Till Death Do Us Part

our ending and your beginning.

I remember the day, it was a little cloudy and you snuggled under your blanket. I could tell that you had stayed up late again reading your books in a constant thirst for new knowledge or rather finishing entertainment. It's pretty hard to forget the day you experienced death for the first and final time. It was a simple grocery trip, we had run out of the coffee that kept us fueled for the rest of the day. I remember giving you a kiss and you hurried to bury yourself in the blankets that we had purchased recently. You really liked your old ones but I was tired of getting robbed of my thick comforter as you sought for warmth in my arms. You told me in an unhurried tone that I should get back soon.

I left, not in an eager manner, mind you, I was simply drained of energy. I guess we both were feathers of the same flock. Mornings did not bode well for both of us, but at least I could manage to get out of bed before 10am. It always felt like a small victory to get out of bed and cook breakfast for you. I think it was a little trick you pulled but your bright smile always made my days feel short. I drove down the street, past the pharmacy, past the pet shop, and past the restaurants. I can't seem to remember the names but I know you liked the Mexican food restaurant! I went to the rather busy intersection and drummed my fingers along my steering wheel, yearning to come home and sink myself into the bed alongside you. I heard honking and looked to the side, and all I saw was a truck barreling toward me.  I was fortunate enough to not experience intense pain.

I was not going in a hurry my love, I was following all the traffic rules that you always used to scold me about brushing aside, so I wasn't hurrying home or trying to race against time to get to you soon. You could just say it was fate that I would perish that day. I woke up to a wrecked car and me floating outside of it. I watched as someone dragged my wretched body out of the car and tried to resuscitate me. I felt nothing as I watched, it felt like a bad dream. I looked closer and identified it as me. I think I was in shock at the time because I burst into tears thinking the face you saw each morning was brought to such a miserable state. It was the same face I kissed you with and it was the same body I hugged you with. I immediately woke up from that muddled state and headed home. I was worried you were still asleep. Looking at the time from a passerby's phone it was 11am and knowing you, you wouldn't be awake. So I rushed home to find you at the table, your hands clenched and resting there, as you looked at your phone, very nervous it seemed. It then hit me, I was dead .

I could not wrap you into a hug and say I'm home darling! Or even print a kiss on your forehead as a way of greeting. I was dead and you simply did not know. I sat down next to you and tried to place my hand on yours as I waited for you to get the news. I watched as my translucent hand went through yours. I'd love to say I wailed over losing my life which seemed so short, but at the very least I had you in it. The only reason it even felt too short was because of your existence. I believed in no God but you were my religion. The one I would thank every morning for living with me, because it was you.  What horrified me was sitting there in the quiet, waiting for you to receive the news that I was dead. The silence was the worst part of that moment, and the anxious look on your face.

You got the news and it seemed like your world collapsed. You weeped for my existence and all I could do as I watched the love of my life collapse was try to touch you. I wanted to pull you in the tightest hug in the world and say, I love you. I love you and I'll be here. I was dazed as I watched you collapse and saw an obscure figure come toward me.

Was it death itself? Coming to claim my pitiful life when I wasn't ready yet? I sat there as it extended its hand toward me, and I mumbled, "not yet. Please, please they're not ready." And I could see itsit's cold gaze set itself before you. I dashed from my sitting spot to stand in front of you. You might find it laughable but I felt like your knight in shining armor, coming to save the royal heir from the clutches of the cruel, cold-hearted dragon. And he took his extended hand and left. Left me to sit by the miserable you, with no way to do anything.