The Last Leaf The Last Leaf. She woke up and looked at the alarm clock beside her bed. It was around 7.00o'clock as usual. She looked up and gazed at the white ceiling for a while before reaching for the square, silver tin on her bedside table. She quickly pulled the lid off and pull the last pill into her dry mouth and washed it down with the flat cola, also on the table. The room was small, cluttered with furniture which was old and dusty. The room was always dark, just like all the others in her small bungalow as the curtains were never opened. There was only one small spot of bright light which shone on her dressing room table. This was because the tattered, floral curtains had a hole in. Her mind drifted off again as she stared at the clock again, beside her, just watching the moving hand. She then stiffly got out of bed and sat at her dressing table which was only a step or two from her bed. There was a display of assorted brushes on it. She reached for the comb and the young woman combed her dark, thin hair while looking her pale reflection. She hated it. Her face looked gaunt, her big eyes bulged out of her face. She placed the comb down nd stared at her disturbing reflection. She lightly went over the long scar across her cheek with her fingertips and shuddered. The piece of light directly shone on her hand which was now leaning on the table, gently. Anna got up and walked over to the illuminated curtains, made a slight gap in the middle of them and peered out hastily. The sky was painfully bright so she squinted. The sun always reminded her of the seaside. Anna thought back to when she used to go every weekend, to Weston beach with her family when she was little. Maybe five or six-She couldn't remember. She still looked out of the murky window, looking out onto the outside world. She couldn't remember how long it had been since she'd been a part of that outside world. She longed to small the sharp air and feel the heat of the sun on her face but she knew she couldn't. Anna Fisher thought she wasn't ready, still. She gazed, fixed, at the familiar tree in her view. It was the only one that she cold see from the window, and quite a distance away from her bungalow. It looked tall and quite bare as there were only a few leaves left, hanging on. She sat down on the sofa by the window after tightly closing the curtains shut. She felt calmer now and sat there quietly for a few minutes. She was now started to feel relaxed. The old, grey sofa took up most of the room and she felt safe and cosy sitting there. She looked around her. The sturdy, cream walls kept her tightly locked away. She quietly sat there. There was a single knock at the door . Anna sat up alerted as the knock echoed around the room. Her heart beat shot up and was racing. "Its me Anna. Open the door." said a familiar, loud voice behind the door. It was Linda. Anna let out a sigh of relief and walked over to the small, wooden door, firstly looking through the keyhole to see the small, friendly face. She open the door. Miss Fisher smiled and welcomed her in. The friend had two full plastic bags. Anna hugged her tightly and they both sat down on the two seater sofa. "How are you this week then?" Said the friend. Anna told how her week had gone slowly. They spoke of lots of topics like what they had had for breakfast. Anna lied and said she had a bowl of cereal. The truth was she hadn't had anything. She just didn't want her friend to fuss like she usually did. There was an awkward silence in the room for what seemed like hours. "Ive got your shopping, over a weeks worth." "Thanks Linda. If it wasn't for you..." She signed sadly. "..have you got my, you know...my tablets?" asked Anna hopefully Her friend , Linda explained why she hadn't, while looking around the room, trying not to make eye contact. "Well I couldn't, I'm really sorry. How many have you got left?" "None!" She started to cry a little before falling into Linda's lap. "Linda, I need them." She continued to cry while Linda comforted her. The friends curly, blonde hair sat perfectly apon her shoulders. "Honestly. I couldn't get them. I tried everywhere. They're really hard to get hold of at the moment. Just one or two days more. They don't do you any good." "No, you just don't understand waht it's like." Shouted Anna, fircefully. Linda tried to persuade her friend to hang on for a couple of days but it was hopeless-Anna couldn't. She panicked, nervously while still telling Linda how much she needed them, her head still in her friends lap. "How about we go out today, just for a few steps into the garden?" "No!" Screamed Anna. It's too soon. I'm not ready yet." There was a sigh of anger from Linda. "Too soon? It's been nearly two years! You promised that..." "I know but what if.." "He's dead Anna. You'll never see him again.",she gently rubbed Anna's matted hair. "You promised that if I got your blasted pills the last time you would go into the garden. You said in the spring, which is nearly over. I'm not asking much." The weeping woman let out a few large cries and the tears rolled constantly. Linda noticed her friends worn, tattered night shirt and subtlety suggested dhe got changed into comfier clothes. She refused. "O.K. I'll get your pills even though I don't want to, that's if you have some food. You look terribly thin." Anna lifted up her blurry face and gradually smiled. "Thanks Lin, I promise." "Have a pasty or something. You know I hate this.... I'll probably be a few hours. O.K?" She stood up and said goodbye and went out trough the door. Anna was relieved. She sat there once again, relaxed and slightly happy. She sat there for a good hour, just staring at the moving pale walls and staring into space. Her mouth was distastefully dry. She thought to herself for a few moments about things, about her friendship with Linda, now her single only friends. She thought of the sacrifices Linda had made for her, all the risks and time she'd spent because of her, for nothing in return. She felt disgusted with herself for making her friend get them again. How would she ever be ble to repay her? As long as she was stuck in the bungalow she couldn't. She now felt very emotionally depressed, still looking at her dull surroundings, her eyes wandered sharply. The promise popped up into her head. She had to eat, even though she wasn't hungry, Miss Fisher dragged herself to the kitchen only to find nothing much edible. She then remembered the shopping and rummaged through what Linda had bought her. The Cornish pasties looked massive so she decided to nibble on a few biscuits instead. A while went pasted and she had slowly made herself eat the entire packet of chocolate biscuits. She felt slightly sick and also agitated. She looked at the grand father clock near the sofa. Her friend must have been gone hours. She needed her to return. It was 1.00o'clock. She needed just one of her tablets to get her through he rest of the long day. She went over to the curtains and peered throughtthe gap in the middle, after she had parted them slightly. It was always the same view. Just grass and a tree. The sun was not shining at her now. The room now felt cold as she looked outside onto the dreary scenery. Her whole body began to twitch as she stood, so she though. Panic began to set in again. "Where is Linda? She said she wouldn't be long." but hours had passed. All the possibilities swam through her mind. Linda may not have been able to get the, she could have been kidnapped by him. For a few seconds she believed that thought but reassured herself that he was daed-thank god. She nervously craved for her pills. Anna fisher had been taking them for too long. She couldn't stop. She used to be prescribed them by her G.P, Dr Evesham, because of her ordeal. Then he wanted her to come off them and stopped the prescription. Anna remember how she stayed in her home for over three months without them. She remembered the nightmares and hated them so much. Linda saved her. She said she could get them so she did but it seemed too late. Anna realised she couldn't bare to go outside into the cruelness again. She sat back down on the sofa and closed her eyes tightly shut. All she saw was darkness. She remembered his face, the way he used to look at her when he was angry. She pictured him with the shiny knife in his hand, opened her eyes and got up again quickly. She looked out the window again, trying to take her mind off things. The sky was still light grey and the tree stood there as usual. She watched the wind blow a few leaves off the tree and watched the redish, brown leaves fall to the ground. A little question popped up into her head again and again...Where was Linda? She was really worried. Then there was a loud smash. Anna jumped and let out a high pitched scream at the same time. She turned around to find the glass of cola had fallen off the table and she burst into tears. She hated life. She hated this life and wanted things back like they were quite a while ago. She craved inderpenance and freedom. She looked around and studied her room for a while. It was a square, box room which looked so small with all her cluttering furniture. She felt like a prisoner at that moment. The heavy door kept her inside, as did the metal like walls. The wind howled outside and she could still picture the knife. It was a clear image and she almost saw it projected on the walls. Anna couldn't stop crying but walked to the door, slowly opened it and unbolted the locks one by one. She looked out. It was bitterly cold. She dared herself to go somewhere, to walk to that tree. She was frightened nd was physically shaking but she knew she had to try. Anna Fisher wiped her eyes while trying to stop herself crying. She began to slowly walk over the grass, looking behind herself as she did. She knew she could do this. The cold was poercing her goose bumped skin as she still only wore her battered night-shirt. She looked at the huge tree and noticed one red leaf left on the trees branch. She carried on walking steadily until she got only a few feet away. She stopped in disbelief. The tree was enormous now and Anna wondered if she was dreaming. She reached out to finally touch the trunk and cried with happiness. The wind blew strongly and the last leaf fell. Anna Fisher caught it in her left hand.
Copyright © 2001 Abby Steed |