SHORT STORIES

in the beginning

"Don't leave me!" His scream betrayed a hint of panic.

"I have to go." Her whisper was soft and angelic, carrying over to him like a gentle midnight breeze.

She didn't want to go. That would mean leaving her one true love behind. Her Elijah.

Tears welled in their eyes. They couldn't leave one another. Being a young couple, goodbyes were hard.

It was him. Drake Rodgers. It was him who got Elijah's beautiful Sarah into an accident. And because of this, he made a promise to himself. He'd make Drake pay. At Elijah's hands, Drake would die.

They were in the hospital. The monitor beeped, keeping track of Sarah's heartbeat. Elijah and Sarah held onto each other, for as long as each of them could.

Until her beautiful, ethereal gray eyes began to glaze over. Until her breathing became labored, forced. Elijah heard a gentle sigh and looked at Sarah to see her rosy pink lips spreading in a small smile.

"You'll find her. She'll bring a happiness that will mend your broken heart." Sarah told him. "She'll bring love and excitment back into your life."

Elijah shook his head. "No one can give me that. No one but you."

"Oh, but Elijah... She'll be different. Very different. Her beauty, rare and incomparable, will be the first thing that catches your eye. Her hair darker than midnight, eyes wild like thunderstorms."

Tears fell from Elijah's eyes. He never cried. But he felt so vulnerable the instant he discovered his one true love had moments to live.

He didn't believe a word she was saying. No one would make him happy like Sarah did. No one possessed beauty that even remotely rivaled hers.

"No one can make me feel the way you can," he whispered into Sarah's ear. He held onto her hand and squeezed it slightly.

A light chuckle escaped Sarah's lips.

"My touch is nothing compared to hers. Her touch will be so powerful, it will make you physically weak, mentally weak... weak in every sense. Her presence alone will make you fall at her feet. The slightest touch from her fingertips will send surging fire through your bones."

Elijah watched Sarah as she told him all this. It scared him, slightly. No one could do that to him but Sarah. The way she was talking about this girl frightened him. When she said he would be weakened around this mysterious girl.

"You will beg her constantly for her touch. Her kisses will become your newest addiction. Your favorite drug. You will realize that you can't live without her. And it'll scare you to the point where you realize you would give your heart to her willingly because you're in love with her.

"Don't hurt her. Because if you do, the second time she leaves you will be for good. Then you will never, in your entire life, have another chance at happiness. So don't push her away. Keep her close."

Elijah sat there, beside Sarah, listening to every word that came out of her. But he didn't dare believe it. His heart would remain broken for the rest of his life.

Sarah's eyes closed once before opening again. She turned her head to the side to look at Elijah. A content sigh emitted from her lips. She was happy knowing that one day, Elijah would find happiness. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

He was truely beautiful. Nothing could compare to him. His features were so striking, she believed God took special time in creating Elijah.

"I love you," she managed in a whisper.

She heard him cry harder as he burrowed his head closer to her neck. She held back her tears, though. She had to stay strong.

Elijah was a powerful man. Though, he wasn't good person. Yet seeing him like this was unimaginable. He never showed his vulnerability to anyone but Sarah.

That was because he truly loved her.

"Don't go. Please. Stay. I won't be able to take it if you leave me," he cried.

"No. You have to stay for her. You can't leave her. She needs you just as much you need her," she reasoned with him.

"I don't need her. I want you," he said, broken.

Sarah shook her head. "You won't need me anymore once you find her." She reached out and brushed his hair away from his dark, green eyes. He shook his head, no. Then she took a shaky, forced breath into her lungs. "Tell me you love me."

He bit his lips. Closed his eyes. Whispered into her ear, "I will always love you."

Then her soft hand slipped from his grip a moment before the monitors flatlined.