Read Yours for Eternity: A Love Story on Death Row for Free Online
Authors: Damien Echols, Lorri Davis
all I knew was—“You have got to locate this person—contact him—it is crucial.” I was so scared you weren’t going to receive my letters. I know this is real—nothing in my life has been quite so real.
It’s funny, what you said about wondering what I do at night—every night (I usually go to sleep at 12:00 or so) I whisper good night to you and wonder what you are doing! I sometimes hope you can feel me thinking of you—but I’ve never tried thought transfer.
Does NY scare me? Well, really—no. I feel so strong here sometimes. No one even looks at you funny. I feel completely accepted. Sometimes I let the hair grow on my legs and under my arms and no one even looks—when I was in West Virginia last week, everyone looked. I can’t stand that. New York after a while is very accepting. It’s exciting, too. But at the same time—it’s perfectly possible to live a “quiet” life.
I know I’ve asked you already so if you don’t want to tell me—say, “Lorri—I’m just not going to tell you.”
But . . . when is your birthday? Mine is July 16th.
I have grey eyes and I weigh 120 pounds and stand 5´6˝. My hair is brown. I’m prone to freckles—have no birthmarks and am extremely fair.
There.
Affectionately,
Lorri
May 21, 1996
Dear Lorri,
With everyone who I ever become close to, I leave part of myself with them, and I carry part of them with me. I find it to be a very beautiful, if slightly weird, experience. I guess you can tell my hands are shaking now, my writing is not too good. This is along the lines of what I was trying to say in my last letter, about meaningful conversations, and examining each other’s thoughts, ideas, love, fears, and dreams.
Just relax and let things flow. Some memories stay with us all our lives.
Yes, the full moon makes me feel wonderful. When I am out on those nights, I can hardly even stand to wear clothes. I just want to strip down to my bare skin, and throw my head back and laugh with the pure joy of being alive. It would make me want to just run and run and run, just celebrating and wallowing in the fact that I existed.
I also used to do like you, I would sneak out, and sometimes I would go to the lake near my house and just sit silently watching the moonlight reflection on the water. Sometimes, I would also lie on a hill watching all the cars speeding over the overpass, thinking about where they were going, smiling to myself over the fact that they never even knew they were being watched. My favorite time was when it was so cold that I could see my breath. I love the cold. To me, there is no such thing as “too cold.”
I never looked in anyone’s windows, but I used to go to a store acouple miles away from my house that was open 24 hours a day, where I would perch on top of a garbage can and just watch everyone coming and going. I’ve always thought human beings were the strangest, most beautiful creatures. Once I even told my mom what I had been doing and she wouldn’t believe me, because she said there was no way that someone could squeeze through the tiny window in my bedroom (it was really tiny).
I always went alone, because I knew no one else would understand. They would have asked questions like, “How long do we have to just sit here?” Or “Why are we doing this?”
What am I afraid of? The only thing I can think of that I am scared of is the same thing I’m attracted to—people! Sometimes they can be so cold, cruel, and mean, and it really hurts me. It’s worse than physical pain.
Your friend forever,
Damien
June 14, 1996
Dearest Lorri,
Did you see Good Morning America ? It was great! I know you said you don’t want to hear anything else about me from the media, but it’s so wonderful down here now. Everyone is talking about it, and they believe me! It’s beyond words, it’s just too perfect. Our lawyers were even on the radio this morning, and everyone who called in was supporting us! It’s such a change, I can’t
It’s funny, what you said about wondering what I do at night—every night (I usually go to sleep at 12:00 or so) I whisper good night to you and wonder what you are doing! I sometimes hope you can feel me thinking of you—but I’ve never tried thought transfer.
Does NY scare me? Well, really—no. I feel so strong here sometimes. No one even looks at you funny. I feel completely accepted. Sometimes I let the hair grow on my legs and under my arms and no one even looks—when I was in West Virginia last week, everyone looked. I can’t stand that. New York after a while is very accepting. It’s exciting, too. But at the same time—it’s perfectly possible to live a “quiet” life.
I know I’ve asked you already so if you don’t want to tell me—say, “Lorri—I’m just not going to tell you.”
But . . . when is your birthday? Mine is July 16th.
I have grey eyes and I weigh 120 pounds and stand 5´6˝. My hair is brown. I’m prone to freckles—have no birthmarks and am extremely fair.
There.
Affectionately,
Lorri
May 21, 1996
Dear Lorri,
With everyone who I ever become close to, I leave part of myself with them, and I carry part of them with me. I find it to be a very beautiful, if slightly weird, experience. I guess you can tell my hands are shaking now, my writing is not too good. This is along the lines of what I was trying to say in my last letter, about meaningful conversations, and examining each other’s thoughts, ideas, love, fears, and dreams.
Just relax and let things flow. Some memories stay with us all our lives.
Yes, the full moon makes me feel wonderful. When I am out on those nights, I can hardly even stand to wear clothes. I just want to strip down to my bare skin, and throw my head back and laugh with the pure joy of being alive. It would make me want to just run and run and run, just celebrating and wallowing in the fact that I existed.
I also used to do like you, I would sneak out, and sometimes I would go to the lake near my house and just sit silently watching the moonlight reflection on the water. Sometimes, I would also lie on a hill watching all the cars speeding over the overpass, thinking about where they were going, smiling to myself over the fact that they never even knew they were being watched. My favorite time was when it was so cold that I could see my breath. I love the cold. To me, there is no such thing as “too cold.”
I never looked in anyone’s windows, but I used to go to a store acouple miles away from my house that was open 24 hours a day, where I would perch on top of a garbage can and just watch everyone coming and going. I’ve always thought human beings were the strangest, most beautiful creatures. Once I even told my mom what I had been doing and she wouldn’t believe me, because she said there was no way that someone could squeeze through the tiny window in my bedroom (it was really tiny).
I always went alone, because I knew no one else would understand. They would have asked questions like, “How long do we have to just sit here?” Or “Why are we doing this?”
What am I afraid of? The only thing I can think of that I am scared of is the same thing I’m attracted to—people! Sometimes they can be so cold, cruel, and mean, and it really hurts me. It’s worse than physical pain.
Your friend forever,
Damien
June 14, 1996
Dearest Lorri,
Did you see Good Morning America ? It was great! I know you said you don’t want to hear anything else about me from the media, but it’s so wonderful down here now. Everyone is talking about it, and they believe me! It’s beyond words, it’s just too perfect. Our lawyers were even on the radio this morning, and everyone who called in was supporting us! It’s such a change, I can’t