Even in Death (#Wattys2015)

Losing Her: Part 1

The night my girlfriend died was a night I would never forget, and it wasn't even for the simple fact that she had died.

It started out like any other Friday night for us; I was sitting on her bed reading a book, and she was fiddling with a new song she was working on on her guitar...

*FLASHBACK*

"Willow, what do you think about this?" Carson started playing a beautiful riff and I sat up.

"Babe, that's amazing. I've never heard you play that before. What is it?"

Carson set her guitar down and came to lay beside me. I took this moment to run my fingers through her shaggy auburn hair. She turned to face me and laced her fingers through mine, piercing my eyes with her beautiful grey tinted baby blues.

"It's for you, silly. Do you know what today is?"

My heart started to pound a little faster like it always did when we were touching. I timidly shook my head, my long blonde waves falling into my face.

She swept my hair backwards and leaned in and brushed her lips across my forehead. "Today is our anniversary. One year, 23 days, 17 hours..."

I laughed and smacked her butt playfully. "That's not our anniversary, wise guy. Really, what is today?"

Carson reached into her pocket and suddenly my world was flipping upside down. She was down on one knee and holding up a beautiful vintage engagement ring. I shot up and tears pooled in my eyes. A tear trickled down Carson's face.

"Today is the day that I ask you to spend the rest of your life with me. Willow Michelle Parker, I love you. I've loved you since I heard you singing in the choir room at school by yourself. Will you marry me?"

I can't speak but feverishly nod my head up and down and crash my lips against hers. I pull her on top of me and link my fingers through her shaggy locks. We spend the next twenty minutes pressed up against each other. Carson pulls away and smooths the hair on top of my head.

"Let's go to the lake." Carson pulled me up excitedly and yanked me down the stairs straight to her truck. That was one of my favorite things about her. She's so spontaneous and is always taking me on random adventures. We made our way to the nearest lake, which was about twenty minutes away.

I couldn't stop staring at my ring. It was gorgeous. The band itself was rose gold, and an oval diamond sat in the middle, with intricate vines of diamonds twisting around the side. Carson tapped on my knee and pointed to the cd case sitting behind me.

"Can you open that, beautiful? There's a CD in there, should be in the front. Put it in the player for me. It's purple, your favorite color."

I blushed and dug for the cd. The label was a simple heart with "W&C" inside of it. I stuck it in the player right as we pulled up to the lake. Carson parked her truck right next to the water, and pulled me down as the beautiful melody I heard her playing earlier boomed through the speakers.

She pulled me tightly into her arms and we danced for hours listening to the song on repeat. Once the air started to get chilly Carson leaned her forehand into mine and placed a kiss on the tip of my nose. "Ready to go, love?"

I nodded and we climbed into her truck. "That was the best gift ever. But there were no words. What is it called? Why aren't there lyrics?"

"I could never find the right words to go with the melody without sounding morbid."

"Morbid?" I raised my eyebrows suggestively discouraging any creepy theme she had anticipated on going with.

"Morbid. The song is called Even in Death. I wrote it and that's when I decided to buy you the ring. I know that no matter what comes our way, I will always love you and be here for you. I will never leave your side Willow. Not in life, or death."

Words tangled themselves in my throat. I could only manage a small smile. I couldn't believe someone could ever love me as much as she did. I felt so safe knowing I was hers.

Carson started the truck and pulled away. Within a few minutes I had regained the ability to speak like a normal human being. We started goofing off and talking about our wedding and what we wanted. Carson looked towards me and winked. "C'mere babe. Give me just one kiss. I can't wait to kiss you until we get home, it's just not fair."

We leaned in towards each other and our lips met. In an instant everything changed. My lips were torn from hers as my body flung violently against the door. The truck was spinning and flipped on us two times. I moaned as I heard sirens approaching. I couldn't see anything, but reached out to grab Carson's hand.

The first time I reached I couldn't feel anything. I maneuvered myself a few inches and still couldn't feel her. I started to panic. "Carson!" My voice came out high and screechy.

Suddenly a man was touching me and calling out to me. "Miss? Can you hear me miss? What's your name? I'm Tyler, I'm a paramedic. You've been in an accident..."

Those were the last words I heard before darkness enclosed me.