Pearl’s Tribute to Millie

As you know, Millie crossed the Rainbow Bridge last week. I didn’t realise what had happened at first – she looked just like she usually does when she flies off to the astral plane to hunt down ideas for stories. She ‘s been spending more and more time on the astral this year, so I didn’t think anything was wrong. It was only when I sniffed her body and realised it was as empty as an old coat that I suspected she’d left it for good.

My first instinct was to try and get her back. I lay down on the couch, left my own body and went after her. I could see her in the distance, running faster than she ever ran on Earth, towards a vast swirling tunnel of multicoloured light. I couldn’t keep up and soon lost sight of her. I had to come back alone.

The next day, the humans put her body to bed in the earth. Snip and Frieda came to the burial. It was a day of sunshine and showers, and the sky was full of rainbows. I knew then that she’d crossed the Bridge and wouldn’t be coming back.

There was something magical about Millie. Everyone who knew her fell in love with her. I used to get jealous, and I wasn’t always nice. Sometimes I would fart in her face, or push her aside if she was in my way. I used to wind her up and steal her boyfriends. I wish I hadn’t now; I should have appreciated her more. She was so kind to me when I first came here. I’d had a bad time and I was frightened of all sorts of things. Millie reassured me and helped me settle in. Most of all, she helped me realise the outside world isn’t always dangerous, so I learned to enjoy going for a walk instead of being terrified every time the lead was produced.

Millie was always on hand with wise advice, even if I didn’t always listen. When I stole Snip from her, she said, ‘If he can leave me for you, he could just as easily leave you for someone else.’  But when he did leave me (for Frieda), she didn’t say ‘I told you so’. She said I was so beautiful, I’d soon meet someone else – and she was right. But more of that another time.

Millie and I used to argue a lot, but we never fought. She was the best big sister I could have asked for, and it’s going to be lonely without her.

I wish I hadn’t hogged all the toys