In a World They Forgot

Imagine A World Without Me

I watched Miki exit from the kitchen door, smiling softly. She was cute, but she didn’t notice it, just like she didn’t notice the gently sway of her hips with each step that she took or the way she’d bite he lip so innocently when she was concentrating. I didn’t know what I was feeling, but I wasn’t stupid; there was something there and part of me felt the emotions grow stronger with each minute we were together, even if it was just processing DNA silently in the lab. She was beautiful, maybe not one of those natural beauties that make people’s heads turn as they walk down the street, but Miki certainly caught my eye. It was the youthful characteristics that she kept with her despite the horrors that we saw and the air of mystery that she brought with her everywhere. There was so much that she wore on her sleeve for the world to see and even more that she kept deep inside of her, only allowing me to catch glimpses of it when I caught her off guard, or when she didn’t think I was around.

It was scary, finding myself developing feelings for someone who was, professionally, off limits, but it only heightened the excitement of this almost childish crush that I had for the quirky woman who was taking over my lab one day at a time.

I pulled my mind back to the case and looked down at the murdered woman on the floor. No one deserved to die so brutally and be left in a pool of their own blood like it just didn’t matter. The pool of blood would cause us some difficulty as well. If we stepped in it then there’d be a whole world of trouble to deal with. I hopped over it once more, trying to figure how to get close enough to the body for examination without contaminating the scene.

Two bangs echoed around the silent street and Miki was the first and only thing on my mind. I ran from the house, not caring if I stepped in the crimson liquid now, my eyes desperately searching for my fellow CSI, hoping it was her who had fired the shots. I saw a figure turning a corner at the end of the street and I ran towards the van, my eyes falling on a cascade of brown hair that pooled from the open doors of the police vehicle.

"Miki!" I yelled rushing towards the body.

She was on the ground, her hands clutching her stomach and tears flowing from her beautiful eyes. I knelt down next to her and my eyes widened as I noticed the blood streaming through her fingers from the bullet wounds in her abdomen. Panic rose in me and I grabbed the radio from the front of the van and practically screamed for an ambulance before racing back to her side.

"Okay Miki, come on, stay with me." I begged her, moving hair from her paling face, and wiping away her tears with a latex thumb.

She was weakening fast; her hands were no longer helping to stem the flow of blood and they were shaking. Her breathing was short and shallow and her hazel eyes held something that I'd never seen there before.

Terror.

“I’m so sorry Miki.” I placed my hands over the wounds and applied pressure. She screamed in pain, her body lurching from the rough surface of the street. I felt awful for causing her pain, but I had to stem the flow of blood to keep her safe. Her thick crimson blood soaked my gloved hands and it turned my stomach to see it.

"Come on Miki, I need you to stay with me."

Her body was starting to shake and she was fighting against it, her eyes closing and opening, pupils rolling back into her skull.

"No! Come on Romani! Keep your eyes open! Don't you dare go into shock on me! Don't you dare give up!" I yelled at her, terrified about losing her. I kept the pressure heavy and refused to move my hands from her wounds, not even when the blood seeped down to my legs, staining the denim of my jeans red. Her eyes fluttered back open and she let out another cry of pain, balling her fists up and reaching out for something that wasn’t there.