Misery

My eyes widened in shock as I listened to my mother's tale, my mind reeling with the weight of her words. I felt like I had been punched in the gut, my breath knocked out of me.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. As she finished speaking, I felt a mix of emotions swirling inside me. There was shock, anger, sadness, and confusion all battling for dominance. I didn't know what to feel or how to process this revelation.

I looked at my mother, my eyes searching for answers. I saw the determination in her eyes, the conviction that she had made the right decision.

But I also saw the pain, the sacrifice she had made for me. I thought about my whole life, about the memories we had never made together.

I thought about the times I had wondered why she wasn't there for me, why she had left me behind. And I realized that she had been stuck in this graveyard, waiting for me, for 13 long years.

A lump formed in my throat as I tried to speak. "M-mom..." I stuttered. "Why? Why did you do it?"