"Hey, Marley?" I heard my mother's footsteps above me in the attic, moving across the floor to the ladder.
"Yes?" I called.
She appeared in my doorway. "Do you know anything about this?" In her hand, she held a sky blue paper envelope. It read my name in bold Sharpie.
I shook my head. "No... let me see it."
She handed the envelope to me, and I examined it. I could see slight bits of silver and gold glitter spread across the front of it. It reminded me of when my older sister, Jenna used to use glitter in her crafts projects. Before we lost her five years ago to suicide, she used to sign her name with sharpie, then covered it in glitter. As a nine-year-old, I admired her decorative flair, and longed for my name to be covered in glitter. One day, Jenna had taught me how to draw a rose. I was so proud of myself and how well I had done, I begged her to help me sign my name with glitter. She told me to write my name in Sharpie, then she carefully sprinkled glitter over my name. I still had the bottle she used. I hadn't opened it since she died.
"Do you have any idea where it came from?" my mom asked me.
"Jenna," I whispered, opening it as quick as I could. 138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqYKTwFS9nx
My mom gasped and sat down next to me. I removed a delicately folded piece of paper from the envelope and unfolded it gently. I started to read it out loud.
Dearest Marley, 138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJE8JJtAoOS
I dearly hope you find this when you're older. I would hate to burden you with such a dark topic at such a young age. You're probably wondering why I died at such a young age, and why it was suicide. Mom might tell you it was because of school (you know how much I've been getting bullied), or maybe she'll tell you it was because of Dad leaving. But no, none of this is true. 138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡABW0uHsvef
I looked up at my mom. "What?" I asked. 138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFigroWXwoD
My concerned mother looked at me and shook her head. "I don't know..."
I continued reading. 138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6wcnzjBqZ
I didn't commit suicide. I was murdered. 138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrCd0hSj6Z
My mother's eyes welled up with tears of fear and despair. I felt like I couldn't breathe. 138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtabL6fOzn7
I know you remember my boyfriend, Jack. 138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhV1UB88dn6
"Jack?" my mom said. "He was so perfect for her..."
He wasn't just my boyfriend. He and I were partners in crime. Or, anti-crime, I should say, since we were the ones stopping the crime. Remember when we used to see that superhero duo on the news? The Firegobbsters? 138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUvGo2GMIh
The Firegobbsters. We had watched every ass they ever kicked get sent to jail. Jenna always talked about the duo. She wanted to be the duo. 138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj7uJgtPboP
Jack and I were the Firegobbsters. 138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIy6AEnapeD
My mother gasped again, tears running down her face. 138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡilCMrzteq9
We fought crime for three years together. But then he betrayed me. He thought he was keeping it a secret, but I knew-- he was going to kill me and take all the fame and praise for himself. I knew that if I didn't show up to see him one day, he would know that I knew, and he would go after you and Mom. So I let him kill me, to protect you both. I couldn't die without you knowing the truth. I would apologize, but I'm not sorry. I love you. Please understand. 138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqVZi3dIbk
My mother and I sat in silence, processing this letter. 138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfgDMnbWsHS
"Do you think the authorities knew her identity?" I asked.
"No... they would've interrogated us a long time ago..."
I started to cry. Hard. "We have to tell them," I told my mom. "Jack needs to be punished for his crimes."
"But--"
"Mom... call the police, please..." I could barely speak, I was so in shock. My mom scooped me into her arms into a tight embrace. We sobbed together, in memory of my beloved sister, Jenna. She protected us like she always did, and for that we were grateful... but that didn't mean I wasn't going to avenge her. That didn't mean I wasn't going to try.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkzEoPp2NF
