The Tragedy of Us

Part Two

The Tragedy of Us

Part Two: Who’s Next?

 

“Evangeline, is she…?” Pru looked up at Evangeline. I couldn’t look at anyone else other then Ava, but I could still see out of my peripherals, sharp as ever. I saw Evangeline nod, tears and mascara streaking her face.

All I could do was hold my one and only… the one who made me whole… she who made me a new and better man… mine who was no more. “Skyler?” I jerked at the touch of Pru’s hand on my shoulder. Though she hadn’t shed a tear the whole time Ava was sick and dying, I could see a hint of what was to come later behind her cold stare.

“What?” My voice was thick from the combination of emotion and too many tears swallowed in the face of utter defeat. “What is it, Pru? What else can be done now? She’s gone… my Ava…” I couldn’t bite back the tears anymore.

Evangeline stepped out of the room to cry more. I could hear her voice, fighting to rise yet struggling to stay down. I didn’t wipe my face as the tears came. I couldn’t; it was taking all I had to just hold Ava in my arms.

 

A week later, I still hadn’t moved. Evangeline had stopped trying to get me to leave, and put a sealing spell on Ava so she wouldn’t start to decompose on us. She brought me plates piled high with food. It was no doubt Quin’s attempt to make me feel better, but I only ate enough to keep me from passing out.

Pru came to visit me every day, but I refused to acknowledge her presence. “Skyler,” She said, softly. It sounded like her voice was hoarse from tears shed. “Skyler, you can’t stay here with her like this. It’s not healthy for any of us right now to behave like this,” Still, I didn’t acknowledge her existence. She came over and spoke quietly, “I know you loved her. I know because we all did. You don’t think we all died a little with her?” Pru touched my shoulder, like she did the day Ava died.

I turned on her, angry for no reason except that there wasn’t another person to vent on. “What do you want from me, Pru? You want me to just get up and get on with my life now that she’s gone?”

Pru didn’t answer at first. Then she said, hollow and broken, “We have to let her go, Skyler. As much as it hurts, she would want us to move on and keep going. She would want us to let her go,”

“I can’t do that to her. I can’t pretend she was some fling that lasted longer than it should have,” She bowed her head so I couldn’t see her eyes, but I didn’t care if I hurt her feelings. I wanted someone to hurt as much as I was. “That shows no honor to her memory or her fighting spirit! I can’t just pretend what she stood for meant nothing! I loved her! I loved her more than anything in this world or the next! You can’t expect me to just-” SLAP!

My head snapped left with the force put on my neck. Shocked, I touched my face. The skin was tender, and I could feel the blood rush to the hand print I knew must be forming. Pru had just slapped me, something I never thought she was capable of doing to anyone let alone one of her friends. “Get up.” She raised her head, and I could see her eyes, glittering from something that was definitely not tears. The color and look of her eyes… she seemed almost demonic, but I couldn’t turn away.

“What?” I whispered, captivated by the glow starting in her eyes.

“Get… Up…” She leaned in closer as she said it slowly and deliberately. I watched as the glow became more and more pronounced.

“Why?” I was still in shock, but I was coming out of it… fast. “Why should I do anything you tell me to-” SLAP!!  This time it was the other cheek, and Evangeline had just come in time to see it. I didn’t notice she had another huge plate of food.