Dead Blood

Memorial

Mornings were hell on Greg now. He couldn't wake up without feeling like bawling his eyes out, and he couldn't sleep at night without even taking a sip from a small flask.
Guillermo walked in on him, seeing him chug down said flask. "Greg? Are you sure you're okay?" He stared at him.
"I'm fine. You know, my girlfriend's memorial is today, and I have to speak about her. So, I'm just great," Greg said sarcastically. He couldn't really control what he was saying, since the alcohol took over.
Guillermo looked at him and took his flask. "Greg, it's your girlfriend's memorial, you don't need to show up drunk off your ass."
Greg growled. "Give me my god damn flask before I rip your hands off," he said as he took it from him. He took a long sip, as the bitter taste of rum entered his mouth.
Star stepped out of her room and grabbed a drink. She saw what was going on with Greg, and she threw an ice cube at him.
The ice cube hit him in the head. "Ow!" He rubbed his head. "What the hell was that for?"
"Sober up, you asshole!" She screamed at him. "It is your girlfriend's memorial, and you're gonna show up drunk? She would be ashamed of you."
Greg sighed as he went to the door. "What does it matter? She's dead... and I couldn't save her." He opened the door and left. The smell of booze and shame leaving a trail behind him.
Guillermo sighed as he stared at Star.
"He's been like this since we got back home," he stated. "I'm worried about him."
Star stepped toward him and embraced him. "He's grieving. And, at this point, there's nothing we can do for him." She sighed as she rested her head on his chest.
Greg had gone outside to wait in the car, after vomiting into the trash can near the building. "Fuck..." he slowly shuffled his way into the back seat. His thoughts kept wrestling with each other. On one end, he had the anger from Connor murdering Natalie in cold blood. On the other end, he had the grief and regret of not being able to save her from dying. He just stared blankly out the window while his mind just went about.
Guillermo and Star made their way down to the car. Guillermo got in the driver's side and turned the engine over. Star sat in the back with Greg.
Star stared at Greg while he just sat and peered out the window. She worried for him, but, she couldn't say anything, because he would just lash out and say he was fine. But, she knew better, because she would catch him late at night, crying and watching old movies. "Greg?" She called to him.
He didn't answer. He was too lost in his own thoughts.
Guillermo looked back at them, seeing Greg in a blank state. "Bro? You okay?" He asked softly.
Greg soon looked around him and checked the time. "How did... when did we leave?" He asked.
"A minute ago," Guillermo answered. "You were shitfaced most of the time."
Greg sighed heavily and looked down. "I'm not ready for this, guys." He looked at all of them. "I don't want to do this..."
Star sighed and put her hand on his shoulder. "We know, but, sometimes, you have to do what's necessary. And, I think she would rest easy if you spoke about her again."
Greg nodded. "I just... I wish I could've saved her. Then none of this would be happening."
Guillermo pulled into a parking spot, and right there, he saw where the service was held. Right in front of them. "Well, we're here."
Greg stared directly at the coffin. "We didn't even bring her body back... why do we have a coffin?" He asked as he stepped out of the car.
"They felt it would've been better to use one," Star explained.
"What? Use an empty coffin rather than nothing? Settle for a lie?!" He screamed as he marched over there.
"What do you think you're doing then, Greg?" Guillermo said as he stopped him. "Drinking your problems away?!"
Star broke them apart. "Now is not the time for this!"
"Oh, I think now is the time," Guillermo said. "You're lying to yourself by sinking into a bottle every minute of the day!"
"Who the fuck are you to tell me what I'm doing?!" Greg screamed. "You didn't lose the one you love, Guillermo. You're not the one in agony, here, I am!!" He said as he broke down. "I can't do this..." he ran away from the service.
Guillermo went to chase after him, but, Star held him back. "Let him go," she said to him softly. "He needs to be alone with his thoughts. In the meantime, we have a memorial to attend." They made their way to the grave.
Greg had made his way to the reflecting pool as he held a bottle of rum in his hand. He popped the cap off and took a long swig. As the alcohol rushed through his body, he stared at the clear surface of the water. His reflection stared right back at him. "You could've saved her..." he whispered to himself. "It wasn't my fault..." he whispered again. All of it, those words, they kept playing again and again. Like a broken record, over and over. He went to take another swig, but, he couldn't. Something in his mind spoke to him, in Natalie's voice.
"Greg," it said. "What are you doing?"
He gasped as he fell to the ground. "Natalie? I... you're not..." he stuttered.
"Greg, what you're doing. You're killing yourself," it stated.
"I know," he answered. "But, what else can I do?" He broke down. "You're gone. I couldn't save you."
"It wasn't your fault. Besides, I did it to protect you," she spoke softly. "Your life was more important to me. I know you're in pain, but, you can't do this to yourself. All this does is cause problems for you, Guillermo, and Star."
Greg shed more tears. "What can I do?"
"Put the bottle down. Let me go," she told him. "Greg. If you want to die, then do it when you're old, and have lived the life that we couldn't."
Greg looked at the bottle of rum in his hand, wanting to take another drink. But, he knew, it wouldn't help anything. He knew. "I did this a year ago, then you came back to me. Now... it's time again." He sighed. "Natalie... if you can hear this. I love you, I forgive you, and... I let you go." He released his grip on the bottle as it fell and broke on the cement.
The memorial had just finished, Guillermo and Star went back to the car. "At least the food was good," Guillermo said.
Star sighed. "I wish Greg was here..."
Guillermo had started the car, and before he even backed up, his phone rang. He answered. "Hello?"
"Agent Madriz, hello," the person said.
"Mister President. What's the matter?" Guillermo asked.
"We need you and Agents Adler and Kruger right away. We have a lead on the source," The President explained.
"We're on our way." He hung up. "Guess we need to pick up Greg. The President just found a lead on the source of the epidemic."
After that was said, the back door opened, and in came Greg. "So, I guess you got the call?" He asked.
Guillermo nodded. "You sure you're up for this?"
Greg took a bottle from his jacket. It was clear, and tasted plain in his mouth. "Water. Never realized how bland it was," he laughed. "But, I'm up for this. It's time to end this where it started."