I lay on the ground in the snow half paralyzed, shaking as the icy wind chills my face. Pain runs through every part of my body and overpowers my strength. I look down at my broken legs as they lay limp in the snow lifeless. Pine trees reach for the sky and surround me like tall towers intimidating me. My small one seat plane is in ruins as it leans against a pine tree still smoking. Just one last flight I said to myself, just one last flight and I would retire and live happily in my house and see my grandchildren everyday. I could’ve been sitting right now in my plane on the airstrip enjoying my lemonade and watching the sunset. The sunset is beautiful from a plane, I feel as free as a bird watching the sunset being painted in the sky. I try to slap myself but my strength doesn’t let me. If I could visit my wife’s grave one more time.

I’ve already accepted my death, it’s amazing how much someone can think while lying in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness. The more I think the more I realize what i’m losing, how can I let my grandchildren grow up without a grandfather. I instinctively try to get up as if I could run back to my family but again I can’t move. I fall against a tree and gasp for air. A stream of tears run down my face. I can’t help but keep crying, for what seems like hours the heavy stream of tears would not stop. I finally collapse from exhaustion and put my head against the tree. I try to cry but there are no tears left. I’ve lost everything and now I’m just an old broken man slumped against a tree. I sit there waiting for

something I do not know.

Suddenly a voice breaks the delicate silence like glass. “The sunset is beautiful this evening”

I jolt my head around but there’s nobody there but for some reason even though I can’t see them I know it is her, my wife.

She started to speak again in her soft voice “I loved when we used to go out to the airstrip and we would sit on your plane and watch the sunset.”

“I remember, I loved those times to.”  I glance at my plane and a faint smile appears on my watery face as my mind recalls the memory.

“I will always love you,” I whispered

“I will always love you too, now enjoy the sunset.”

I felt something inside me and I knew she was gone, I sat myself up against the tree and took a picture out of my pocket. I remember the picture was taken on our wedding day, we were dancing to our favorite song. We looked so young… she looks so beautiful. I pulled the picture to my chest and I watch the sunset with my wife one last time.