Karuna Iovine

I am conscious but cannot open my eyes.

I hear voices. They are talking about me.

"She should be conscious by now, she will open her eyes any minute. Should I...?" says a male voice.

"Yes, bring him in" says another voice.

I listen to the men's footsteps leave the room. As the door shuts I try to make sense of this.
My body is numb, I can barely feel anything but something metallic sustaining me.
What has happened, I wonder. Was I in some kind of accident? I just can't recall anything.

I open my eyes. They burn and I can't see a thing. This frightens me, but before I panic a noise catches my attention. It sounds like something is being wheeled into the room. At that moment the metal object supporting my body disappears. I fall and hit the floor hard.

I look up startled but all I can make out are blurred shapes. The room seems small and dark.

"Leave them" says the second unknown voice. I hear the men leave the room. Am I alone now?


Freezing from the cold floor I struggle to make sense of all this. Suddenly a new voice behind me speaks out calling my name.

I recognize the voice at once. Its my husband's. I take a leap towards him, just to find out that my legs don't work. Terrified I shake my legs in a hopeless attempt to make them work.

He calls my name again.

I try to respond this time but my words barely make a sound. He seems to have heard me though because he's next words are "Fast, we haven't got much time!"

"I can't walk!" I shout in desperation, finding my voice.

"It will pass, follow my voice and crawl towards me. We must hurry".

Without question I start to crawl towards my husband's voice until I abruptly hit my head onto what I imagine being some kind of metallic wall.

"Where are you?" I manage to squeak trough the pain.

"Climb" Is all he answers

Climb? I reach out searching and soon enough find a pole to hang on. I pull myself up. My body screams in excruciating pain but I keep my grip and manage to throw myself onto a pile of pillows.
Pillows?

Before I can think about anything  rational my husband whispers in my ear " I can't breathe".

With astonishment I realize he is the pile of pillows and without a second thought I throw my my arms around him.

I instantly feel that something is wrong. I feel it in my veins.

"What has happened?" I ask nervous.

"Take my hand" Is all he responds.

As I take my husband's hand into mine I do not feel the same smooth and hard hand I remember.

This hand is prune like. Old and weak.

Frightened I immediately try to pull my hand away but he grips it tighter.

I feel my blood drain from my face as I realize that this old man beneath me is my husband. But how can it be? We were together only yesterday...

NO! This cannot be! My memory comes back, crashing down on me. I remember. I remember him.
He separated us. He froze me in carbonite!

Slowly regaining my eyesight I look down at what must be my husband's face. I feel my tears running down my cheeks as I realize that this is the end.  He's dying.
In a matter of minutes I will lose a part of myself. My companion. My one true love. I put my head down in grief.

"Look at me" my husband says.

My throat is too tight to respond. My heart too heavy to have the strength to look into he's eyes.
I force myself to do it for this is the last time I'll ever see the light in him.

"I won't let you die... " I start.
"There must be something I can do. I'll do anything!" I am shouting at the door now hoping some miracle to occur and save my love.

"Calm down now" I hear my husband say. "We haven't got much time".

"You have to go on dear" He continues. "His breath is getting heavier each minute. My eyes refill with tears. I already know what he is trying to tell me.

"I can't" I choke through my sobbing

"You must" He says his voice totally different now.

I search his face with my eyes to understand the the change in his tone.

He leans towards me  and whispers "I did it" in my ear. I stare at him blankly.

"I did it" he repeats. He looks at me as my eyes widen with awareness.

"You must kill him!" He says suddenly before I can respond "Promise me you will kill him".

All I can do is nod. My head is spinning. My mind will not accept my husband's  news. My heart will not accept I'm losing him.

"I love you" I hear him whisper faintly.

I kiss him and whisper back "I love you" but he's already gone.



I should be moving fast now. I should run. I need to escape this place to go on. But I can't move.
All I can do is hold my lost love and grieve.