LAST WORDS

Emily watched as the prison gates swung open and Mary was led inside. The cold, gray walls of the facility seemed to match the evil in her mother’s heart.

She had stood there, frozen, feeling both resentment and a strange sadness. After everything that had happened, she wasn’t sure how to feel anymore.

"Can I talk to her for just a few minutes?" Emily asked the guard, her voice low but firm.

The guard shook his head. "Sorry, ma’am, no visits right now."

Emily’s chest tightened. "Please... just five minutes. I need to say something. It’s important."

The guard sighed, looking at her for a moment before finally relenting. "Alright, five minutes. That’s all."

Emily took a deep breath, watching as her mother was brought back out. Mary, now in her prison uniform, looked smaller somehow, as though the weight of her sins had physically shrunk her.

Her face was blank, trying to maintain the cold front she had always worn, but her eyes were puffy, and it was clear she’d been crying.

As Mary ap