"I'm dying"

The 9th day — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 09:47:58 GMT

Her body lay silent on a bed of congealing blood now. Dressed in torn and bloody black overalls, battered and bruised flesh peeking through the rips and tears, she shook as he gently leaned over and lovingly kissed her pale, quivering bloody lips. Her chest rose and fell radically as she struggled to just breathe. Blood and mucus bubbling out of her nose with every ragged, exhale. He knelt gently on the bed beside her, slowly touching her face with his fingers, feeling the trembling flesh of her cheek and lips.

"A year ago we met and now I wish we had more time," He whispered and smiled so warm. "I can't save you Tessa, but can release you from all your pain." He gazed down at her face, almost hypnotized by her struggle. He kissed her again, moving slowly over her quivering lips almost inhaling the kiss, as he reached down, and lifted the mask that lay beside him. He held it in his hand as he finished her last kiss then sat up and grinned down at her. Her body shook and arched as she struggled against the horrific pain of battered and broken bones. "Shh..." he cooed her, running a finger tenderly over broken her lips.

He lifted the mask and placed it carefully on her terrified face. "It's over now. You are the end."

"No," a breathless whisper rose from the mask as her head rolled slowly back and forth.

He slowly stood up and remained at the edge of the bed for a moment; his dark eyes stared down at her as he watched her weakly struggle under the mask with a smile.

She gasped and painfully struggled, blood foaming up out of her throat, and ran down the side of her mouth, forcing her to breathe in deep gurgling gasps. The pitiful weak cries were staggered by choking on the blood and too soft for any one to hear. Foaming blood and spit rolled down from under the mask, sliding down her pale neck.

Tears slid from her bruised eyes and she could hardly move anymore as she gradually started to fade. There were no screams, just whimpered cries muffled by the mask, her heart beat ebbing within her dying body.

Her life would soon end; a brutal destiny that was not supposed to be hers but had become hers, nevertheless, with a slice of a knife. Her eyes growing so afraid and distant as her body trembled in an unforgiving, and deep relentless pain, exhausting her will to fight much more. The deep pain in her chest sharpened, as she gradually suffocated in her own body fluids with every labored breath. She stared out at the room before her as it tunneled and darkened; I know this room, she thought as her dying thoughts rambled from distant memories to her grim reality. Tessa let out a weak cry that no one would ever hear.

"Wait."

THE 9TH DAY

"I'm dying"