Ephemeral

The Innocent

I open my eyes to the destruction around me, buildings are pancakes. I look up to see you, cradling me in your arms. Sorrowful eyes bore into mine. I look down to see a piece of shrapnel lodged deep in my stomach. My blood cascading onto me, dark as night.
"I'm dying aren't I?" I question, my voice scratchy, chest tight. You simply nod and hold my hand to reassure me I'm not alone.
I don't want to go- not just yet, I have things to do and people too see.
"C-can you stop the bleeding?!" I stammered, looking back up at you then down to my wound. You just shake your head, almost like your sorry for me.
"Anything?! Please!" I beg grabbing onto your collar, shaking you.
Then retreating back in agony, that's right I have shrapnel in my stomach- I think to myself.
"Don't work yourself up, it'll hurt more" you say, your voice soft to my ears.
"Can you m-make it easier? Just talk to me or something..." I mumble, my breath raspy-chest tight. You look up at the golden sky, the warmth of the sun lighting up your face.
"Look" you say, directing me to look up at the fiery sky, "watch the sun fall behind the horizon, painting the sky shades of scarlet and pink- they say when the skies red at night it'll be a good day the next day. Red sky at dawn shepherds scorn"
As you look back down on me, I feel the life leaving my body, I see my life; the day I met her, my first day at school, my graduation- all flash before my eyes. Before everything goes white. I feel calm- at peace. Then nothingness.
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You lay in my arms, eyes glazed over, chest no longer moving. I feel like I've done you good, assisting you through death. I shut your open lifeless eyes. And leave you where you died, surrounded by all the other dead and dying people, civilians; woman, children, men, the elderly. The innocent. The ones who did nothing to deserve this chaos, this dismal moment of death.