Better Off

The melted wax dripped onto Her rosebud cheek, as the flame lapped above the milky white wax-tear as it trailed down Her face. His face was painted with indifference as He held the white candle’s flame close to Her flesh. He was burning Her, and She made no attempt to escape the dancing flame. Real tears began to slide down Her cheeks next to the hardened wax.

After a moment He stopped, and as He walked out of the bathroom and down the hall the candle simply disappeared – it was no longer important. He stopped at dining room table and sat down. Time passed as everything around Him blurred and the faceless voices around Him became distant.

Through the swirling colors and soundless noise a second women drifted into the churning room and stared a hole in Him, as He glanced away. Her eyes lambasted him, as they burned His conscience. The woman floated towards Him with her hand cocked and ready. As she came closer He turned towards Her and she looked into His eyes. The apathy she saw caused her hand to flutter before it lashed out at His face.

With the smack came clarity. The room snapped into focus and the noise cascaded into His ears.

“Sara, what the fuck,” John, a mutual friend, said as he rose from his chair, prepared to stop her from striking him again.

“You fuckin’ bastard,” she snarled as she jumped upon Him, her arms flailing about. He sat in His chair indifferently as His friends attempted to restrain the enraged Sara.

“The fuck is wrong with you?” John yelled out as he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her away.

“That fuck,” she screamed, as her legs kicked violently, yearning to strike Him as they found air. “He hurt her again! He burned her. He fucking burned her!”

Their knowing stares fell upon Him as he stared at the table.

“Tell me you didn’t do that,” John demanded of Him as their eyes locked. “You. You sonofabitch,” he stuttered as he let go of Sara and stared at Him. “Get the fuck outta here. Now.”

“John,” one friend tried to butt in.

“No,” John said motioning for him to be silent. “I said, get the fuck outta here. Are you not listening to me?” He ripped Him from His chair with his hands grasping the collar of His shirt, “GET THE FUCK OUT!”

He took a moment to smile at John before He broke his wrists with one fluid motion. It was nothing to Him. John fell backward as He walked away from the jostling room. With John’s new plight no one seemed to notice that He was walking back down the hallway towards Her.

The sounds of the dining room faded away as the thunderous sound of Her muffled sobs rang down the all but empty white hallway. He opened the bathroom door without a knock. There She was, huddled within herself sobbing. He came to Her without a word and took Her in His arms, as she buried Her head into His warm chest.

He grasped Her head and hair softly with one hand, and took hold of Her elbow with His other and spoke to Her, “I’m sorry.”

He lied, and She knew.

She continued to cry. “Listen to me. I’m sorry. You know I am.” His lies simply made Her sob harder.

“Go,” She said. “I don’t want to see you anymore.”

“Please.”

“No.”

“I love you,” he told the truth.

She looked up at Him and smiled as tears rolled down Her cheeks, “If you love something,” she lost her words for a moment, “let it go.”

“That’s a bunch of crap,” He whispered..

“I know.”

He stared into Her loving eyes for a moment before She lowered Her head. Brushing back Her blonde bangs He kissed Her forehead. “I’m sorry.” He lied.

She pulled away and He began to leave the room. “I love you,” He said once more. She just started to cry again.

Everyone had cleared out of the dining room when He’d returned, but that went unnoticed by Him as He made a beeline for the exit. He had an old frayed rope at home He wanted to see.

As He swung the storm door open He was met with the chilly night air and a sprinkling of rain. He made no attempt to hurry as He strolled down the sidewalk as the rain comforted Him and eased His self-loathing mind, but not His pain. No, what would ease His pain came from the shadows.

He knew she was there, but He walked on towards the shadow. He could see the glint of the gun long before she wanted him to. He stopped as Sara walked out of the shadow, realizing He had seen her.

“It’s over,” she said.

“I hope so,” He muttered.

“You’re not going to hurt anyone else,” she stammered as she moved towards Him.

“Who’s going to stop me? You?”

“Y-yeah.”

“What?”

“Yes. Me.”

“Do it then,” He said, advancing on her.

“Stop,” she said noticing Him coming towards her. “I’ll shoot.”

“No shit.” He said, coming closer.

“I will.” He was nearly upon her.

“Good,” He said, inches from the barrel of the gun. “Do it.” A tear ran down Sara’s cheek. “Look at you. Crying just like Her.”

“Shut up.”

“Do it.” He kneeled before her.

“I am!”

“THEN FUCKING DO IT!” He yelled at her, swallowing the barrel into his mouth.

She began to sob as the rain picked up strength..

“Shwoot me,” he tried to speak with the gun in his mouth. “Fwucking dwo it!”

“I will.”

Light suddenly engulfed the area as lightning flashed above them.

He spat the gun out of His mouth, and she lowered it, as He began to choke up. “Just fucking shoot me. Please. I’m fuckin’ begging you.” Tears formed at the corners of his eyes.

“I can’t.”

“Do it!”

“I CAN’T!”

Rain and tears pouring down His face as He sobbed and yelled, “It’s not going to stop. I can’t stop. I’m just gonna hurt her again. Please, make me stop.” He pleaded with her. "She's better off ..." he dropped his head, "without me."

She slowly raised the gun to attention and without hesitation pulled the trigger, sending the monster to Hell.

A moment later, He woke up.

“No.”