Sickeningly Sweet

Epilogue

 

  I walk down the crisp white hall that I have been walking down for the past 6 months.  6 months.  Has it really been that long since Rose died?  I dont think she even knew she jumped in front of the bullet that was meant for me.  I could have saved her.  Hell she could have saved herself if she didn't make sure that every drop of blood was drained from Sugars body.

  "I couldn't let it be you"  she said.

  Her breathing was staggered.  She struggled to say her last words to me. 

 I yelled, pleaded for her to stop.  "Please.  Rose stop!  Shes weak we can shoot her!  Just stop, you dont have to do this!"  A single tear streams down her face.  I know she hears me, but she doesn't stop.

  Sugar is on the ground.  She is dead, no doubt about it.  The last white rose turns red as Rose closes her eyes.

  "ROSE !  NO!"  I scream for her to come back to me.

  All that is left is her limp corps in my arms.  I had seen her cry more than she even knows, but this time, when it truly counted, she shed only one tear.

  "How are you Henry?"  I hadn't realized that I had gotten to my therapists office and sat down in her white chair.

  Everything in her office was white.  The walls, the desk, the chairs, even her hair and outfit.  It hurt my eyes.  I close them for a moment to relieve them. 

  Her voice bounces off the walls, it was the only noise in the relativly empty space. 

"I couldn't let it be you."

  Roses face flashed in my mind.

 It should have been me.  I betrayed you, but I love you so much that the pain I feel is worse than death.  Why did you have to save me Rose? 

  "You havent said anything to anyone since Roses passing."

  I look up at her.  Her hair is in a slick back tight pony tail.  It was perfect.  Her white pencil skirt was ironed perfectly, along with her long sleeve button down.  It reminds me of Sugar.  Everything about her was a mask, a perfect mask that Rose could see through.

  I look at Sugars body and scowl.  She didn't look anything like she did when she was alive.  SHe had wrinkles all over her face, most of her teeth were missing, but she had a ghoast of a smile on her face.  It was as if she was saying she had won.

  The soldiers came running in, but they came too late.  Our original plan was that they would wait for 10 minutes then come in and catch everybody, even Rose by surprise.  But a lot can happen in 10 minutes. 

  They look at me, then at Rose, then at Sugar.  I had planed on asking Rose to marry me for real after all of this was over.  I never though that her nightmare I had saw would become a reality, or at least she stopped a part of it from becoming real.

  I realize that the therapist I was assigned to has stopped asking questions.  I never really cared to learn her name. 

  She is silent, as if she was thinking something over.

  "What if Rose was still with us?  What would you be doing?" 

  If Rose was still alive, we would be somewhere else.  I would take her away from this place so she would be happy.  Of course I dont answer her.  I just look at her desk.  I see that there is nothing on it.  Usually there is a folder, but there is nothing in sight. 

  Maybe she will finally let me live in peace.  Maybe she wont make me come here anymore. 

"I couldn't let it be you."

  The more I think of those words the more selfish I think she is.  She didn't want to live without me, more like she couldn't bare losing another person.  So she took the bullet and left me here.

  I let out a single laugh, "Isnt that sickeningly sweet." 

  I get up from the white chair and reach for the white doorknob to go back to my white life and paint it red.