Jess sat on the bus alone. It was a full month after Leslie's death and he still couldn't get himself to look away from the window during the ride. Couldn't bring himself to look at the empty seat beside him that had once held so much life. So much happiness.
Of course May Belle had tried sitting there once, but even she didn't need her brother's glare to feel the transgression of sitting there. Besides her and Janice Avery that one time, nobody dared take the seat that had once belonged to the girl who changed the lives of everyone she met. But when her desk was removed from the classroom, Jess' eyes followed it until it was gone.
That was when he finally gave up on wishing her back.
She was gone and nothing could change that. No matter how many bridges he built, how good he was in class, or how nice he was to his sisters, Leslie would never be back. Never smile at him. Never help him to imagine.
It had taken him a few days of denial before realizing how he truly cared about her. Nice timing, Jess. Next time get your brain to think faster.
The bus arrived at his stop and he jumped out with May Belle. His sister headed straight for their house but Jess instinctively headed towards the creek. He carefully walked across the bridge, silently wishing he had built it much earlier. Then maybe Leslie would still be alive.
Jess' feet seemed to walk of their own accord in the direction of their fortress. The dead leaves crunched under his feet and soon his eyes beheld the familiar sight. He climbed up and lay down, lost in thought. He thought of Leslie, as he often did, and all he could have done to save her. After nearly an hour of this, he sat up and began unconsciously picking at a loose nail. Most things he did was unconsciously. As he stood up to leave, he failed to notice that the nail he had been fiddling with earlier had been freed, which loosened the floorboard.
He took a step and his foot went through the floorboard, lurching him forward so he fell out of the fortress and down to the ground. He landed on his back, the wind knocked out of him. He was motionless for a moment before making an effort to stand. Pain shot through every inch of him and he lay back down, panting. He couldn't move, and nobody was near enough to hear him call for help. So, he called to the one person he knew was always listening, and kept his mind open, searching for a sign that his request was answered.
And then he could see it. A shape stepping towards him, holding out a hand. Jess couldn't make out the face but sensed he could trust it. He lift his arm painfully and felt his hand clasp theirs and strength surge through him. He smile for the first time since the accident and rose.
Jess' body was found later that evening by his father, who had went to look for him when he was over an hour late. He had stepped closer to the fortress to see his son's body on the ground, neck broken, life leaving. He had just enough strength to say one word before departing. His father heard it and never really told anyone besides Jess' mom. For as he rushed towards his dying son he heard him whisper that one word.
"Leslie"