Ringo's Requiem

Chapter 11: In the Morning

Ringo's eyes shot open.

He was in his bed, his wife still sleeping soundly next to him.

The last images of another nightmare faded in his head, making it hard to remember what it was about.

Sighing quietly, he rolled over, staring at the clock on his nightstand.

7:00

Sessions were supposed to start at 8:30 today.

Slowly, Ringo got out of bed, taking extra care not to stir Maureen from her sleep.

He reached towards the nightstand's drawer and opened it.

His gaze fell upon a pencil, a crinkled piece of paper, and...

Ringo shook his head, taking in a deep breath.

The drummer grabbed the pencil, paper, and the gun, closing the drawer.

He set the objects on top of the nightstand and stared at his sleeping wife, who was on her side, facing him.

Tears forming in his eyes, Ringo leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"F-forgive me... sweetheart..."

Quietly, he picked up the three objects and quietly opened the bedroom door, cringing at the slight squeaking sounds that emitted from it.

Taking a moment to stare back at Maureen, Ringo closed the door.

His gaze fell on the two doors do his children's rooms, and the guilt grew in his heart.

Slowly, he opened the door to Zak's room and stared at his sleeping form for a moment.

He closed the door and went over to Jason's room, opening his door as well and staring inside.

Blinking tears away, Ringo closed the door and slowly turned his head to the staircase.

"Come on..." He whispered to himself.

"You can do this..."

As quietly as he could, Ringo waked down the stairs, stopping once he got to the bottom.

Sighing quietly, he stared at the coffee table that sat in front of the sofa.

He put the paper down on it, placing the loaded gun next to it as he knelt down.

Letting the tears run freely from his eyes, Ringo placed the pencil to the paper, not even caring about the fact that his spelling was not the best.

He began to right.

~

To John, Paul, or George,

I'm sorry for not being in the studio today.

Theres something that I nead to deal with today, something that I shoodn't reveal now.

I just want you three to know something.

I have not bene feeling me best for sometime now, and I'm not shur if any of you haf noticed.

By the time you all find this, I'll probaly be finished whith it.

I'm sorry.

I love you three, but I just carn't take all the argueing, yelling, and fighting anymore.

I stil remember when we could just be with eachother and do something fun without, wel, you all know.

Tell my family that this wasnt their fault.

I carn't be saved now.

I just want you three to know that, even thow I'm about to do something very bad in your eyes, I still love you three more than anything else.

I just wish that any of you could haf notised what was wrong with me before I had to do this.

Sincerely, Ringo.

I'm so sorry.

~

By the time he had finished writing, Ringo was sniffling quietly, a few tears falling onto the paper.

Taking in a breath, he left the pencil on the coffee table and stuck the paper into his pants pocket.

He walked over to the space in front of the front door and put his shoes on, grabbing the same coat he had on yesterday.

He put it on, hiding the gun in one of its larger pockets.

Ringo wiped away the tears from his face and stood in front of the door.

From here, he would go to the studio, and place the note at his drum set. He would go to the place he would go to whenever he needed to have some time by himself and...

Slowly, a smile began to form on Ringo's face, tears still streaming from his eyes.

"It's all over..."

He reached toward the door handle and turned it, opening the door.

Ringo stepped out onto the porch, closing the door behind in.

Taking in a deep breath of the fresh air, Ringo once again wiped the tears away from his face.

"At least it'll be quick..."

With those words, Ringo began to walk down the steps that led up to the porch, preparing himself for what he knew was coming very soon.