Reasons to Live - a collection of flash fiction stories

Beside You

"Here, take this." It was mid-autumn and the rain had been lashing outside for an hour, maybe more, yet you walked through the storm to come to me. Your hair was plastered to your face, a pale reddish-blond that sometimes made you look like an angel. We sat near the fireplace and let the soft crackling sounds of the embers sooth our souls.

It was my birthday, a day I dreaded coming. Every birthday just got worse, I was no longer a child, but there were days where I didn't feel like a man. The days ticked on by  piling up higher and higher until this day came crashing down on me, reminding me that I was a year older, yet I doubt much wiser.

"You didn't have-" I began, yet you cut me off. Both hands outstretched to me, your sky-blue eyes shimmered with love.

"I know I didn't have to, Seth. I wanted to. Is that a wretched thing?"

I shook my head. No. Nothing you ever did could ever be wretched.

A small box lay in your palms, it was as blue as the blue in your eyes. An over-sized silver bow decorated it. The light of the fire fell upon the synthetic ribbon causing a multitude of colors to form; green, red, orange and blue. Silently I wondered what was inside. I knew that you were just at the very beginning of you music career and didn't have a dime to your name. I wondered how many times you had to sell your soul to buy me this gift.

"Beloved," I whispered, but you just hunched down and placed it in my lap.

"Open it." Your voice carried out through the dimly lit room like a phantom and was to haunt me with the reminder of its presence until forevermore. It was to haunt me when you would no longer be near. It was to slaughter me if you ever left.

I looked down at the small box and slowly began to unwrap it There, between blue paper sat a simple black velvet box. "Happy Birthday." As delicately as I could I opened it up, "I couldn't fit my soul in a box." A beautiful silver ring rested against a backdrop of ebony. "So I got you this."

With a tiny gasp surfacing from the back of my throat, I pried the delicate treasure out and looked at it in awe. "Robin..."

You reached out and slipped it onto my finger. "It's been engraved, see?" Around the band you had dedicated your love to me, in beautiful cursive you spilt your blood and heart for me. Till the sun melts into the horizon. Till forevermore.

"'Forevermore." I want to be beside you, always, forever. I glanced at you as you smiled. You would never know how truly you had touched me that night. Then, for the first time since, well I could not remember when, I fell into your arms and cried because I now knew that someone really loved me.

© Christine Bottas. All rights reserved 2015-2016.