Forever

Forever



"You promise to do it?" Sadie wrapped a tress of red hair around her finger as she pressed her body into Alan's. She wasn't trembling. Not anymore. The sun had risen as they stood on the balcony together, and she was happy to have seen it with him.

He hesitated. Traffic rushed by on the street below. A car door slammed. An ambulance siren faded into the distance.

"Of course," he finally answered. Then he skimmed his nails up her bare arms to rest his hands on her shoulders. Looking into her eyes, he smiled. It was a small smile, not the wide grin she had come to know over the years, but it was secure, making her feel safe and loved.

God, she loved Alan. He loved her too, she knew it.

He took her hand and twirled her around, the yellow sun dress she wore flailing out like a bell-shaped summer blossom. When he caught her, he pulled her into a lingering kiss.

"Let's go inside," he whispered as he broke away.

She stroked his face, feeling the morning stubble. "Yeah, it's time isn't it?"

Alan led her into their snug efficiency apartment and sat her on the worn out orange futon. She would miss its faded color and the feel of it beneath her while they slept, despite intimate knowledge of each wooden plank under the mattress.

"Wait here," Alan said, nudging her with his nose. She pressed her lips together as the fine hairs on her neck rose in anticipation. The scent of their lovemaking was still strong in the cramped space even with the balcony's sliding glass door pushed wide open.

She turned to watch him step into the narrow kitchen, admiring the way he glided in his favorite pair of fuzzy bear feet and plaid pajama bottoms. He rounded the counter and blew her a kiss before she heard the clunk of the flatware as he jerked the broken drawer open.

She turned back around and waited. It was finally here. Nothing could keep them apart now. Nobody. They were going on this trip together, and they would stay together. Forever.

"Sadie?" She turned to find him leaning over her. She took a deep breath and her heart began to race. She blinked when she met his eyes, and again when they fell to the syringe in his hand.

"It won't hurt?" She asked him, her mouth becoming dry.

"Just a pinch." He sat beside her. "Now hold out your arm."

She did as she was told and he placed the syringe next to a half empty pack of Newports on the oversized coffee table before tying a long rubber band around her upper arm. It only took a few seconds for the vein to pop up. He stroked it gently as she clutched the futon with her other hand.

"Relax," he soothed, leaning his forehead to press against hers.

She took a few more deep breaths and closed her eyes. This was what she wanted, what they both wanted. She opened them and nodded.

"Alright," he smiled his usual grin, making her heart flutter. He retrieved the syringe and slid the needle into her vein. Pushing with his thumb, he filled her with its contents.

One breath. Two. Three. The first blissful wave washed over her. She sunk into the futon, feeling it as never before. Everything tingled. The weight of her dress began to press into her as her breathing slowed. She looked at Alan as he sat, holding the empty syringe between his fingers.

"Alan?" She asked as her mind began to fragment. "Where's yours?" She couldn't remember seeing him with more that one syringe. He must have left it in the kitchen. "Hurry Alan, so we'll be together," she pushed the words out in a shallow wheeze. She couldn't feel anything now, only the growing emptiness.

"Oh, Sadie," he tossed the syringe onto the coffee table. "I won't be going." He untied the rubber band and dropped it to the floor. Her head fell back to the futon as she stared at him, her voice gone. "Don't worry. You're almost there now." He held her limp hand to his lips. "I know I promised to go with you, but you have to understand," His eyes held the hint of something she had never seen before. It scared her. "It's better for both of us this way."

All Sadie could do was move her lips as the darkness crept into her vision. Alan rose from the futon, grabbing the Newports from the coffee table, and the last thing Sadie saw as he stepped onto the balcony, was him, gliding in fuzzy bear feet and plaid pajama bottoms.

Reviews

[Hannah!]

Oh wow. What a betrayal.

I loved this, although it made me want to cry. It was so beautiful. It made me want to crawl into Alan's head, because in such short words, you made it clear that Sadie was completely in love with him. I wish it was more than this one piece in time--that I could know more about the two of them. At the same time, I'm glad I didn't, because the mystery behind the whole thing is part of what makes it so hauntingly, heartbreakingly beautiful.

I love/hate the way Alan just goes outside to smoke a cigarette, while Sadie is dying--I love that he's wearing fuzzy slippers. It's so mundane, compared to what just happened between the two of them. It's kind of creepy, actually, but it adds a lot to the story.

Good work.

[Das Muffin]

Oh god. This is amazing! I thought it was going to be a regular tale of two lovers, but I was proven wrong. Fantastic job, and very well-written. It leaves me wanting to know more, but being totally satisfied at the same exact time. And I just want to smack Alan for doing that to her, leaving her to die like that while he lives his life. Wow. It really got to me, and that is a sign of a truly brilliant writer. Kudos and keep writing.

[Celtic Cat]

Woah......HEAVY! Never trust a man with a needle, that's for sure. Makes me happy I let go of the one I knew. What a wicked tale, absolutly evil and delicious. Love it!! Excellent details in this....I'm learning! : )

[Michael X]

so perhaps alan wanted to be eternally apart from her, is why he chose to jump from the balcany vs,
injecting, i love the writing and the detail, you really did a nice job, a very nice job, the quality of
content is there, the images are fully focused and enhanced, the storline is absolutely captivating,
emotionally transposing, the scenery is transporting, and i felt myself completely taken for the moment,
the ending leaves the reader in a twisted state of wondering, the context is trimmed and well defined,
the sentimental grab is also present in the begininng, as if scripted right out of life, a pleasure to read.

[RareRed]

Oh, that just made me sad....like a twisted Romeo & Juliet! Well written, just very sad!