Dying to Forget Read Online Free PDF

Lady’s face makes the sound in my throat vibrate harder between my lips, spilling out around my fingers. She slowly leans back into her chair and purses her lips together tightly and my mind screams, Librarian! I only laugh harder; now I have to lean forward, and grip my stomach while I struggle to catch my breath. When I’m done I’m winded as if I ran up a flight of stairs. Tight Bun Lady looks very, very unhappy with me.
    I wipe a tear from my eye and take in several ragged breaths before she speaks.
    “Are you quite done now, Miss Willow?”
    “I’m sorry. It’s just… paperwork …here? You don’t find that funny?” I smile at her.
    She leans forward onto the counter and steeples her chubby fingers in front of her. Her large bosom rests against the edge of the wide desk and her tight bun pulls at the corners of her eyes, stretching her skin tight. My smile fades as she stares icily at me.
    “No, Miss Willow, I do not find paperwork funny. If you’re finished with your outburst, I’d like to continue my job now. Would that be okay with you, or do you need another moment to compose yourself accordingly?”
    Oh, it’s like this is it?
    Tight Bun Lady has absolutely no more patience with me. I squirm in my chair while she shuffles the papers between us once more and pulls something from the pile, setting it in front of me. It looks like a checklist:
     
    WELCOME TO THE STATION
     
    Please follow the checklist in this guide to help accommodate you with the purpose of the Station. We value each and every person that passes through our gates, whether you choose to move on or become a Volunteer. If you ever need assistance please request a meeting with your Intake Specialist. Remember, everyone deserves a second chance. Please do the following:
    - Complete your appropriate paperwork with the Admissions Department
    - Attend your Life In Review meeting (First Door of Admissions Department)
    - Attend Orientation
    - Locate your Intake Specialist for further instructions
     
    What?! What the hell is a Volunteer ? Move on? To where?! I look up at Tight Bun Lady and she smiles broadly at my confused expression.
    “So…Miss Willow, let’s get you processed, shall we?”
     
    ***
     
    I can’t help fidgeting with the edge of my checklist as I sit in the lobby of the Review room. The large, open space reminds me of a church, though instead of pews, sturdy chairs sit neatly next to each other. Half of the chairs are full and at the front of the room, instead of where a church podium would be, there are three doors. A man, dressed in all black, announces a name every fifteen minutes or so after a person exits one of the three doors…and someone else gets up from their white chair to follow him inside the room. I notice very quickly that no one has returned to the lobby with a dry face.
    What exactly happens to them in there?
    I’ve been focusing on the pale beams of the ceiling when the middle door opens and the young girl ahead of me at Admissions comes out. She is weeping softly and passes by me without looking up. The sadness that envelopes her is a stark contrast to her happy sundress that dances wildly around her legs as she rushes out of the room.
    “Piper Willow,” the man in black announces stoically.
    I gulp and rise on shaky legs, bumping into the person sitting in front of me as I step out into the center aisle. The walk is long and I feel as if every set of eyes behind me is boring into my back. I tell myself I won’t come out crying.
    I won’t.
    “This way, please.” He ushers me into the middle room and now I can see it’s empty. Confused, I turn to look at him as he pulls the door shut behind me with only a slight nod.
    Wait! What happens in this room?!
    I stand completely still. The small square room is all walls with no windows. Only a single white light bulb hangs from the center of the ceiling. I’m waiting for the walls to close in around me, or the floor to drop, when I hear her