Letter

The train station was full to overflowing, couples milling amongst singles and families. Everyone was in such a hurry but one. A young girl with light brown hair was sitting on a bench, close to the tracks, with one bag at her side. Her shorts revealed two knees, one of which had a Barney bandaid, and tanned legs. She was outside quite a bit, one could tell. Her eyes were darting around the station, watching people, twinkling with excitement and wonder. Everything was so new and exciting, even if she had been sitting here for hours.


Eventually, a young woman of around twenty with short, dark brown hair came to sit next to the girl. This woman had a large amount of luggage following her on a cart. Suitcases among trunks amidst large chests piled atop each other with multiple locks on each showed that she had many treasures... or secrets.


The woman turned and looked at the little girl. "I think I know you... Where have I seen you before?"


With a few moments' pause, the girl said, "I'm sorry, I don't know you."


"No, I know that I've seen you somewhere before. In fact, you look very familiar and I feel as if I should know you very well."


"I'm sorry, ma'am. You don't look like anybody I would know." With this exchange, the woman grew silent and turned her head to face the tracks again. "Why do you look so sad?" asked the girl.


"I have been through so much, little one. I have been through so much..."


"So? That means you've been on so many adventures! I don't know why you should be so sad..."


"You wouldn't understand. If you went through what I've been through, you'd be exactly like me." The woman looked again at the girl and finally realized who this little girl was. Before she could respond, the light brown haired girl said, "I wouldn't want to be sad. I would fight as hard as I could to not be sad. Life is happy. But you are probably right... if I go through what you went through, I'll be exactly like you. I don't want to be like you."


The woman was speechless for a few moments as the little girl dug through her one small bag and pulled out an envelope with a few words scribbled upon it. "Here." the little girl said, "It's a letter from me to you." The woman thanked her and held the envelope, staring at it for a while.


"I'm afraid to open it."


"Don't be. It's just from me, and you said you knew me. If you really do, you shouldn't be afraid to open it. All it is is a letter from me, explaining my hopes and dreams and what I hope life will be like. It shows that I have no intentions of being like you." With this, the woman broke into tears and embraced the surprised girl. 


"No... I'm sorry I let you down. I have nothing to give you," the woman said. "If I read this letter, I'll only know exactly what I never gave you. I am so sorry, young one."


The little girl let the woman bury her head into her shoulder, let her cry tears for what seemed like hours, and stroked her short, dark brown hair. "I know you're sorry. But you'll only let me down if you don't keep trying to give me what I want. I haven't given up on you."


A train came to stop in front of the bench, the sudden blast of steam startling the two girls. Both of them stood. The older woman looked back at her belongings but the little girl shook her head. "Don't. Leave it be. It only slows you down. Know what is in your cases, but don't lock it away. Don't let it be so heavy as you carry it around." The two walked together to her largest chest. After unlocking all of the locks, the lid opened and the older woman reached into it. What she pulled out was an old, crinkled envelope, with a few faded words. "To the Future Me". The woman handed the old envelope to the little girl and said, "I promise not to let you down. I'll keep trying."


Hand in hand, the two boarded their train with a new hope, leaving behind the bustling and rushing crowd. They entered the train with others, but their trip was one that they needed to start alone.