Brone Barnheart Apt. 223

The sun was beaming down; it was a beautiful day outside. I sighed. I was looking out my window at the graveyard. I didn’t see her, but I knew she would be waiting there. I got my stuff and headed toward the elevator.
“Brone,” I head a muffled voice. I paused at door 226.
“Don’t go” …I kept walking. Outside I headed toward the flower shop. The taxidermist was as perky as ever.
“Ok, this is a one time special offer; I have, just for you…a Chinchilla!” I had to stop. “Aren’t those only native to South America?”
“…it’s your lucky day!”
“I hope so,” I said and moved on. An ambulance passed me by, sirens blaring. The flower shop door creaked as I opened it. A girl at the counter looked up.
“I need a bouquet of red roses.” I said.
“Ok,” she said and started to pick out roses one by one. After she had enough she started tying them together with a string.
“Wait, can I have then wrapped in plain white paper, please?”
“Ok,” I paid and left with my bouquet. I didn’t want to emotionally scar the flower girl, so I went into the laundry mat. It was the same guy from before, he sneered.
“I have the right to refuse service to anyone.” He said. I walked to a dryer out of view of the windows, and carefully unwrapped the bouquet.
“Didn’t you hear me?” he said.
“Yeah, I heard you.” I pulled out my gun. “You also have the right to remain silent.” He froze, I sighed. “Don’t worry I’m not gonna shoot you.” I carefully wrapped the roses around my hand, and gun. I tied it back together using my free hand and teeth. I cradled the bouquet and left. He was still frozen.

I went to the graveyard. At the entrance I smelled it again. That scent that has been haunting me all my life...her. There in the graveyard I saw her, the sun beaming down casting half of her face into shadow. She was not smiling. She pulled the pistol out of her pocket and pointed it right at my chest. She came closer.
“It was sunny that day as well...” she said.
“So you didn't come because of the sun?” I said
“I was supposed to kill you, it was all set up. If I had…I would have been free.”
“So why didn't you? You choose to be hunted. Why?”
“Why did you love me?” She said. She lowered her gun and embraced me; I pointed the bouquet at her side.
“Let's just go away somewhere. Escape, vanish, go somewhere where there’s no one else... Just the two of us...” My eyes became cloudy with tears. Click, that unmistakable sound of a gun being cocked. Her eyes widened.
“I wish I could bend my love to hate you,” I said.

      I didn’t even hear the shot. I just felt her go limp. She started to fall backwards.
I caught her and lowered her to the ground.
“Roses? For me?” The life in her eyes faded, she was gone.
I took the gun and left the roses across her chest. I light a cigarette, stared
up at the perfect blue sky, and cried.