Trying to say a final goodbye to her dead mother, a little girl puts her cell phone inside her coffin as a symbol that they would always be connected. But when she receives a call from inside her mother’s grave, she is terrified by what she hears.
The sun was setting over the horizon, painting the sky pink and blue as Abby and her family approached the chapel where her mother Mary’s wake would take place. The atmosphere was heavy, and the silence was only interrupted by the sobs and tears of those present. People gathered dressed in black in respect for the family’s pain and grief.
The chapel was adorned with white flowers, Mary’s favorite, which contrasted with the darkness of the room. The wooden coffin was in the center of the room surrounded by candles that flickered in the gentle breeze coming through the open windows. Abby, wearing her little black dress and a ribbon in her hair, slowly approached the coffin holding her Aunt Laura’s hand. Her heart was racing, and tears were streaming down her face as she knew that she would be saying her final goodbye to her mother.
Looking at her for the last time, the little girl could see the peace on her face as if she was finally free of the pain that had accompanied her for the last few months. During the wake, friends and family took turns at the pulpit sharing memories and stories of Mary. The little girl listened attentively, smiling through her tears as she remembered the happy moments they had shared together.
Little Abby, just 11 years old, was facing the most difficult time of her life. She had lost her mother to breast cancer, which despite all attempts of treatment, ended up taking the life of the woman who had always been her safe haven.
The little girl’s life was always a challenge as it was just her and her mother facing the world. Mary, a determined single mother, always strived to give her daughter everything she needed, even in her bad days. The two shared a special connection, and the woman was the little girl’s best friend and confidant. Now, with this loss, Abby knew that her life would be even more difficult. She would face the unknown without the presence and support of the person who had taught her everything she knew. However, she wouldn’t be completely alone on this journey.
The little girl went to live with her Aunt Laura, Mary’s sister, who had always loved her niece and helped her sister as much as possible. Laura had no children of her own and was willing to take Abby in and care for her, giving her all the love and affection she needed. At this tragic time, the two were sitting side by side, their eyes red and their handkerchiefs damp with tears. The aunt wrapped her arm around the little girl’s shoulders, trying to comfort her and give her some kind of strength and support.
As the wake drew to a close, people began to say goodbye to Mary, laying flowers and saying words of consolation to her daughter and Laura. It was then that Abby took courage and stood up, holding her mother’s cell phone in her trembling hands. Her aunt looked at her, understanding what the girl intended to do. “Are you sure, dear?” Laura asked, worried about her niece’s feelings. The little girl nodded, trying to hold back her tears. “I want her to know that I’ll always be with her, even if we can’t talk anymore,” said the poor girl, her voice almost choking with emotion.
She walked slowly to the coffin, feeling the weight of each step and the mixture of sadness, fear, and anxiety in her little heart. She knew that this would be her last goodbye, and she wanted it to be meaningful, a way of internalizing the connection she had with her mother. Placing the cell phone carefully next to her body, Abby whispered, “Mom, I love you so much. Now you’ll always have a part of me with you, and whenever I miss you, I’ll imagine that you’re only a phone call away.”
That object symbolized the connection between mother and daughter that had always been very strong, even in recent months when the hospital was in lockdown due to COVID-19, and the little girl was no longer able to visit her mother. The cell phone became the only way they could communicate, by exchanging messages, making video calls, and sharing the important moments of everyday life. This constant communication strengthened the bond between them, helping to overcome the physical barrier imposed by hospital isolation for Abby.
Mary’s cell phone symbolized the unconditional love, friendship, and support she had always felt from her best friend. So, by placing it in the coffin, she was, in a way, eternalizing this connection and keeping alive the memory of the moments they shared together. In their last moments, tears streamed down the little girl’s face as she walked away from the coffin. Laura approached her niece and hugged her, sharing the pain and longing that the little girl felt. Together, they would face the uncertain future, keeping the memory of their dear mother and sister alive in their hearts.
The first night after the funeral was tragic for the poor little girl. Her aunt had prepared everything with care, placing some photos of Mary and Abby around the room in the hope that this would bring her some comfort.
But as she looked at the pictures, the little girl felt the longing tighten even more in her chest. Lying in bed, she tried to sleep, but her thoughts were filled with memories of the wake, the last goodbye, and the feeling of emptiness that now accompanied her. She turned from side to side, pressing the pillow against her chest as if that could ease the pain. Tears streamed down the girl’s face as she allowed herself to cry, hugging her pillow and trying to understand why her mother had been taken away so soon.
She felt fear, anger, and sadness, but above all, she felt an immense pain that seemed to consume her inside. Poor girl. But life had to go on. The next day, at her aunt’s house, which would now be her new home, the little girl had breakfast, and her aunt had to go to work. Because even though she was in mourning, there was now a child at home for her to raise. Laura, who was a manicurist, kissed the girl and said, “Abby, I’ll be back later. In the meantime, you can make yourself at home because the house is yours now. When I get back, we’ll go to your house and pick up some more things, okay? Also, Helena, our neighbor, is next door. If you need anything, just call her, okay?”
The little girl agreed and said that she would begin to adapt to this new reality without the constant presence and support of her mother. The memory of the last goodbye and the cell phone placed in the coffin still moved her, but she found comfort in the idea that her mother would always be with her in some way. So, as soon as her aunt left, the girl was alone. She took advantage of the moment of solitude to explore the new house and find a space where she could connect with her mother’s memory.
While Abby was going through Mary’s things in search of something that might bring some consolation, her own cell phone rang. Surprised and a little frightened, she picked it up and looked at the screen. Her heart stopped for a moment when she saw her mother’s name appear on the call. The girl hesitated before answering,
fear and surprise overwhelming her, making her tremble. How could Mary be calling? Hadn’t she put her mother’s cell phone in the coffin?
Then, gasping for breath and with sweaty hands, the little girl answered the call. “Mom?” Abby asked, her voice shaky and uncertain. “Abby, my dear, where am I?” replied the woman, her voice weak and coughing. The little girl couldn’t believe what she was hearing. It really was her mother. Tears began to run down her face while fear and disbelief mixed in her heart.
“How… how is that possible, Mom? You… you’re dead,” sobbed the poor little one, trying to control her crying. “Honey, where am I? What is this dark and narrow place?” Mary was panting, her daughter was terrified, but at the same time, a feeling of relief and happiness washed over her. Was her mother really there? Was she still somehow present in her life? She felt her heart racing, dread and love fighting in her chest. “Mom, Mom, where are you? I miss you so much,” the little girl began to cry. “Mommy, what’s going on?” she asked, sobbing.
And the call ended abruptly, leaving a deafening silence in the room. Abby, still trying to understand what had just happened, started shouting desperately, “Mommy, Mommy!” She was confused and terrified, not knowing if what she had just experienced was real or just a dream. She tried to call back, but no one answered. So she called Laura.
As soon as she heard her niece’s bewildered voice, the aunt realized something was wrong and rushed from her work to meet the girl. When she got home, she found the little girl crying and shaking, with the phone still in her hands. The girl tried to explain what had happened, telling her about the call and Mary’s voice on the other end of the line. Laura, however, obviously couldn’t believe the story.
She thought that the girl was just suffering from missing her mother and perhaps even hallucinating due to stress and grief. So she hugged her tightly, trying to comfort and calm her. “It’s all right, darling. I know you miss your mother, we all do,” she said as she stroked the little girl’s hair. “But remember that she’s watching over us and will always be in our hearts.” The little girl continued to cry, feeling frustrated and scared that her aunt didn’t believe what had happened.
But deep down, she knew that it was difficult for anyone to accept the idea that Mary had called from inside the coffin. The girl snuggled into the woman’s embrace, seeking some comfort and reassurance as she tried to understand the mystery behind that phone call. However, the calls persisted, and Abby began to question her own sanity. Every time her phone rang, her heart raced, and she felt a mixture of fear and hope.
Was it her mother again, or was she just imagining things? The calls became more and more frequent, and the conversations with her became increasingly frightening. On one of these occasions, Mary sounded completely terrified. “Abby, my dear, I don’t know where I am. It’s such a dark and cramped place. I can’t breathe,” she exclaimed, her voice shaky and breathless.
The little girl felt dread take over her body. “Mommy, I… I don’t know what to do. I’m going to ask Aunt Laura for help,” said the little girl, desperate to help her mother in some way. “Please try to calm down, Mom. I’ll do something, I promise,” she shouted, tears streaming down her face. But then the call ended again.
The calls became more and more intense, and Abby began to wonder if she was really talking to her mother or if she was going crazy. Poor thing. She decided not to tell her aunt anymore, fearing that she wouldn’t believe her or would think she was going mad. However, this began to really affect the little girl’s life. She was having trouble concentrating at school, couldn’t sleep properly, and was constantly nervous and scared.
One night, Laura found the girl crying desperately in her room. She was terrified, believing that Mary was still trapped in the coffin and suffering. Faced with the situation, the little girl decided to tell her aunt the whole truth about the constant calls and conversations with her mother. The woman, worried and not knowing how to deal with it, asked to see the call history on Abby’s cell phone.
“It’s here, Auntie, look,” said the little girl, showing the phone. “Princess, there’s nothing here,” Laura looked at the call history, the girl was perplexed. There was no record of the calls. “No, no, it was here, Auntie, I swear it was here,” and the poor little girl started to cry. Her aunt, seeing the scene, realized how much she was suffering.
So determined to help the little girl, she made an appointment with a therapist specializing in grief and trauma. She knew that the little girl needed professional support to deal with the loss of her mother and those inexplicable experiences. At the first appointment, the psychologist listened carefully to Abby’s story and her concerns. He explained that post-traumatic stress could manifest itself in various ways and that the phone calls could be a kind of auditory hallucination, the result of the girl’s grief and longing for her mother.
The little girl began attending weekly therapy sessions, and little by little, things began to improve. She learned to cope with the pain of loss and to understand that the calls were a way for her brain to try to deal with the void left by Mary. During the consultations, she would open up about her feelings, sometimes crying, sometimes laughing while remembering the happy times she had with her best friend.
Laura accompanied the whole process, often attending sessions with her niece, offering her shoulder and her love. Together, the two faced their pain and sought strength in each other, creating an even deeper bond between them. Then, as time went by, the imaginary connections diminished and eventually stopped altogether. The therapy was having an effect, and Abby began to feel lighter and more at peace.
She rediscovered the joy of being with her friends, her family, having fun, and studying. Her life was getting back on track, even in the absence of her beloved mother. The psychologist watched the girl’s progress with satisfaction and pride. She always encouraged her to express her feelings and to accept that even with the pain, life went on, and she needed to move forward.
Her aunt also went through a process of transformation during this time. She became an even more present maternal figure for the little girl, and the two shared moments of affection and mutual support. Together, they faced their pain and sought strength, creating a united and loving family. And so, as the girl grew up, she continued her journey of recovery and also discovered the power of resilience.
She understood that despite adversity and the pain of loss, life went on, and it was possible to move on and find the strength to face life’s challenges. The girl came to value the happy moments and the people who were by her side even more. And so, Abby moved on, carrying the memories of her dear mother in her heart and living a full and happy life surrounded by love and support.
The imaginary connections eventually became a distant part of the past, a reminder of a difficult time
but one that also brought valuable lessons for the girl and everyone around her. Then, one fine day, years passed, and Abby grew up to be a talented and determined girl, ready to face the next phase of her life: college.
While she was packing her things to move to another city, she also wanted to take some of her mother’s belongings with her as a way of keeping Mary close. In the midst of the organization, she saw something unusual: an old diary carefully hidden among her mother’s belongings. It was strange because she had never seen that diary before and felt immensely curious to find out what Mary had written there.
Her heart pounding with anxiety, she opened the diary and began to read the words written by her mother. They were records of happy moments, worries, and reflections. The girl was moved as she read the words full of love and affection, feeling her presence there in that diary. She flipped through the pages and enjoyed the stories. However, she found a note that completely baffled her.
It was something her mother had written about a dream she had a few months before she died. “In the dream, I found myself terrified, trapped in a narrow, dark, and suffocating place. Barely able to move or breathe, the darkness was so dense and oppressive that it seemed to seep into every pore of my being, intensifying my claustrophobia. Somehow, I managed to communicate with Abby with my cell phone, but I had no idea how it got there. It was like the last thread of hope that kept me connected to the outside world.
With my voice shaking from crying, I described to her the overwhelming dread and confusion that had overtaken me in that terrible nightmare. The feeling of helplessness and anguish was almost unbearable, and I could feel the thin air around me slowly suffocating me. The despair in my heart grew with every second as I searched tirelessly for a way to escape that confinement and protect my daughter. The responsibility and love I felt for her drove me to fight against panic and suffocation in the hope that together we would find the way out of that horrifying nightmare. But then, everything went dark.”
Abby got goosebumps reading those words. What she could hardly think… could it be that the calls she received were really just the result of her post-traumatic stress? Or could it be that in some inexplicable way, her mother had managed to communicate with her beyond death, as in the dream she described in her diary?
The young woman closed the diary, feeling a mixture of emotions. On the one hand, those words brought back painful memories, but they also made her feel even closer to her mother. Perhaps the truth behind the mysterious phone calls would never be fully clarified, but the girl knew that somehow her mother would always be with her.
