The water, of course, is salty; be it from the natural makeup of the ocean or tears, I don’t know.

Dante- the man I thought was my ally- stole my Maddie from me. First, he pushed her off the cliff. I followed her before I was stabbed, or poisoned, or both.

I’m not quite sure how I survived. Shear luck? Immense skill? Some sort of magic?

Maybe that last guess isn’t so far-fetched. Lately, I’ve felt as though someone has been following, trying to murder me, even. Some sort of demon. A dark spirit from the stuff of nightmares.

I share at Maddie’s body. Her black hair glows along with the water, her body pale and limp. Last I checked her face, which is now submerged in the water, was frozen in the expression of terror she had last. Her words echo in the back of my mind: “You’re better than this.”

I gulp down the final breaths my lungs will allow. My heart beats rapidly in my chest, and I try to savor my last moments. Maybe this is a punishment: watching the love of your life die right before your eyes as you die yourself. It’s a perfect mix of cruel and accurate.

The sunny sky that seemed peaceful and happy at the beginning of the day taunts me as my vision starts to fade.

I lose control and my head turns to one side, forcing me to stare at Maddie.

I choke out the words. “Te amo.”

I look back up at the sky, and I swear I can see the gates to heaven.