Aaron Burr, Sir

6. His Wounds Are Reopened

6. His wounds are reopened.

It was a silent November night when it happened.

He was reading by the candlelight next to his bed, thumbing the rough pages of parchment in between his fingers as he flipped the pages. He was engrossed in his reading that he did not see his 6 year old son, Aaron, standing by the doorway.

"Pa?" His son's voice shook Aaron out of his concentration. Aaron looked up towards his son, then immediately leaped out of bed when he saw the blood pouring out of his son's mouth.

"Aaron," he said, placing his son delicately on his own bed, "what happened?"

"Pa," the young 6 year old coughed furiously, and more blood leaked out of his mouth, collecting on his chin, dripping to his night robes. "My chest hurts."

You see, young Aaron had been feeling chest pains every day for time now. However, young Aaron was selfless, and when he saw his pa staring vacantly at the sky, he never had the courage to express his own pain to his father.

Aaron grabbed the glass of water by his night stand, gingerly pressing the cold glass to his son's lips. However, young Aaron only started coughing more violently, earthquakes passing through his body.

"Pa," His son tried to speak, but his chest only heaved harder.

"Don't," Aaron whispered, pulling his son close to his chest. "Please, save your strength. We're going for help, alright?"

His son nodded, and Aaron grabbed a blanket from the bed, covering his son as much as he could. Aaron picked up his son, and was out the door in the mere span of seconds.

The chilly November air made shudders pass through both, father and son, as they tried to keep their strength.

Aaron then noticed his son's eyes starting to shut, and he immediately cried out. "No, my son, please don't close your eyes. Stay awake, please."

"Pa," the six year old mumbled to his father, "I'm so tired."

"I know, I know." Aaron broke down with a sob, "Please, my son. Please."

But young Aaron Burr Columbe was tired, and one last breath left his lips before he closed his eyes and went to sleep.

And all Aaron Burr could do was scream in agony as death took someone he loved, one more time.