Love in a Nutshell

Present day.

Charlie

There wasn’t enough air in the room for me to scream. I choked on every breath I took. Ado lay on the blood stained beige carpet. My heart was leaping from my chest trying to break apart my ribs. I was rooted to the spot feeling helpless as people streamed around me. Shivers of fear ran up my spine, the sight of her lying there- auburn hair in a tangle over her face, bloody clothes ripped from her body, angry welts covering her face chilled me to the bone. She was so far away I couldn’t reach her. It could have been me on the ground with the way I felt. Though all I could think of was what song she would have for this moment, never mind that someone was, dying what would be their soundtrack is all she would be talking about.

Time had slowed every second was an hour, every meter a mile. Every sound seemed a million miles away I couldn’t hear what anybody was saying. Tears welled in my eyes threatening to spill over. The floor shook like an angry fist slamming down, shaking sense into me. My head snapped up and I was seeing everything. Voices echoed off the yellow walls filling my head, driving me crazy.

“ADO!” I screamed long and hard. My voice sounded hoarse and raspy. “Call an ambulance.” I sobbed kneeling down to Ado. That’s when I saw it, the blood pooling on the floor between her legs. My voice hitched as I tried to speak. I sat in disbelief. I wanted to rip curtains off the pole, smash photo frames against the walls I just wanted to be angry. I know who it had been, he had walked in with the crowd acting ignorant of what had happened.

“Charlie, calm down” Beth whispered in my ear and attempted to pull me from the floor where Ado lay broken –dying. I shook her off of me and pushed myself up and turned to the crowd. Three EMTs were trying to push their way through the tumultuous crowd but no one was moving.

“Get out of the fucking way!” I cried. They quickly made a path through to Ado. I watched as two men carefully loaded Ado onto a stretcher. I brushed wild blond curls from my face and smudged mascara over my grimy face. I leaned in and lightly kissed Ado on the lips. “It’s going to be okay, it’s all going to be okay baby. I was pushed out of the way as they made their way out of the room. I stood staring after them, remembering her promise. I wrapped my arms around me and hugged myself.

“Charlie I phoned your Mom, she’s coming with Ado’s parents.” Beth said and rubbed my back soothingly.

 

“You promised me Ado.” I whispered “You promised you wouldn’t leave.”