Elijah Miller was a strong, independent seventeen year old for the most part. He has had a crazy and messed up childhood but his teens weren’t that bad. He lived in Boulder, CO with his younger sister and his uncle. Life seemed to be great until one night his world turned upside down.

The light was dimmed, his body was laid out across the bed. Time seemed to be the worst thing that to have right now. The tears wouldn’t stop falling from his eyes. The pain he felt was unbearable. It had been the worst pain he had ever felt.

“Everybody I love always ends up dead, seems like I’m the bad luck.” He whispered into his pillow, screaming at the top of his lungs. He thought all about those he loved and how they all passed away. First were his parents, they died when he was nine years old. They were on their way to pick him and his sister up from grandma's house and a drunk driver hit them. They died at the impact. His sister and him, went into to his grandma's custody. They lived there until he was the age of 11. His grandma then died as well. The two siblings then went into their uncle Stefan’s custody, but Uncle Stefan had just passed away so had his sister.

He felt so alone. The two people he most cared about in this world had just left him.

Hurt, alone, heartbroken...

He cried and cried until his body could not cry anymore.

The day of the funeral was today. He didn’t want to go but it would just look wrong if he didn’t. He got in his black suit with a black button up. He hasn’t been outside his home in a weeks. He showered for the first time in weeks. He didn’t have any motivation to do anything not even eat. The boy looked sick, his skin was pale white, huge dark bags under his eyes and he looked skinnier than usual.

He got into the car, his uncle Stefan gave him for his 18th birthday which was next week. He drove to the cemetery and once he got there, he stayed in the car for a couple of minutes. He needed to calm himself down before going out there with all the  people standing and waiting for the ceremony to start. “It’s gonna be okay” He whispered to himself. He took a couple of  deep breaths and walked out his Nissan 350Z.

As he made his way to the front of the crowd, he got a lot of “I’m sorry for your lost” and “ They’re in a better place” and lastly he got a bunch of “Are you okay?’ He just answered simply by saying “Thank you” “I know” “yeah”

“Elijah” A familiar voice whispers his name in his ear and he quickly turns around.

“Lexi” He sounded shocked and relieved to see a familiar face.  Lexi was his best friend but she’s away at college.

“I’ve been trying to reach you nonstop these past couple of weeks! Oh my god. I’m sorry for what happened to Stefan and Grace” She said and brought him into her arms. For the first time in weeks, He felt safe and okay.

“I’m sorry I went completely shut down mode. I haven’t slept or eaten in days. I’m just not good” Elijah admits to her. He knows that he can trust her.
“I know Eli. That’s why I’m taking a few weeks off from school and staying with you”

“What?! No.”

“Too bad Elijah I already planned it out with my professors and everything so i don’t care what you say. I’m staying and looking after you.”

Hearing that he’ll finally have someone to be there for him brings a smile to his face specially since it’s Lexi.

“Please take a seat” The pastor began to start the ceremony and everybody took their seats. They were outside, the sun was out and the day seemed so perfect. After hearing the pastor talk for almost an hour, he had asked if anyone wanted to say a few words. A couple of his uncle’s friends went up and some of Grace’s friends went up there as well.

“Anyone else?” The pastor asked looking around. Elijah took a deep breath and raised his hand.
“Come on then boy”

He walked up in front of the crowd, shaking. He didn’t know why he had volunteered.

“H-hi I’m Elijah. M-most of you know that m-my uncle St-stefan took me and my s-sister G-Grace after my parents died” He kept stuttering and the tears would not stop flowing out. He felt like there was a lump in his throat.

“M-my uncle S-stefan was an amazing guy. I-I’m thankful h-he decided to raise two t-teenagers instead of e-enjoying his 20’s like a regular p-person. My s-sister grace was amazing. S-she always m-made s-sure uncle Stefan got his days off so he can have some fun. S-she took care of us. S-she was always there for me. S-she made me lunch for school everyday even though I-I’m almost 18 and s-she was 15.” He started to shake, he knew he had to get off the stage before he started to have a panic attack. “All I want to say is t-thank you Uncle Stefan. You were an amazing uncle, father figure, and role model. sissy, t-thank you for being the best little sister. I couldn’t ask for anyone better. I love you guys”

Elijah got off and went straight into Lexi’s arms. He was a mess and it’s understandable.

“Cry it’s okay. Let it all out” She moved her hands up and down his back. He felt much better having here with him. “Stefan Angel Miller, Sydney Grace Dixon Miller may your souls rest in peace” The pastor said and the coffins started to slowly move down. They were being buried together, two different coffins, one hole. Everybody threw flowers into the hole as they were being dropped down.

Cemetery workers began to fill the hole with the dirt. The pain that Elijah felt when he was told, was here again. The pain was unbearable for him. He felt like half of his heart is getting buried too. Nothing will replace these two people.

Soon enough the hole was filled. Everybody started to head out. Elijah decided he wanted to stay here for a few minutes to think and well  cry..

He stared at the pile of dirt. There was one flower on top of it.
“Wait” He said to himself. He quickly got on his feet and ran towards his car. He looked and looked all over until he found what he was looking for. A picture. The last picture the three had taken at Grace’s performance at school. “You were perfect that night little sis” He said smiling down at the picture. A little tear fell and hit the picture frame. He went back to the grave and placed it next to the flower. “I promise I’ll come by every time I can” He kissed the picture.

Elijah hasn’t felt this kind of pain since his parents died. “I promise to keep all the goals we set Uncle Stefan. Sis I’ll take care of your cat, Missy. I promise to try to be the man you raised me to be Uncle!!” He yelled at the top of his lungs and hugged the pile of dirt.

“I love you!” He whispered.

Over the couple of months Elijah was a wreck, he was okay when Lexi was home but she eventually had to go back home and he was left alone all over again. He was recently was arrested for drunk driving and having drugs on him. Everyone tried to reach him and talk to him but it never worked. He was stubborn and too depressed to even do anything. He was lucky enough that his family had money for him to live off for a couple of years. He only went to buy food and drugs. Other than that he did nothing. Lexi had to be in charge of paying the bills of his house so he doesn’t run out of water, has electricity and heat.
It was his sister’s birthday and today was one of the worst day possible for him. He knew it was her birthday but he spent it cursing her and his out. He was beyond mad at her for convincing him to go on the trip with his soccer team. He knew it was a bad idea. He had been offered a scholarship to play soccer but didn’t take it.
It went on for a couple of months. He self destructed. He lost more than forty pounds. He was basically a sack of bones walking around. The last straw for his friends was when he had almost died of an overdose. He became an alcoholic and the drugs became his food. The eighteen year old weighed probably no more than 110 pounds. His friends came up with in intervention.

“Do you think Stefan and Grace would be proud of what you become?” Lexi yelled at him from across the room as tears rolled out her eyes. All his friends were there, to try for him to better his life. All he did was sit there with a mad face and tears running out his eyes. The interventionist knew what they were saying wasn’t doing an effect so he nodded his head towards one of his friends, Eric. He had something wrapped and he handed it to Elijah. He was curious but scared. he slowly opened it and saw what was inside. The picture he had put on the grave. He started to cry

“Will you please accept the help and go get clean?”

Elijah looked at the picture and nodded. A few months later, he had it rough but he was doing better. He went to their grave on a sunny day and sat next to them.

“I know I messed up but please forgive me, I know I shouldn’t have let myself go and shouldn’t have said anything bad about you guys. I miss you and promise to go back to school to play soccer and make you proud. I will not let me missing you guys stop me from achieving my goals. I ”