Him.

It was October 2017 when we all heard the news.

A classmate, a friend, a son - consumed by the flames.

The parents didn’t know, the sister in a critical condition.

A tragedy come too soon.

It didn’t fully hit until we went back.

The empty seat next to me was a foreign experience.

The ghost of the past flooded the classes he was part of,

His laughter and jokes now an echo in our minds.

It didn’t hit until the memorial.

An entire auditorium, a sea of black -

Friends, family, people who knew him.

I realized then that he was gone.

One of the most emotional moments came from someone we both knew.

He stood up and said “it should’ve been me”

A wave of sadness washed over the crowd -

Tears ran like a river.

I’d like to imagine he’s somewhere better,

His sister in a better place with him.

We didn’t get the chance to say goodbye,

But sometimes that’s just the way things work.

Of course with this comes the regret,

The lack of a better friendship.

He was a good person.

It still doesn’t feel real.

Part of me knows he’s still here with us,

Guiding and inspiring to this day and beyond.

His spirit floats through the halls with us,

The unfortunate result of fate.

He’s set to watch us from beyond for forever,

Missing all that could have been.

I’m sure he smiles upon us

For we have grown together because of him.

-m.s.