Steph Nelson

“get a few steps away from the car and a shiver runs through me. It’s not only the cold, it’s something about this place—a presence, or I don’t know—some type of leftover residue. I don’t believe in ghosts, but I do believe that the stuff we’re made of, our soul, or whatever, has to go somewhere when we die. It’s energy that must get put back into the world in some form. I’ve never thought about whether that energy can get stuck in one place, but that’s exactly what this feels like.”
― Steph Nelson, Last One Out

“Even though I’ve done this for over a decade, memories of Chloe always feel amped during this particular week, and I face minor depression, irritability, and fresh sadness. Sometimes I cry even if I haven’t shed a tear over Chloe since the last anniversary. Without fail, my body remembers the deep grief of those early days. It’s been twenty-five years, and you’d think I would be able to move on. At least that I wouldn’t be so shattered. But this time of year, all bets are off.”
― Steph Nelson, Last One Out