Kelly let her mind wander out to the thoughts of those around her in the park. 'Need to take out another mortgage on the house' came from a young man sitting on a bench across from her. 'I want to fuck you right now!' that was a girl sitting with a guy obviously on a picnic. 'I hate my life that was a teenager' sitting on her own. Kelly was comfortable among others thoughts now. The years of growing accustomed to it left her free to roam through others people s heads with relative ease. She preferred the thoughts of others to her own. Every day she grew older in two weeks she would turn 69 and Nathan stayed the same; never changing, never growing older, stuck in his 17 year old body. She envied him so much but she knew how painful it was for him to watch his best friends grow old, knowing they would die while he never could.
'Boo' the thought came from behind her and she smiled as a curly haired gangly teen sat down next to her. "Hey Nate". She said smiling. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a hug. "Hey Granny" , he teased. She smacked his arm lightly.
"You want to head back to the house..." he asked winking suggestively and she couldn't resist grinning. Sometimes it felt like no time at all had passed and they were all still doing their community service, Nathan, Simon, Alisha, Curtis &Kelly. The five of them had been so close, family. But now Alisha had gone, dying of liver failure, the alcohol had done that. Curtis had moved to America and Simon, Simon had vanished, one day he just wasn't there. The times when she had entered Nathans head, her curiosity getting the better of her, she had been horrified to hear his thoughts. Behind the facade his revulsion at their relationship warring with the love that he still felt, she couldn't bear it. She shook her head slowly but stood up anyway. Tottering slightly as she gained her balance, Nathan caught her arm and steadied her.
This wasn't the way he'd imagined living. Watching his friends grow old around him, waiting for them to die so that he could move on. Sometimes he loved his immortality other times he simply thought of it as a curse. They walked slowly out of the park heading back to the house. Nathan making rude remarks about the people on the streets and making silly comments on how they would look together... arm in arm, or holding hands. Kelly remained rather silent until they reached the house. "I'm tired Nate, I m going to head up. Ok?". He leant forward and pecked her on the lips whispering good night. She made her way slowly up the stairs. Her thoughts rotating around Nathan; his pain, his suffering, his anxiety and worry. She couldn't bear to cause him so much frustration. And so she made a decision. The bathroom cabinet contained all sorts of medication, lots of it left over from when Alisha came home from the hospital with stuff to take to try and cure her. Then some drugs, painkillers, alcohol. Kelly wandered in and collected an assortment of bottles she then entered her room and sat down to write.
'Dear Nathan...' the words came flowing from the bottom of her heart and the tears flowed freely as she wrote him this letter. This final letter to end his pain.
'Dear Nathan,
I know that you love me and I love you too so please don't hate me for what I have done. About a month ago we were having sex (as we do) and you said something without meaning to. It was just a passing comment about my wrinkles but it peaked my curiosity about how you really felt. So I used my gift, I read your mind. Nathan I m so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you in this way I ve loved you ever since our foolish teenage years, you haven t changed at all and whoever you find next will be lucky to know you. But I can t live with making you wait. With making you watch while I go grey and wither and die. So I m ending it now. Please know that I have always and always will love you with all my heart. And forgive me for what I've done.
Kelly'
She then sat on the bed and swallowed pill after pill, washing it down with alcohol. Then she lay back, closed her eyes and waited for the end.