The world without Izaiah

1

"Christo! You're awake! Thank god, baby, I was so worried." Christo's mother sobs out tears of joy from his hospital bedside. Two officers stand guarding the door.

The officer on the right lifts his walkie and alerts hospital staff. "Room 111 has regained consciousness." A nurse comes rushing in to take Christo's vitals.

The reality of the situation slowly creeps into Christo's mind, and he tastes a mixture of liquor and morning breath on his lips. His voice came out in almost a whisper, "Mom, I'm so sorry. I drank too much, I didn't think..."

His mom cut him off. "What were you thinking? I almost lost you, and Isaiah he,"

"Isaiah! Where is Isaiah? Is he here?" A saddened look swept across Christo's mother's face.

He didn't even notice a doctor had made her way into the room, standing aside his mother until she spoke. "Your husband he... he didn't make it out of surgery this morning; the semi you hit crushed the passenger side. It broke 5 of his ribs and punctured his lung. I'm so sorry.

The room went still, and the doctor's words replayed in his mind over and over like a broken record. Isaiah was dead, and it was all his fault. Isaiah had been by his side for what felt like an eternity. Isaiah, who had stuck by him through all the torment of his peers. Isaiah, who had held his hand through his long battle with depression.

This was not supposed to happen. He had killed his husband, and there was no turning back time.

An officer slowly walked over and began reading his rights, but all he heard was the beating of his heart, but something was missing. The hand that is supposed to be in his is not there. Instead, an IV sticks out of his skin slightly below his wedding band, a painful reminder of what is now gone forever.

12 years prior:

"Well, hello darling, you must be the new boy everyone is drooling over. Christo, is it?" Christo blushed and held out his band.

"Yeah, and you are?" The boy ignored his hand and awaited a hug, taking Christo by surprise.

"My name is Isaiah. Some people call me Izzy; some people call me weirdo. You take your pick." Isaiah looked at him nervously as if he were awaiting rejection.

"You must get that a lot. I'm not a mean person, don't worry." He studied Isaiah before grabbing his books out of his locker. "Are you gay?"

Isaiah gasped, and his eyes went wide. "Who me? Gayer than Alexander Hamilton's love letters, why do you ask?" Christo snorted.

"No reason. I understand now that may have been an inappropriate and random question." They began walking down the hallway toward the cafeteria for breakfast.

"Hun, you're fine. Everyone and their dog knows I'm a queer. Hope that doesn't ruin my chances of being your friend."

Christo looked down at the floor. "No, not at all. I'm bisexual actually, or at least I suspect I am. Just don't go around telling anyone that, I'm not quite sure yet."

"Well that's great! I'm autistic, I would say don't go around telling people, but I already make it painfully obvious." Christo laughed nervously.

"I had no idea. I mean I guess you are a bit essentric, but I figured with you being gay and all it just was kinda your personality."

The bell rang. "Shit I'm going to be late for class!" Christo groaned.

"So? Skip with me. I'll fill you in on the who's who of Greystone Heights, might even tell you about all the boys I've hooked up with."

"Well okay then, I'm down."

In the hospital:

An officer came with all Christo's release documents. "You're under arrest for the manslaughter of Isaiah Walker." A tear ran down his cheek.

"Your court date is next week. They will determine your final sentencing then."

Tears began cascading down Christo's mother's face. "I love you. I'm disappointed, but I will always love you. Just remember your life is in Gods hands."

"I love you to ma." Mrs. Thomas was always a God loving Christian women. Why? Christo didn't exactly know. She hadn't reacted so well when he told her him and Isaiah were getting married. Then again, she didn't even know they were together in the first place.

She came around though, she learned to love him again and regretted every minute they had spent apart. They would be spending a lot more time apart.

You killed him. Your love is dead. Murderer. Christo's thoughts swirled around in his head, building up like a tsunami.

You'll burn in hell now for sure. Drunken bastard.

The thoughts kept coming like this until they reached the jail, the thought of possibly spending much of his life in prison finally sinking in.

He thought about all the crazy things he had done with Isaiah. All the banter they had shared. The hell that was their high school experience. All the torment, all the knowing feelings shared between them, the day they confessed their love to one another. All gone in the blink of an eye. 7 shots of whiskey and just like that he had ruined everything.