"Love Kills."

"Love Kills." 9 Remembered

July 4

"Love Kills."

"So does a heart attack."

-

I had become very good friends with a nice old lady that basically lives in the hospital room next to mine. Her name was Cynthaya and she found that I was a naive little girl who deserves to die.

That's at least what she said the first time we met, but I have come to learn she apparently meant the opposite. She had a tumor in her brain that makes her say things she doesn't mean, much like me when it came to the saying things. She tells me everyday that she's going to die today, but I have a feeling she's just making things up so I'll give her my pudding.

I walked into her room, seeing her glaring at the small television in the corner of the room. "This fucking television is a piece of shit," she yelled, intending for the nurses to hear her.

She glanced at me out of the corner of her eye, me smiling at her.

Her eyes narrowed the slightest bit, "Get that smile off your face, Girl." I quickly wiped the smile off my face and walked beside her bed. "I'm dying today. I can feel it. I know I've told you everyday for the past few weeks, but I can feel it. I smell lilacs! Lilacs, Girl!"

My eyes widened, "Are you sure?"

Cynthaya nodded slowly. "I can feel it, Girl," she said, grabbing my hand and patting it lightly. "I'm finally goin' to croak and be with my dear Jonathan! I'm so excited, Girl! I'm going to see him. Oh gosh, what if my afterlife will forever be in a hospital gown because I die in one? The first thing he'll see is me in a hospital gown, and he's in a tuxedo!"

I furrowed my eyebrows, "Tuxedo? Why would he be in a tuxedo? Didn't he die in the war thirty seven years ago?"

Cynthaya smiled sadly, "Darling, this is the forty sixth time I'm telling you, he died on our wedding day thirty seven years ago."

I chuckled. "Cynthaya, you're starting to lose your memory again." I patted her hand, "Maybe you will die today. But I'm sure the afterlife manager will let you change your outfit to one of more sophistication."

Cynthaya didn't wipe that sad smile off her face for the next twenty minutes.

After the next twenty minutes, Cynthaya spoke. "Oh darling, I love you, but I have to see Jonathan now. I'll see you soon."

I racked through my brain before furrowing my eyebrows. "What are you talking about? Who's Jonathan?"

Cynthaya never got to answer my question.

-

Later that night, I was sitting with Kai on my bed, watching spongebob on the tiny TV. His arm was wrapped around my shoulder and my head was on his chest.

"Dylan?"

"Yes, Kai?"

"Why aren't you sad about Cynthaya dying?"

"She was happy, wasn't scared of dying. Said somethin' about a Jonathan. God knows that woman was going crazy," I sighed.

Kai unwrapped his arm from my shoulder and sat up straight, looking at me. "Dylan, you loved that woman, why haven't you even shed one tear since this morning?"

I furrowed my eyebrows again, "Why would I cry?"

Kai gave an exasberated sigh, "Because Cynthaya died, Dylan."

A minute passed and my eyebrows furrowed even more, then I smiled a bit, still confused. "Who's Cynthaya?"

Kai looked at me with the same terrified expression on his face for the next two minutes before he shed a single tear. I still didn't understand why he was crying; I'd never met anyone named Cynthaya.

Not that I remembered anyway.