Let You Go | ONC 2022

Death Day Dinner

He had gotten the call at 10:00 PM on a Friday night unexpectedly. "Your girlfriend is in the hospital. You were listed in her emergency contacts."

When he arrived in the hospital, flinging open the door to her room in a frenzy, her parents sat next to her bed. He placed a hand on her mother's shoulder, listening to her sniffles. Even her father's eyes were tearing up as they watched their dying daughter.

A nasty scar leaking scarlet liquid ran across her head, a stream of blood slowly leaking out of her nose. Her raspy breaths and beeping machines were the only noises that filled the sterile room.

The doctors had told him she wouldn't make it, but he never lost hope. Not even after the screens showed a flat line.

He looked at the love of his life. Her tanned arms and legs, twisted in places they shouldn't be. Her perfect olive skin, covered with smears of dark red. Her dark brown hair, messy and tangled, lay flat against the bed. Her pale pink lips released shallow breaths every few seconds.

Her mother erupted in tears as her daughter's breaths began to come to a slow halt. Her father buried his face in his hands, uncoordinated sobs coming from his hands. His mother rose from the uncomfortable hospital face, burying her head in Skyler's shoulder, attempting to conceal her continuous sobs.

He held her hand when she died. He squeezed it as hard as he could.

***

"Skyler! Come down for dinner."

It had been 20 hours since he got the call from the hospital that his girlfriend was dying. It had been 18 he left the hospital, his heart crushed and happiness dissipated. He hadn't slept at all the night of. He was too busy sulking in his room to acknowledge the world continuing on without him. He had no desire to eat, his appetite gone after seeing his girlfriend's wrangled body earlier.

He heard a knock on his door, before it was pushed open by his mother. She offered him a sympathetic smile. "I know you're upset, honey. We all are. Natalia was a wonderful person. But you have to eat."

"It's not fair."

Skyler's mom took a seat on his bed, half the sheets torn off and in a pile on the floor. "I know, honey." She rubbed a hand on his back. "Nothing in life is fair, trust me. But are you really going to let this ruin your life? Natalia wouldn't want this."

"It's not fair how she was killed by some dumbass driving on the roads when he was wasted. It's not fair she was killed so early when she had a whole life in front of her. It's not fair how she was killed, but the whole world continues on like normal and doesn't care."

"That's how life works, honey. I know it's hard for you, and that's okay. Life goes on, and things will get better." She rose from her seat on the bed, the mattress rising up with her. "I made your favorite, lasagna. Just come down and take a few bites, okay? Then I'll leave you alone for the rest of the night."

Reluctantly, Skyler rose from his bed. His mom gave him a thankful grin before walking out the door, an upset Skyler on her heels.

"Make sure to wash your hands," his mom said before walking down the carpeted stairs. He pushed open the door to the bathroom and flicked on the light before shivering. Goosebumps covered his arms. He felt someone staring at him, even though he was the only one upstairs. Something felt off.

Brushing it off as his own imagination, he turned on the faucet, coating his hands in soap and washing it off with cool water. He dried his hands before flicking off the light and trudging down the stairs. He could hear his parents discussing Natalia downstairs. "Her parents said that the funeral is in two weeks. I told her I'd be happy to help."