Her One Regret

"I am waiting to die,"
She said in a matter fact
Manner. She sat at a desk
And looked out the window,
Staring at the carrion birds
Picking at the carcass of
Some unidentifiable animal.

She looked back to me,
Then sighed. She stood and
Walked towards me,
The fabric of her skirt rustling.
She touched my cheek,
Her hands cold and skeletal.

"Do you think I want to die?"
She asked, her eyes searching mine.
I knew not the answer so
I said nothing allowing
Silence to fill the room
Wondering if she would
Accept it as my answer.

"I don't want to die,
At least not the animal part.
That part will always
Fight to live but
That is not the only part,"
She grew weary and
Walked back to the
Desk, bracing herself.

"I am tired,
I am weary,
This body can only
Take me so far,
And I don't think
It has much farther to go."

She sat back down
And looked out of
The window, "Do you...
Do you still miss him?"
I looked to the door,
I would rather leave
Than answer that question.

"You don't have to answer,
I know you do,
I would, if I were you."
I looked back at her
To find her looking at me.
Was that regret on her face?

Did she regret
Sending him away?
Did she regret
Locking me in my room?
Did she regret
Cutting off all communication
Between him and me?

She pulled a key
Out of her pocket
And unlocked a drawer
In the desk, she then
Pulled out a stack of letters.

She tossed them at me,
They landed at my feet.
They were from him.
"Go on, pick them up,
Go on to your room and
Feed on his words."

I stooped down and
Noticed that the date
On the last letter was
But a few days ago.

"Soon enough,
You will leave me.
Soon enough, but
It doesn't matter,
I will sit here, patiently
Waiting to die.

She did die,
By the time
I consumed all his letters,
By the time
I packed all my belongings,
She took her last breath and
Died, releasing her one regret.