5 MPH, which meant we had traveled between 75 and 80 miles, so we were about 2/3 of the way home without mishap. Great!Shortly, we were driving with o...r lights on and then we swung north up a valley. The outside temperature dropped two degrees after we entered the valley. An hour and half later I noticed the walls of the valley were closing in. When I told this to Lee, she asked me how I knew. I told her I could not see as many stars overhead because the mountains on each side blocked them.. My older sister was married and lived near us and the plan was for me to stay with my sister. I protested that I was old enough to stay alone but being a boy in a household of two women meant I was quickly out voted. My sister and her husband lived in a very small house so adding me to their routine was a bit of a disruption. They each worked so there was this battle for the bathroom every morning and since her husband left first he would do his thing before my sister took her turn. And somehow. I put the thought out of my mind. I was here for something far more crucial... “You’re awake,” I said, dropping out of stealth right in front of her.“Wha... , “ she flinched. “Oh, it’s you.”Violet grumbled, “Is it time for my watch already?”“No, but we need to talk.”“Are you here to threaten and bully me?” she asked, trying to sound unconcerned. Only the slight tremor of fear in her voice gave her away. She’s brave and smart. Perhaps this conversation will be all she requires.“You must have. My best friend in the world was going to be six feet under. Creed was wrong when they said, "I'm standing on the edge and I'm thinking, maybe six feet ain't so far down" (One Last Breath, Weathered CD). You can't think that six feet isn't that far down. Not when your best friend is the one that is going to be there, out of reach. Where you can't come in contact with her. I could never hug her again, never whisper something in her ear and hear her laugh.Her laugh. That was something that I would.