Hero

11PM

Closing the shop at seven, Javier and Harry headed to a small restaurant on the corner of the street for dinner. It was a tiny Indian diner, but the food was delicious. And now, with full stomachs, the couple goes on a walk around town. They both believe that they're just walking random streets, but they have a crystal clear destination.

Pass the bakery; the watch on Javier’s wrist shows 11:16, she regains her old habit of glancing at her watch much too often.

“That Chinese guy today was hilarious”

“Yeah, I was surprised that he actually saw me though!”

“You know what would’ve been even better? If you ran after him!”

 “Yeah, ghosts are pretty cool, you know, we should get a choice whether or not we want to be a ghost in the afterlife.”

“So…” Jav clears her throat, “today. Day ten.”

Across the park; 11:21.

All victims of unexpected deaths are given ten days as a ghost to bid farewell to their families. They are only seen by those they truly loved. Javier personally thought that this was a bad idea, her pain will be multiplied when Harry leaves her for the second time. All she could do in these ten days were to see and talk to him. Touching was impossible, all it does is remind Jav that her husband was dead with his icy, intangible, almost-non-existent touch.

Beyond the petrol station; 11:33

“Your dream last night… was it…?”

“Yeah. The memory’s just too vivid, I guess. I keep having nightmares about it.”

“You just need to let go, Jav”

“How can I? What the hell am I supposed to do now?”

“Jav…”

Cross the intersection; 11:49

“It was all my fault. I shouldn’t have listened to music so loudly, maybe I would’ve heard the car coming.”

“You can’t blame yourself, love”

“I swear, I’m never listening to music again.”

“Don’t do that to yourself, it wasn’t your fault.”

“How was it not my fault?!”

Pass the shopping centre; 11:53

“That day… you shouldn’t have done it.”

“What? Save you? How could I not save you? Being in love meant that you’d do anything to protect that person from harm, right?”

“You shouldn’t have taken your own life!”

“For you, I’d do anything, I’d be your hero.”

She tries to think of something to say.

At the cemetery. Harry will go at exactly 12AM. For once, Javier is dreading the movements on her watch. All those days where she was excited for 12, to go eat lunch with her husband. She really didn’t know what to do.

11:57

“So, here we are.”

“Here we are.”

“I love you so much, Harry”

“Love you too. Forever, Jav.”

11:59

“I’ll always be your hero.”

“I really wish you weren’t.”

He smiles and kisses where the top of her head would be, if he weren’t so ghostly.