Short Stories

Burying My Love

" Hey.... hey don't fall asleep, okay? Don't close your eyes." I say. I move Sarah so that she is sitting up against me. My hands shake, as I press my hand harder on her stomach. Her breath catches from the pain. Her head starts to slide, but I nudge her. " No don't close your eyes. Stay awake so that you'll be conscious when help comes." I say again, my voice cracking on the last word. I don't know if help is coming. Her blonde hair is covered in blood. I sent a distress signal to HQ, but I doubt anyone survived. They were attacked right after the camp was. We were ambushed, but I was able to pick off the ones left after the Commander killed off the generals. I see his dead body lying in one of the tents, a red hole in his forehead.

Sara coughs, a splatter of blood coming out of her mouth. " H-hey Mila," she breathes, " I-I can't f-feel my legs." I knock her knee, but there's no twitch. No sign of it ever being touched.  Fuck. Their hounds got her pretty fucked up. Fucking science labs. " It's fine," I assure her, " it's fine. I'll make a chair for you. A-and I'll pull you around on a sled when you get sore. We can build a cottage for our home, just like you said." I see her smile, just a little, despite hearing my quivering voice. The trees around us cover most of the canopy, but I see sunlight peeking through the trees. I see the stream of blood from Sarah, all the way down a rock and leading into the river. Small waves chase each other, splashing into small rocks. Another cough, more blood trickling down her chin. " M-Mila. I'm n-not ready." Sarah starts, " I'm not ready to go. I don't w-want to die, I don't want to d-die." Her desperate gaze. " I don't want to leave without you." She whispers.

Tears run down her face, mixing with her blood. " I don't want to leave you either. You won't die Sarah, you can't. I love you Sarah, please don't die...." Sarah turns her head, looking up at me. Those beautiful, big green eyes stare at me. I move my head so that my lips press against hers. While we share this kiss, her shaking hands move mine away from her wound. My hands are red and sticky from the blood. Sarah finally pulls away, sinking into me. " I love you, I love you, I love you....." I say over and over again, feeling her heartbeat slow. " I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you," a strangled breath, before Sarah's body goes limp. The hand I was holding stills. And I know that I've lost her. But I rock her, back and forth, kissing her head. " I love you."

Her hair darkens further, as my tears fall. I lay Sarah to the side, crouched on my knees. I clutch her hand, more falling from my eyes. It's too cold. Sobs break free, racking my body. My heavy sobs turn to screams of anger and heartbreak. I pound the ground with my fists, wishing it to swallow me whole. I push my forehead against the mossy ground, screaming until my throat feels like it's on fire. Still nothing compared to the loss and guilt that stirs in the pit of my stomach. Crying can't bring them back. It can't bring her back...... 

I cry for hours, the sun trading places with the moon. Stars gleaming in the midnight sky. My lungs feel crippled, and my eyes burn with salty water. Take me with you I think, please take me with you...... 

When dawn approaches, I stand up, every muscle in my body aching. I look around at the campsite. Charred clothes, and burnt tents. Blood tainting the fine metal equipment we brought. 25 soldiers. 25 bodies. I stumble over towards the campsite. I collect what is left of the tens, taking only the sheets. Then I grab a shovel, and start working.

By noon, I have collected and pieced the bodies back together, laying still in rows. Their bodies covered with the sheets I collected. I cannot bear to cover Sarah's though, no matter how lifeless and cold she may be. They lie before 25 holes for 25 of my fallen comrades. I ease one corpse at a time into the dug-out graves. I pat the mounds of dirt afterwards, moving onto the next, and then the next, and then the next. Until only Sarah is left. I dug her a grave under the willow tree across the river. She was more than just a comrade.

Looking down at her pale face, I kiss her on the forehead for the last time. " Goodbye, my love." I watch her face slowly disappear under the shovelled soil.  And when she is covered, I plunge a stick into the dirt, hanging a neatly made flower crown in between the ridge. I clutch her necklace tightly in my hand, the chain wrapped around my knuckles. I can't part with this.

It hurts to walk away from her. But she's gone.....