“Check after check, signature after signature. I just cant concentrate, sixty-seven years of hard work has gotten me here, it has made me happy, but its been long since I’ve had the urge to smile and long since I’ve felt I deserve to. The clocks vibrant numbers remind me its five thirty. I could have left at twelve, but I’ve remained ever so stagnant in this chair for the past forty years, being the subtle puppeteer of this company. Of course I have nothing else to put my life into. My vitals run alongside that of this company, because in all honesty there’s nothing left to live for, at least not since her.”

“Let this be the last time a sign my name,
the last time my pen bleeds for me.
for I’m done living this life.”
Arthur Hendley
Arthur neatly placed the letter on the center of his desk and began to disengage from his leather recliner, as doing so his chair hit his desk, knocking off various supplies and his thoughts were heard throughout the room.

“That noise, the soft and tender jingle, like the bells on a bracelet, like the bells on her bracelet.
The one that I bought her on our first year anniversary, the one that continued to ring throughout my mind for thirty years and the one that horrifically haunted me for the past seven. Get a hold of yourself Arthur even if there’s no reason to.”

Arthur collected the various objects from the recently cleaned floor and put them on his recently cleaned desk, everything was recently cleaned, everything perfectly placed. After gathering all of his belongings and putting on his jacket he placed his hands on the cold door knob and bid his office farewell. Arthur then stepped out into the frost of a wintery city and was met by his chauffeur.

“Mr. Hendley, its far too cold out for you to be walking around.” “Its far from unpleasing Troy, I’ve never been one for a summers day, by the way take the rest of the day off. I’m walking.”
“Sir that’s far from ok I cant allow your health to be at risk.”

Arthur disregarded the chauffeurs statement and acted as if he did not exist while walking right past him. Arthur then proceeded to stroll down the sidewalk dragging his fingers across the wall as he did when he was a school boy, as he did when he was happy.

“All these buildings, I remember when towns thrived on open fields and a long community, but we’re far from then.”

He continued to drag his fingers across the wall, until a noise was heard in the distance, it was a familiar jingling. Arthur clenched his fists.

“Why must this persist, why must I be victim to God’s cold hand. This is the last day I am a casualty due to life’s cruel trickery”

He continued down the sidewalk, his pace had quickened his stroll had turn to stomping. Minutes began to pass, until again he was disrupted, by the blaring of sirens. Arthur looked to his left.

“Everywhere I turn I am forced to see pain, heartbreak and death.”

Arthur saw a hand, a hand connected to a wrist, which wrapped around it was familiar silver bells

“That cant be her, she’s gone far gone.”

Arthur was engulfed by curiosity.

“Shes gone.”

His pace again quickened.

“That cant be her.”

He began a steady jog.

“She was taken from me seven years ago!.”

He ran.

“Im so foolish.”

Arthur peered over the yellow tape that restricted him from moving any closer. It wasn’t her, he was insane to think so, his mind had deceived him yet again. Arthur put his hand around his ring in a way that resembled habit, fastening it around his finger over and over again. Arthur continued his walk, his mind, his heart, his legs racing. He turned another corner, the last one. Arthur’s walk came to a halt, he took in a deep breath and let out words of a long shattered heart.

“I’ll be with you soon.”

Arthur picked his feet up and carried himself as strong as he did at nineteen. He walked for about five minutes where he met a bridge, where forty one years ago he met her. He placed his hands on a red painted steel. chills paraded down his spine. He stroked the metal like it was more important to him than anything like it was priceless. To him it was.

“Hey there Madison”

Arthur choked on fear, but he gathered his strength and with a loud prideful voice he recited

“I wrote you a little something. You know, just like those poems I used to write you . The ones you always loved.

Hey there Maddy
Its been long since we’ve had a talk
Hey there Maddy
Its been a long time since we took a walk

Remember the flowers I gave you
The roses on our first date
Remember when I met you here
When I was the boy you used to hate

But Maddy I sure did charm you quick
Maddy I sure did charm you fast
But all thanks must go to fate
And wow did we make it last

Remember sneaking around in bedrooms
And how your father was so opposed
And remember the face he and your mom made
On the night that I proposed

Oh sure that did make them sick
And sure did that make them yell
But I promised id do everything
Even walk through hell

And we had our nice visits there
On an occasional night
The times our pride was blinding
The times we both were right

But we made such long lasting love
Until cancer took you away
And I know you were sad watching me
As I cried everyday

Maddy im coming to you

Arthur used all the strength he had and pulled himself up, to stand on the ledge of the bridge.

I love you that’s all
He swayed back and forth.
So the last thing I’ll ever ask for
His grip loosened
Is legs, please let me fall.”

Arthur closed his eyes, and saw a distant silhouette of a person, it came closer and closer. A soft jingling was all that Arthur heard, it summarized everything about him, because she was his everything. It was his requiem and for the first time in seven years he saw her, he really did.