The Darkest Valley Tears spill from my cheek onto the worn photo of my sister Zoe. How I wish I could go back to when I was that carefree child. What happened to those days when Zoe and I laughed together? I look longingly into my sister's eyes, wishing I could see her sweet smile again. Who could have imagined that this would happen to my family, that we would enter those dark valleys where we must learn to heal our brokenness and our pain? I still remember...“BANG! BANG! BANG!” I lay awake in bed, wishing not to be disturbed in my deep sleep. As I looked at the clock, I wondered who would be up so early that morning. I was too tired to get out of bed since Zoe and I went shopping all day yesterday. Within seconds I dozed off and was sleeping again. But within a few minutes I woke up to the sound of sirens. "Something must be wrong!" I thought as I darted out of my room and flew down the stairs. From the window I could see flashing lights and half-awake people in their pajamas standing on our lawn. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. Before my trembling hand could reach the handle, the door suddenly flew open. My dad ran in, grabbed my keys and wallet, and grabbed my hand. I was relieved to see my mother, but Zoe was nowhere to be seen. We ran to the garage, got into the car, and began following a screaming ambulance down the street. “Zoe! Mom, where is Zoe!" I sobbed when I realized she was missing. "What happened to her?" I whispered, wishing I could go back to my safe, comfortable bed. There was dead silence for a long time, until the trembling voice of my mother broke the silence. “Early this morning I woke up with a loud noise. I rushed out of bed and found your yes... in the middle of a sheet of paper... I said goodbye to you after that my mother called my father and I quickly went to Zoe's room. We spent Zoe's last seconds with her and it was so precious to me. We watched her leave peacefully as we cried tears of joy and sadness now she was happy without pain in heaven. Her face was still there, but I could see my sister in that face, the laughter and the tears. She taught me so much; she is the best sister I could have ever had sitting in Zoe's room with a box full of mementos about her. Next to me is his stack of journals that he gave me as a gift. He believed he would cross those dark valleys. And even in those valleys she never stopped dreaming, and always inspired those around her. As I sit here reading about the darkest valleys of his life, I can still hear his beautiful music echoing in his room.