Chris

She shook her head empathetically at me, her lips pursed in small frown. Her genuine words still rung in my ears, singeing my heart with every repetition.
“It’s been two years...”

Two years. Two damn, fucking years. Two of the worst years of my life.

I lowered my head and focused on the marshmallows that were slowly melting in my mug.
“He wouldn’t have wanted you to be so upset,” she informed me, as if I didn’t know that already.
Chris had always found a way to make me smile when I was sad. He was a happy person and never liked to dwell on negativity. I knew that he would not want me to pine for him for two years and refuse to date any possible suitors that could make me happy just because he could no longer be my lover. But I didn’t want to meet a possible suitor.

I wanted Chris.

“It’s just a double date, Kayla. It’s going to be so casual, and I’ll be there.”
I nodded my head absently as I watched one of the two remaining marshmallows melt, leaving the last one alone. I empathized with the lonesome marshmallow. I knew how it felt to lose the one that you loved and not being able to do anything about it. I knew how it felt to have to live without your significant other.

Then the last marshmallow melted as well.

“Kayla?”
I looked up.
“So you’ll come?”
“To what?”
The muscles in Chris’s sister’s face twitched as she fought the urge to make a disapproving face.
“The double date. You’ll come? It’ll be--”
“Yeah, sure Jess. Just text me the details when you find out,” I snapped.
She looked taken aback for a moment and then recomposed herself. “It’s Thursday night at seven. We’ll pick you up.”
“Great. I’ll see you then.” I stood up and shoved on my coat.
“Thanks for the drink,” I added, forcing myself to smile.
Then I stormed out of the coffee shop and headed for home.

The aroma of cinnamon consumed me once I opened the door.
I usually loved the smell of the air freshener, but I was too riled up to find it relaxing.

Stupid Jess.

I don’ know what posessed her to reach out to me now. For the last two years she pretty much avoided me, and suddenly she decided that she should try to help me get back on my feet.

I snaked through the piles of random objects on my floor and headed straight for the kitchen cabinet. Finding the anti-depressant, I popped two pills in my mouth and reached for a glass to fill with water. After swallowing the first two, I decided that two would not be enough.

I swallowed two more.

“Babe.”
I spun around at the sound of his warm voice that transfused me with a feeling of undescribable joy.
“Chris?”
“Babe.” He emerged from the bedroom door, his tall, lean form seeming to crowd the small kitchen.
“Chris!” I squealed, running up to him eagerly from behind the kitchen island. He grinned as I collapsed into his arms and held me close.
“Hey, Kayla, listen to me,” he murmured into my hair as he nuzzled my neck with his nose.
“Yeah?” I whispered, re-familiarizing myself with his addictive scent.
“Can you make it stop?”
“Make what stop?” I asked.

He didn’t respond.

I pulled away and looked quizzically into his large, green eyes. They were becoming foggy. He was losing consciousness.
“Make what stop, Chris? Chris? Chris!”
He was beginning to put his weight on me, and it was becoming difficult to support him due to his size and height.
“Make it stop. Babe, please make it stop,” he moaned, his eyes rolling back into his head.

I felt the warmness on my fingers before I saw it.

Blood was pouring out of his stomach through an unseen wound.

“Chris, stay with me. You’re not wounded,” I insisted. “You’re not wounded.”
His head lolled to the side and I grappled to support it while trying to support the rest of him as well. I dragged him to the sofa and sat him down.
“I’m going to get the first aid kit,” I told him as he continued to moan.
The moment I turned my back on him, he shrieked. I jumped around and my eyes widened in horror as his body was consumed in flames, taking the couch with it.
“Chris!” I screamed.
But before I could get the extinguisher, my legs turned to jelly, and I collapsed, letting the darkness behind my own eyes consume me.

Part II later :)