Forever

"FOREVER" - George Wilhite 

Awash in despair, Fred stared at Gina for a long time.

           

This just was not fair. They were supposed to

be together forever, just like in the movies. Star-crossed lovers, yes, but they worked through all that. Their families tolerated one another when necessary. But they would never start one of their own for they waited too long and now she was gone from his life.

           

This sucked.

           

Dreams are meant to be broken, he supposed. What purpose was left in life now that they were apart?

           

Gina didn’t know he was looking at her. That made him feel a little guilty but then he just got angry instead. She had closure, he did not. His denial remained steadfast.

           

She still looked beautiful as he observed her from above. Dressed in her favorite outfit, just as he remembered her on their last night spent together, her auburn hair brushed back from her lovely pear shaped face. Her eyes were closed for the moment but no worry there. His mind filled in the detail of her dark brown orbs. He had memorized very part of her body.

           

They'd met in a park not far from here - six Octobers ago, leaves falling from the trees, a chilling breeze. She wore no coat and he'd offered his. At first she laughed in disbelief such chivalry existed then eventually took him up on the offer. The first day in many more together, the start of something special, until it all spiraled downhill last March.

           

“Why, Gina?” Fred whispered to the air. Perhaps somehow his voice could descend the chasm from here to there and she could hear him. “I loved you. Why wasn’t that enough?”

His eyes moist, through the obscurity caused by his tears he saw the scars. Her  slashed wrists radiated in the night, bitter reminders of her selfish act that ruined everything.

           

Looking around, assured he was alone for as long as the deed required, Fred took control of the situation again. One way or another, he would be with his wife forever.

           

He pulled her gently from her unearthed grave and made haste to his car.

BIO: George Wilhite is the author of the short fiction collection On the Verge of Madness. His work has also appeared in numerous print publications and online at Yesteryear Fiction, MicroHorror, Eschatology Journal and The Fringe.