Monday

I miss them so much. I can see them right now when I close my eyes.

Emma is balancing slowly on rail road tracks that ran on that old bridge pretending they’re tight ropes. She always wore those flower dresses and had her hair pulled back even though it she cut it short to begin with.

James is standing over there behind her, barely visible in the background. He had his head down with his hands in his pockets. He always walked with his head down, watching his feet as he walked. He had this huge crush on this girl that worked at the grocery store in town, but never could build up the courage to tell her. I think that’s why he seemed sad most of the time that summer.

Henry was my best friend. He always had that packet of cigarettes in his pocket, but never seemed to smoke them. I think he just liked the idea that if any of us wanted a cigarette he would be there to give us one (even though James was the only one who ever smoked and he rarely did so).

Then there was Stephanie sitting on the edge of the bridge. She had those beautiful big eyes that seemed so innocent. She was so beautiful and would have that simpering look on her face whenever we picked on her.

She’s sitting there now. Her feet dangling off the edge of that old bridge, dropping pebbles and watching them fall with a splash in the stream. The suns reflecting off the water below and it hurts my eyes just imagining it.