AdrianneSantaRomana

FlashFiction
October26,2015
TheFaultThatNight
byAdrianneSantaRomana

Ayear.Threehundredandsixtyfivedays.Onewholeyearhaspassed
sincethehorridincidentofmystupiddecisionthatmurderedthepersonIlove
themost.Irememberwatchingthelifewithinhimfadeawaybeforeme.
Icanhearhisvoiceaskingmethatnight,asIwaspickingthelockon
thedoortoalab,Whatareyoudoing?ItwasIwhodidntlistentohis
words,andyetIwasleftwithbarelyascratch,thankstohim.Thesoundof
thesturdymetaltankranginmyearsasIbumpedintoit,causingittorock
backandforth.Icanimaginethefaintimageofhimrushingtowardsme,
pushingmeoutoftheway.Irememberlookingatthefamiliarbodyinfrontof
thetankthatslowlycamedown.Thesoundandsmelloffleshbeginningtoburn
caughtmyattentionthatitwasnoordinaryliquidinthetank.Icanremember
thelookinhiseyesandthepainedsmileonhisface.Iknewhetossedhimself
inharmswayinordertoprotectme.Mychestbegantoacheatthememories
andimagesinmyheart.Tricklingdownmyface,thetearsthatIcouldnthold
injustbeingintheroommakesmehatemyselfevenmore.
Icanrememberhearingthesirensfromoutsideandthefootstepsrushing
towardsthedoor.Iquicklyrushedbyhissideastheyranstraightforhim.I
rememberthesofthandsthatheldmine,sotightthatIknewhewouldntlet
go.Hisskin,burnedandmelted.Smokearosefromthebody.Icouldtellhewas
inpain.Myeyes,blurredfromthewaterdrippingdownmycheeks.Uponarriving
atthehospital,theypushedhimintoanoperatingroom.Theytriedtounlock
ourintertwinedhands.Theypushedmeawayfromhim.Icanseemyselfdownon
mykneescrying,helplessinfrontoftheroom.Icanseethemomentreplayin
mymind.Theycameoutwiththeirheadsdown,andalookofdespairontheir
faces.Iknewitwasntgood,butIdidntwanttobelieveanythingtheysaid.
Theradioactivewastecausedsomeserioussomaticdamagetothebody.
Animmenseamountoftheliquidmadecontactwiththeexposedskin.Imafraid
tosaythathewasntabletomakeitoutaliveafterthatincident.Wetried
everythingwecould.Imsorry.
Myheartshatteredintoamillionpieces.Icouldntacceptthefactthat
hedied.Mylipssuddenlybegantomove,Icannowhearthescreamsthatwere
oncetears.Thewordsjustkeptcomingout.Iremembermyhandsachingfrom
poundingthehard,rockwall.
Whatdoyoumeanhesdead!?Iwanttoseehim!!Ineedtoseehim!!
thetearskeptrollingdownmycheeks,butIwasfurious.SomaticDamage!?
LikeIevencare,Idontevenknowwhatthatis!Ijustwanttoseehim.I
rememberslowlyfallingtothefloor,repeatingthatline.
Ijustwanttosee
him.
Everytimemyvoicebecamesofterandsofter,untilallIheardwerethe
dripsofmytears.Onmyknees,myeyesdirectedtothefloor,Icanremember
thesoundoffootsteps.Click,Clack.
Slowlythepersoncametowardsme,andthesoundabruptlystopped.The
youngnursecroucheddowntoliftmychin.Hercalmingeyeslookedrightat
mine.Thewaterinmyeyesdidnotstopasshegavemeawarmembrace.Iknow
ithurtstolosesomeoneyoulove.Heprobablydoesntwantyouactingthis
way.Sheexplainedwhathadhappenedtohim.Fivethousandradsshockinghis

nervoussystem.Internalbleeding.Acomahewasn'tdestinedtowakeupfrom.
Thewordsslippedpassedmymindthatnight.AllIcaredaboutwashim.My
voicewastremblingasItriedtosaysomething.
Theconstantsnifflesofmynoseandthemumblingofmywords,Ifinally
askedthequestion.Why...didnthe...live?
Therewastoomuchradioactivewastethatcameincontactwiththe
exposedbody.Imsorry.Sheunlockedthewarmhug,andliftedmychin.Ionce
againsawtheeyesthatcalmedmedownandabrightsmile,remindingmeofhim.
Iremembermycheekstwitchingtokeepmyfakegrin,butthatsmilethatwas
onceonmyface,suddenlydisappear.Shewrappedherhandsaroundmeoncemore,
andwhisperedinmyear,Staystrong,hesalwayswithyou.Ofcourse,I
didntlisten.
Icanseemyselfsittinginthecornerofhisdarkroom,myheadinmy
kneesandmyarmswrappedaroundmylegs.Iwouldntmove,andIcouldnt
acceptthefacthewaslostfrommylife.Icanrememberthesoundofalion
growlingcomingfrommystomach,yetIbarelygotuptogetfood.Thedays
passed,onebyone,andIdontrememberanyonecomingbytoseehowIwas
doing.Iwouldonlyhearthemumblingofwordsandfootstepsofpeoplewalking
bytheapartment.
Movingonwithlifewasnteasy,andnowhereIamdoingwhatis
consideredtheimpossible.Withhimnolongertherebymyside,givingmylife
direction,mymissionwastochangethepast.Itookonelonglookofthelab
whereitallhappened.Iwantedtoerasethemomentoutofexistence,andsee
mybrotheronceagain,evenifIhavetoforcethegearsoftimetoreverse
themselves.

T.B.D.
byAdrianneSantaRomana