Her bed was almost as stiff as her.

She sat there staring at the hospital ceiling while her white hair fell into her lap like snow.

She blinked but never said anything.

She licked her lips but never smiled.

She showed teeth but didn’t bite.

She was quiet but her mind was a land full of amazing words that she couldn’t let escape her mouth.

She thought of her childhood how she and my grandpa use to walk to school together every morning separate then reunite that afternoon only to fight over who would get to shower first when they got home.

She thought of her friends old and new

The girls who would trample over her only because they never ate at home.

She thought of the boys who kicked her while calling her ugly because they had to hide their sadness.

She thought of how she handled these things she remembered sitting in silence.

Just like me.

I stared at her in her stiff silent bed I knew it was almost the end for her.

I had nothing else to say so I walked away

as her chapped lips trembled.

I heard her say”I sure miss y'alls grandad”.