Six Months Later

Six Months Later

Copyright 2014 Matt Cairone

All Rights Reserved

It seemed a long time coming, a long time suffering, until the active phase of dying.

Lisa sat by the bed, holding his hand. The breathing was getting worse. The muscles in his chest were too weak to move the phlegm and the mucous. Each breath rattled and gurgled.

There was a foul odor.

Lisa heard a knock on the door. She let go of his hand and placed it on the bed.

“Hello, Lisa,” Lynn said.

“Lynn. I wasn’t expecting you.”

“I know. If it’s weird I’ll go. But I wanted to see him one more time.”

“Come on in. He's in there.”

Lynn walked into the dark room. She strained to see Peter. He was skinny and grey. Lynn thought she might be sick.

Peter sat up with a brief, final surge of energy.

His voice crackled. His dry lips pulled apart with each syllable.

“Where is he, Lynn? Where is he?”

“He’s not here, Peter. I came alone.”

A piercing moan; and he was dead.