As I walk through this desolate forest I feel no remorse, no pain and no shame. The fault of her precious death was not my own, why would she even want to come to this place without me anyway? Could she imagine the magic without me? Was I nothing of the magic, was it all in her head? I obviously needed her more than she needed me, I hate the thought, I despise her for doing so.
But as I walk through this desolate forest I feel the tears beginning to burst through. How much I dearly want to hold my beloved and give her something of a kiss and tell her I loved her too. She was my best friend. But now as I walk through this desolate forest, past the tree house, I feel no warmth or adventure like I did before. Just sorrow, anger and nothing more.
"Leslie!" I call out to the forest, one would think I'm mad to still be broken over this, after four years but the pain, the horrible pain that shatters my dreams still continues to shatter and my heart continues to bleed.
This forest, god forsaken and cold is all I have left of her. Terabithia, what a stupid idea. That bridge, my beautiful bridge is no more than a tree which I foolishly wasted good wood building. May belle, silly girl, got bored after a week. After one week! I remain here every day, everyday waiting for a glimpse of the past. For only to hear her speak my name once more! 'Jesse Oliver Aarons' she'll say and I'll listen. I'll listen and reply with those words I never said to her, I'll yell thunderously back "I love you!"
Wait! Footsteps, somewhere a head. I see something, someone, a silhouette, a shadow, a girl. Leslie? I walk, closer and closer, the shadow runs and I pursue. I fall, climb back to my feet, my aching feet, and I continue. I run for miles, but then I realise the shadow as already gone. Who was my watcher and what did it want? Could it be the soul of my dearly beloved Leslie? My head, it hurts, my lungs they pound and my heart bleeds. I ran, so far, after the death of the dearly beloved Leslie I lost all need to run, I hate it. I got fat, fattish but unhealthy. I ate and ate and never gave exercise a thought. Is this my punishment, the choking of my lungs and the painful beating of my heart?
I fall, I collapse onto the wet leaves and wet soil. I hurt, I try to scream but words don't escape my mouth. I swallow and try again. "God help my poor soul!" I yell, then, shoes. Shoes stand in front of my face. Her shoes, Leslie's shoes!
"Jesse?" the mouth, that my weak head can't turn to see, speaks.
"Leslie?" a gasp leaves my dry mouth. The pain, it hurts so bad but could this be my beloved Leslie. Wait! My eyes they close and they refuse to open. I'm still alive my love! Though I can't speak, smell nor see, I hear you loud and clear. Wait! No I can't, sound fades, your voice turns to whispers! Am I to die in this god forsaken forest? God help me!
"I remember this and nothing more…" I try to explain.