Savannah's Fate [short story]

Chapter 17: Together for Infinity

Chapter 17:

"I didn't mean it!" Jesse cried through Cole's incessant sobbing. "I'd never hurt her..."

Cole only ignored him, still clutching Savannah's lifeless body to his chest. He told himself it was an accident, just a mistake, but he still felt hot anger and sadness rushing through him. He could see his gun belt resting just feet from him. It was right in his reach, and he was so tempted to reach for it and kill Jesse.

But he didn't merely because of Savannah. She wanted the feud, the death, the pain, to be over, and he wasn't going to break that promise to her.

It was over.

Cole lifted his head from Savannah's hair, still holding her tightly. "Savannah didn't die for nothing," Cole choked out. "You hear me? This feud is over."

Jesse only sank farther in the dirt, crying. "Over..."

Tears still ran down Cole's face, and he looked down at Savannah. Her cheeks were still a flushed pink, her lips still bright and youthful, her hair still dark and soft. She looked so alive. He was just waiting for her sky-blue eyes to open and her smile to shine like the sun.

But, somewhere inside him he knew that wasn't possible. She was just an illusion. Her vibrant features were slowly fading until death would be seen. Her life had left her, and yet life was still hanging on, fighting the pull of death. But she was gone. She was gone, and those bright blue eyes would never open; her lips would never give way to a smile. Never again.

When that finally hit him,  his heart hurt inside of him. His heart seemed to be emptying, bursting, slowly losing life itself.

Draining, draining, emptying.

Hate was gone, but so was she.

So was she.

{-}

"You murderer!" a voice bellowed.

Cole slowly raised his head, seeing a despairing man rushing towards him.

"You killed her! You killed my little girl!"

It was Orville. Cole could see his own father's shock and sorrow, but most of all he could see the loss and anger on Orville Tyder's face.

Orville stopped, shaking his head and yelling. "Not Savannah! No my sweet, sweet girl..."

Cole looked down at her, her face paling. He shakily rose, clutching Savannah to him as tears flowed down his face. Words wouldn't form.

"Why? Why, boy? Why kill her?"

Cole wanted to scream it wasn't him, and yet nothing came out. Seconds later, Orville pulled his gun out and aimed it at Cole's head.

Cole didn't move. He couldn't, and he didn't want to.

Romeo and Juliet, his mind screamed.

Cole smiled in spite of everything. Both Romeo and Juliet died together. Cole wanted the same ending. He wanted to be with her. This was their perfect ending, he believed. A poetic, rightful ending.

We love each other. We die for each other and with each other.

Cole watched the gun click back as Orville loaded it. He looked down at Savannah, smiling and running a hand through her hair. "We'll be together," he whispered. "It's over."

Poetic justice, he believed it was called. Lovers die together. That's how it should be.

Cole closed his eyes.  Savannah appeared before him, her face now bathed in light and full of life.

We are infinite, she whispered through the light. We will always be infinite.