silently closed her bedroom

door; left a letter that she hoped

would say more - went downstairs

crying; she quietly turned the key

to the backdoor - stepped outside

Thought she was finally free.

Her mother found the letter when

she entered her daughter's room

Cried so hard, her husband ran up

the stairs to be at her side - we gave

her most of our lives; sacrificed our

hearts and soul; bought her all that

money could buy, except her love.

Why would she do this to us? Now

she's gone; they tried for years to

find her - could not; they exhausted

all their savings; struggled to get back

on their feet; but never forgetting their

only child - every time the phone rang,

they both hoped.

Then the police finally gave up their

search - said the indications were

strong that their daughter was probably

dead - brought insurmountable tears to

the eyes of the daughter's mom and dad

Then, one day, the father lost hope - would

go to the local library and check the obits.

Upset the mother to no end because she

never stopped believing; the memories and

the blissful moments - looked at all the

photo albums; brought her to her knees

she cried so hard - her love for her daughter

was deathless; she would go in her room

and sit for hours.

Eventually, even the mother became as bitter

as the father - no longer loved their daughter

Then one winter's morn, seven years to the date,

they heard a knock on the door, was their daughter

Both yelled, "Go away, we don't want you!" The

knocking stopped; looked outside, there were no

footprints in the fresh snow - she was a ghost!

'2008' RLS