Dear Friend

Dear Written Character,

You are strange and lovely, deathless in my hands.

I promise I shall be gentle.

I promise that you won't fade.

I cannot, however, promise a safe journey. I cannot promise that happy ending we always dreamed of. I see now that the very ugliness of the last words on the last page become you well.

You are so terribly brave, and so dear to me.

But now we must both answer some questions, and get somewhere. Eventually to the end.

It's going to hurt you, and possibly me.

But we'll be okay somehow.

You cannot walk through my door, and sit beside me like I wish you could. You cannot talk about the weather, nor about the current price of tea. You cannot dance in the rain with me, nor feel the sun after the storm has passed. 

But I wrote you on the pages of my heart.

And you'll stay there forever.

I promise.

Love,

A Friend