Categories > Celebrities > My Chemical Romance
Live Forever
1 reviewOne Shot! Their paths should never have crossed, and yet fate had smiled upon them at that chance meeting, altering the course of their lives forever.
1Insightful
(A/N: This is an old piece I did years ago, it was posted under a different user name but I deleted that account so have posted it on this one.)
June 12th 1:45pm
Looking at her photo pinned up on the wall Mikey smiled, her face beamed out at him, her blue eyes crinkling adorably. In this particular shot her auburn hair was pinned up loosely, her cheeks flushed as she laughed at the camera, her full lips parted to reveal a slight gap in her front teeth.
She was not what he would call a classic beauty, she was ordinary in almost every way, with the exception of one thing; her genuine warmth was undeniable, he could feel it now as it radiated from the lifeless picture.
They had met under unusual circumstances, to say the least, but they had clicked straight away, he had liked her witty humor and she had been awestruck. They had lived in two separate worlds until that day, he a rock star, she an office girl. Their paths should never have crossed, and yet fate had smiled upon them at that chance meeting, altering the course of their lives forever.
He scanned the room with interest surveying the guests, her friends and family situated around the modest room in small groups, drinking, talking, eating the buffet food. Every now and then laughter could be heard rising from one corner of the room or another; drowning out the music of the old fashioned juke box.
It was just as he had hoped it would be.
He moved to the bar and ordered himself a drink, the barmaid eyeing him suspiciously, no doubt trying to recall his name. That happened a lot recently. Sitting on a stool at the end of the bar he positioned himself so he could view the entire room. The dcor had seen much better days with the walls crying out for a fresh coat of paint, the curtains were tattered and faded and the ceiling now wore a covering of yellow smoke tinged residue.
Sipping his drink he drifted back to the day that changed it all, that early spring morning in March. The sun had shone through the light dusting of clouds that festooned the bright blue sky, the warm breeze ruffling his hair as it blew through the terminal lazily. Sat flipping idly through the pages of the magazine on his lap, he had blocked out the rest of the noisy bustle around him listening to Oasis on his iPod. The plane which was taking him from, Newark to Atlanta, delayed by some technicality or another, he hadn't been listening when the announcement came through so he couldn't be sure what was wrong; and to be honest he didn't care. He hadn't wanted to take this trip as it was, preferring to stay at home with Dianne, and spend some much needed time alone with the love of his life. He didn't get to see her all that often now that the band had exploded onto the music scene, they were always being dragged from one show to another, flitting between countries and time zones. He recalled her face as he'd broken the news to her that once again he had to cut his vacation short because of band obligations. As always she had understood, but her green eyes held a disappointed sadness that he couldn't ignore. It was always the same.
To her credit she never once complained, always supporting him, and never criticizing or belligerent. She was the reason he woke up in the morning and smiled, she was his life, his love, his purpose in life at least she had been up until that auspicious day.
Snapping back to reality he smiled as Sally's sister sat herself down next to him.
"Hey, Mikey, how's it going?" she smiled. She had the same warm smile and crinkled eyes as Sally but she didn't sparkle like her sister.
"Hi, Issy. It's a good turn out," He motioned with his drink at the shabby room.
"Well what did you expect? Everyone wanted to be here, it's just a shame at such short notice we couldn't find a better place to hold it."
"Oh I don't know, at least it's-" he searched for a kind word to describe the dilapidated bar, "homely."
She giggled and he melted. Issy had many of the same mannerisms that Sally possessed, not uncommon in twins or family members for that matter.
"I guess I should go say hello to Uncle Bobby," she sighed dramatically and winked at him. "He still insists on giving us all a quarter at every family get together to, 'buy something nice'"
Mikey chuckled as she moved away from him, and marveled at just how similar and yet opposite Sally and Issy were.
He hadn't noticed Sally when she'd first taken her seat next to him; he hadn't even acknowledged her as she shuffled nervously whilst fastening her seatbelt. Too wrapped up in his self pity he had ignored everything around him, tuning out as the air stewards had gone through their performance, indicating the exits and correct usage of the inflatable life jackets. All he cared about was the woman he had been forced to leave behind.
As the plane had taken off, he stared indifferently out of the window mentally cursing the lifestyle he was forced to endure. He was grateful to have everything he had ever wanted, but the sacrifices he made on a daily basis took a lot out of him.
"I really don't like flying," She muttered, gripping the arms of her chair causing her knuckles to turn white.
He nodded at her politely offering a half smile of sympathy, before turning away to stare once again out of the window, the streets and houses below him slipping away beneath delicate fluffy cotton wool style clouds.
"This is only my third ever trip on a plane. Can you believe that? I usually drive, but my sister is due to give birth to my nephew any day now; so I don't have time. I hate flying; I'm a really nervous flyer," She smiled at him and for the first time he really noticed her. "I'm sorry; I tend to babble when I'm nervous. I'm Sally."
With a grin he relented, shuffling in his seat slightly to face her easier. "Hi, Sally, I'm Mikey."
"Yeah I know who you are," She mumbled shyly.
They shook hands briefly before she peered over him out of the window.
"We're pretty high up now right?" She gulped apprehensively.
Glancing over his shoulder he shrugged. "I wouldn't worry too much, you know statistically you have more chance of being run over by a car- than being in a plane crash."
"Oh thanks! Now I'm going to have to walk everywhere for fear of cars and planes," She giggled; it was a light tinkling sound causing him to chuckle with her.
"You'll be fine, I travel by air all the time, and I've never encountered a problem with it yet."
"Mikey, that's what I call tempting fate," She shrieked playfully.
*
June 12th 2:17pm
He raised his glass to his lips and turned back to the bar for a refill, the barmaid still watching him intently through narrowed eyes. Elsewhere in the room the volume was increasing as people drank more and inhibitions were forgotten.
"Sally this one's for you!" A guy shouted turning up the music on the jukebox as Oasis's Live Forever blared out.
Mikey closed his eyes and listened to the words.
Maybe I just want to fly,
I want to live I don't want to die,
Maybe I just want to breath,
Maybe I just don't believe,
Maybe you're the same as me,
We see things they'll never see,
You and I are gonna live forever.
*
June 1st 6:34pm
"Who are you listening to?" Sally asked, pointing to his iPod.
"Oasis."
"No? I love them, I went to see them about a year ago now, they were awesome live."
Mikey leaned forward in his seat slightly with eagerness a new interest in the woman beside him.
"Yeah? What's your favourite song?" he asked.
"Live forever," She answered, a dreaminess descending on her as her eyes glazed over.
He nodded in approval and smiled, recollecting the last time he saw them in concert. He had been with Dianne and the pair of them had sung their hearts out whilst holding each other tightly, relishing a rare opportunity to spend time as a normal couple.
"Oh God, what's that?" Sally cried out, grabbing Mikey's arm tightly as the plane lurched violently from side to side.
He chuckled at her and patted her hand. "It's just turbulence. Nothing to worry about."
With wide eyes she gazed at him, the fear and uncertainty written all over her unusually pale features. He smiled back reassuringly as the plane dropped unceremoniously, causing his heart to lurch into his mouth.
As the sign flashed over head for the passengers to fasten their seatbelts Sally whimpered quietly, her hands shaking fiercely hindering her attempts to fasten herself in.
"Here let me," Mikey offered chivalrously, clicking her buckle into place and tightening the strap.
Unable to speak Sally simply nodded back at him, her eyes glistening with tears that threatened to cascade down her white cheeks.
"Trust me, everything will be fine," He whispered in her ear, trying to soothe and calm her.
"Ladies and gentleman, due to unforeseen circumstances we are going to have to make an emergency landing. Please remain calm and seated; and use the oxygen masks provided."
The captain's voice spoke smoothly over the tannoy without a trace of alarm or trepidation.
"Don't worry, Sally, everything will be fine. I'll take care of you."
*
June 12th 2:29pm
'Famous last words' Mikey smiled to himself, as he replayed the events over in his mind. With those three words he had secured their future together.
*
June 1st 6:59pm
The plane hurtled to the ground at breakneck speed, chaos, muffled screaming and vibrations filling his ears. Glancing to his left he stared open mouthed at Sally- who was sat smiling into her oxygen mask.
"Sally?" He shouted, taking her hand in his and squeezing it tightly.
"It's not so bad," She replied, turning her head to his and locking eyes.
He felt a shuddering jolt and heard the crushing sound of twisted metal against stone, the sound deafening him. He screwed up his face in suffering, the din engulfing him penetrating to his very soul before it all went quiet, deathly quiet and unimaginably still.
He opened his eyes to see sunlight streaming in through the shredded roof, bags and personal belongings littered the crumbling carcass that had been their plane. His head lolled from side to side and he blinked against the harsh light trying hard to see through the blurriness.
"Mikey? Mikey?"
The voice was distant and quiet. He tried to move to find where it was coming from, but found there was something stopping him, looking down he saw his seatbelt and popped it open. As his mind established clarity his vision found turmoil. The plane had been torn in two, blood and bodies lined what was left of the interior, mangled remains of his fellow passengers haunted his every view.
"Mikey?"
Her voice was clearer now, and she was close. He pushed himself up, wincing as his leg buckled beneath him unable to carry his weight. He was battered and bruised. Pulling himself along with shaking hands he left scarlet prints on the remaining seats, his hands gashed open by the twisted metal and debris. He found her lying a few rows back, still strapped in her seat which had been ripped from its floor bolts by a large jagged rock.
"Sal?"
He worked furiously, ignoring the excruciating pain shooting down his neck and back, to lift all the wreckage and remains from her. As he moved the last bag he gasped, only now able to see the true carnage that was her frail frame.
Laid on her back she smiled up at him. "It's okay, Mikey, it doesn't hurt." She touched the white serrated metal pushing out of her abdomen gently.
"Oh, Sally, hold on, please hold on help will be on the way soon."
*
June 12th 3:07pm
He charged his glass with everyone else, and toasted Sally as she jovially grinned at them. Less than three weeks before they were complete strangers, now here he was as entangled in her life as she was his. In less than a month she had turned his life upside down; causing him to re-evaluate what he really wanted and set his priorities straight. He thanked God for bringing them together, counting his blessings every day.
*
June 1st 8:38pm
He couldn't be sure how long they had been there, nor how long he had blacked out for but the sky was shedding its vivid blue, the sun falling gracefully from the sky sending out fountains of orange and red to mix seamlessly with the oncoming darkness.
He had found anything he could to try and stem the bleed from her torso and succeeded, at least for the time being. She lay, pinned to her chair, all the while laughing and joking, ignoring or not noticing the massacre around them. He had no idea if there were other survivors; he'd been concentrating on her the whole time, keeping her lucid and awake asking her about her family, her life anything to keep her focused.
"I'm not scared of dying," She whispered.
"Shhh. You're not dying. Help will be here any second."
"I know I'm not dying, but if I did it would be okay. I believe in the afterlife, I don't think death is the end, it's just the start of a whole new journey."
"My brother is kind of obsessed with death," He replied, searching over his shoulder for any sign of rescuers.
"He is? What does he believe?"
"He thinks that death comes for you however you want it to, but-" He paused, unsure as to whether or not he should continue.
"Go on."
"He thinks that when you get there, the end, you go alone." He sighed, taking her hand in his and rubbing it, ignoring the cold feel of her skin.
"I think he's wrong," She smiled. "If I died now, I wouldn't be alone. First off you're here- and secondly, I'd be with everyone else who've gone before me. But if he is right, and I am alone, that's okay too. I like my own company," she chuckled. "Plus I could sing as loudly and out of tune as I like; without anyone hushing me up."
He laughed loudly and shook his head. "You're just a little bit crazy do you know that?"
She giggled. "Yes, Issy tells me the same thing all the time."
He noted how her eyes shone when she spoke of her sister, her love and pride obvious to all.
"Tell me more about your family," He begged, shifting his position to get closer to her still.
"What's to tell? I live in New Jersey with my husband Jack and my son Phillip, which I already told you. Phillip will be nine next month and for his birthday he wants a car, he is car mad, wants to be a mechanic when he grows up. I met Jack at a bar, we were arguing over the jukebox. We married a few years later, and four months in to wedded bliss I found out I was having our darling boy. My mom is a teacher at the local high school, and my dad is a truck driver. They've been married for thirty eight years now. I have a big family, there's me and Issy obviously, then our older brother Tommy and we have three younger brothers, Mike who's twenty five, Damien who's twenty and John who's the baby at eighteen."
"That is a big family," Mikey agreed.
"Yeah, makes for one hell of a Christmas though. We're a close family, even though we're spread out over the country. We make time to get together at least four times a year just so we can catch up and have a great big party. Actually we're having one in a few weeks. Everyone will be there. Well almost."
Her demeanor changed as she slipped into a memory, her eyes watering with unstoppable tears.
"My best friend, Jody, she died just after Christmas. It wasn't sudden, she had a muscle degenerative disease, so we'd pretty much know her whole life what was happening, but this will be my first family party without her. Our moms worked together before we were born so I've known her, knew her my whole life. We did everything together, hell she even came on my honeymoon."
Mikey sighed and rubbed her arm. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be. We lived every day like our last," she grinned as the memories flooded back. "Never putting off anything because we didn't know how long we had. If we wanted something we got it, just went straight out there and got it. She taught me so much about life. Do you know how wasteful we are? How many times have you said to yourself, I'll do it later or tomorrow? I never have. Every second is precious, and I damn well used them all. I've danced naked in the rain at festivals, had tattoos and babies, piercings and holidays of a lifetime. I've crammed more into my years than most eighty years olds," She chuckled. "When she died I cried, my God of course I did but I was also happy for her, her disease brought pain and discomfort. I was also happy for me. I had known a true angel, she was a gift given to us all from heaven. She was such an amazing inspirational person. She was the kind of person I want to be."
She gasped suddenly.
"Sal? Sal? What's wrong."
He watched in horror as her face contorted with pain.
"Mikey," She choked, coughing up blood.
"Sally?"
"It hurts," She moaned quietly.
He ran his hand over her forehead and shivered at her coolness. As the cold light of day faded away, he felt her spirit slip with it. Holding her hand tight he bent his head to hers and looked into her blue eyes one last time.
"Stay with me," He pleaded, touching her face with his hand as a solitary tear fell from his face to hers.
"Don't cry for me Mikey. I don't fear death, it's okay. Just because I'm not here doesn't mean I'm gone," She smiled faintly, the life pouring out of her abdomen like water down the drain; nothing he could do would help her now. With distraught realization he sat with her, listening to her ragged breaths and crying silent tears.
"Tell my family I didn't suffer and tell them I was happy. I'll miss them all; but I'll be with Jody and Grandma," She wheezed shakily, and swallowed back a slight sob, a bitter sweet smile playing on her almost blue lips. "Tell my husband to be happy, tell him he deserves to be as happy as he made me. And my son. Tell Phillip that mommy loves him, and I'll be watching over him with Aunty Jody. Tell him that if he ever misses me to look up into the night sky and the first star he sees, that will be me smiling down, looking after him."
Mikey forced his eyes shut as the tears cascaded down his cheeks, splashing on her body they blended with the crimson pools of blood.
"I'll tell them every word," He promised, laying down next to her and pulling her as close as he could.
With her last breaths she held on to him and opened her mouth, shocking him as she began to sing,
"Maybe I will never be, All the things that I want to be, But now is not the time to cry, Nows the time to find out why, I think you're the same as me, We see things they'll never see, You and I are gonna live forever..." Her voice trailed off as her body became still, the panting stopped leaving a peaceful silence surrounding the pair of them.
Through the tears Mikey wiped the last tear she shed from her face and kissed her cheek.
"Were gonna live forever," He said quietly. "Gonna live forever."
*
June 12th 4:15pm
Mikey walked away from the wake with a heavy heart. The days following the crash had been manic and disorienting, everyone wanted to know what had happened, and all he wanted to do was retreat into oblivion and mourn the death of a unique and wonderful person. Instead he had faced police questioning, doctors, investigations and interviews. After three solid days of general harassment he fulfilled his promise, seeking out Sally's family and giving them the closure and peace they deserved.
He had met her son and held him close, unable to contain the hot salty tears, as the young boy cried in his arms listening to his dead mother's message. Her family had welcomed him with open arms, and hailed him a hero for what he did for their Sally. He spent days sat with them, listening to their many stories of her kindness, generosity and humor.
He'd read a poem at her funeral and danced with her sister at her wake, his life was forever to be entangled with hers; yet he still had a sense of hopefulness. She had taught him many lessons in their brief time together and through him he would keep her sense of life alive. He was living for the day, enjoying his blessings and appreciating everything around him.
Looking at the photo in his hands he ran a finger down the smiling, rose colored cheeks that grinned out at him, her blue eyes crinkling at the corners adorably. Underneath the picture five simple words that broke his heart.
"Sally. Gone but never forgotten."
June 12th 1:45pm
Looking at her photo pinned up on the wall Mikey smiled, her face beamed out at him, her blue eyes crinkling adorably. In this particular shot her auburn hair was pinned up loosely, her cheeks flushed as she laughed at the camera, her full lips parted to reveal a slight gap in her front teeth.
She was not what he would call a classic beauty, she was ordinary in almost every way, with the exception of one thing; her genuine warmth was undeniable, he could feel it now as it radiated from the lifeless picture.
They had met under unusual circumstances, to say the least, but they had clicked straight away, he had liked her witty humor and she had been awestruck. They had lived in two separate worlds until that day, he a rock star, she an office girl. Their paths should never have crossed, and yet fate had smiled upon them at that chance meeting, altering the course of their lives forever.
He scanned the room with interest surveying the guests, her friends and family situated around the modest room in small groups, drinking, talking, eating the buffet food. Every now and then laughter could be heard rising from one corner of the room or another; drowning out the music of the old fashioned juke box.
It was just as he had hoped it would be.
He moved to the bar and ordered himself a drink, the barmaid eyeing him suspiciously, no doubt trying to recall his name. That happened a lot recently. Sitting on a stool at the end of the bar he positioned himself so he could view the entire room. The dcor had seen much better days with the walls crying out for a fresh coat of paint, the curtains were tattered and faded and the ceiling now wore a covering of yellow smoke tinged residue.
Sipping his drink he drifted back to the day that changed it all, that early spring morning in March. The sun had shone through the light dusting of clouds that festooned the bright blue sky, the warm breeze ruffling his hair as it blew through the terminal lazily. Sat flipping idly through the pages of the magazine on his lap, he had blocked out the rest of the noisy bustle around him listening to Oasis on his iPod. The plane which was taking him from, Newark to Atlanta, delayed by some technicality or another, he hadn't been listening when the announcement came through so he couldn't be sure what was wrong; and to be honest he didn't care. He hadn't wanted to take this trip as it was, preferring to stay at home with Dianne, and spend some much needed time alone with the love of his life. He didn't get to see her all that often now that the band had exploded onto the music scene, they were always being dragged from one show to another, flitting between countries and time zones. He recalled her face as he'd broken the news to her that once again he had to cut his vacation short because of band obligations. As always she had understood, but her green eyes held a disappointed sadness that he couldn't ignore. It was always the same.
To her credit she never once complained, always supporting him, and never criticizing or belligerent. She was the reason he woke up in the morning and smiled, she was his life, his love, his purpose in life at least she had been up until that auspicious day.
Snapping back to reality he smiled as Sally's sister sat herself down next to him.
"Hey, Mikey, how's it going?" she smiled. She had the same warm smile and crinkled eyes as Sally but she didn't sparkle like her sister.
"Hi, Issy. It's a good turn out," He motioned with his drink at the shabby room.
"Well what did you expect? Everyone wanted to be here, it's just a shame at such short notice we couldn't find a better place to hold it."
"Oh I don't know, at least it's-" he searched for a kind word to describe the dilapidated bar, "homely."
She giggled and he melted. Issy had many of the same mannerisms that Sally possessed, not uncommon in twins or family members for that matter.
"I guess I should go say hello to Uncle Bobby," she sighed dramatically and winked at him. "He still insists on giving us all a quarter at every family get together to, 'buy something nice'"
Mikey chuckled as she moved away from him, and marveled at just how similar and yet opposite Sally and Issy were.
He hadn't noticed Sally when she'd first taken her seat next to him; he hadn't even acknowledged her as she shuffled nervously whilst fastening her seatbelt. Too wrapped up in his self pity he had ignored everything around him, tuning out as the air stewards had gone through their performance, indicating the exits and correct usage of the inflatable life jackets. All he cared about was the woman he had been forced to leave behind.
As the plane had taken off, he stared indifferently out of the window mentally cursing the lifestyle he was forced to endure. He was grateful to have everything he had ever wanted, but the sacrifices he made on a daily basis took a lot out of him.
"I really don't like flying," She muttered, gripping the arms of her chair causing her knuckles to turn white.
He nodded at her politely offering a half smile of sympathy, before turning away to stare once again out of the window, the streets and houses below him slipping away beneath delicate fluffy cotton wool style clouds.
"This is only my third ever trip on a plane. Can you believe that? I usually drive, but my sister is due to give birth to my nephew any day now; so I don't have time. I hate flying; I'm a really nervous flyer," She smiled at him and for the first time he really noticed her. "I'm sorry; I tend to babble when I'm nervous. I'm Sally."
With a grin he relented, shuffling in his seat slightly to face her easier. "Hi, Sally, I'm Mikey."
"Yeah I know who you are," She mumbled shyly.
They shook hands briefly before she peered over him out of the window.
"We're pretty high up now right?" She gulped apprehensively.
Glancing over his shoulder he shrugged. "I wouldn't worry too much, you know statistically you have more chance of being run over by a car- than being in a plane crash."
"Oh thanks! Now I'm going to have to walk everywhere for fear of cars and planes," She giggled; it was a light tinkling sound causing him to chuckle with her.
"You'll be fine, I travel by air all the time, and I've never encountered a problem with it yet."
"Mikey, that's what I call tempting fate," She shrieked playfully.
*
June 12th 2:17pm
He raised his glass to his lips and turned back to the bar for a refill, the barmaid still watching him intently through narrowed eyes. Elsewhere in the room the volume was increasing as people drank more and inhibitions were forgotten.
"Sally this one's for you!" A guy shouted turning up the music on the jukebox as Oasis's Live Forever blared out.
Mikey closed his eyes and listened to the words.
Maybe I just want to fly,
I want to live I don't want to die,
Maybe I just want to breath,
Maybe I just don't believe,
Maybe you're the same as me,
We see things they'll never see,
You and I are gonna live forever.
*
June 1st 6:34pm
"Who are you listening to?" Sally asked, pointing to his iPod.
"Oasis."
"No? I love them, I went to see them about a year ago now, they were awesome live."
Mikey leaned forward in his seat slightly with eagerness a new interest in the woman beside him.
"Yeah? What's your favourite song?" he asked.
"Live forever," She answered, a dreaminess descending on her as her eyes glazed over.
He nodded in approval and smiled, recollecting the last time he saw them in concert. He had been with Dianne and the pair of them had sung their hearts out whilst holding each other tightly, relishing a rare opportunity to spend time as a normal couple.
"Oh God, what's that?" Sally cried out, grabbing Mikey's arm tightly as the plane lurched violently from side to side.
He chuckled at her and patted her hand. "It's just turbulence. Nothing to worry about."
With wide eyes she gazed at him, the fear and uncertainty written all over her unusually pale features. He smiled back reassuringly as the plane dropped unceremoniously, causing his heart to lurch into his mouth.
As the sign flashed over head for the passengers to fasten their seatbelts Sally whimpered quietly, her hands shaking fiercely hindering her attempts to fasten herself in.
"Here let me," Mikey offered chivalrously, clicking her buckle into place and tightening the strap.
Unable to speak Sally simply nodded back at him, her eyes glistening with tears that threatened to cascade down her white cheeks.
"Trust me, everything will be fine," He whispered in her ear, trying to soothe and calm her.
"Ladies and gentleman, due to unforeseen circumstances we are going to have to make an emergency landing. Please remain calm and seated; and use the oxygen masks provided."
The captain's voice spoke smoothly over the tannoy without a trace of alarm or trepidation.
"Don't worry, Sally, everything will be fine. I'll take care of you."
*
June 12th 2:29pm
'Famous last words' Mikey smiled to himself, as he replayed the events over in his mind. With those three words he had secured their future together.
*
June 1st 6:59pm
The plane hurtled to the ground at breakneck speed, chaos, muffled screaming and vibrations filling his ears. Glancing to his left he stared open mouthed at Sally- who was sat smiling into her oxygen mask.
"Sally?" He shouted, taking her hand in his and squeezing it tightly.
"It's not so bad," She replied, turning her head to his and locking eyes.
He felt a shuddering jolt and heard the crushing sound of twisted metal against stone, the sound deafening him. He screwed up his face in suffering, the din engulfing him penetrating to his very soul before it all went quiet, deathly quiet and unimaginably still.
He opened his eyes to see sunlight streaming in through the shredded roof, bags and personal belongings littered the crumbling carcass that had been their plane. His head lolled from side to side and he blinked against the harsh light trying hard to see through the blurriness.
"Mikey? Mikey?"
The voice was distant and quiet. He tried to move to find where it was coming from, but found there was something stopping him, looking down he saw his seatbelt and popped it open. As his mind established clarity his vision found turmoil. The plane had been torn in two, blood and bodies lined what was left of the interior, mangled remains of his fellow passengers haunted his every view.
"Mikey?"
Her voice was clearer now, and she was close. He pushed himself up, wincing as his leg buckled beneath him unable to carry his weight. He was battered and bruised. Pulling himself along with shaking hands he left scarlet prints on the remaining seats, his hands gashed open by the twisted metal and debris. He found her lying a few rows back, still strapped in her seat which had been ripped from its floor bolts by a large jagged rock.
"Sal?"
He worked furiously, ignoring the excruciating pain shooting down his neck and back, to lift all the wreckage and remains from her. As he moved the last bag he gasped, only now able to see the true carnage that was her frail frame.
Laid on her back she smiled up at him. "It's okay, Mikey, it doesn't hurt." She touched the white serrated metal pushing out of her abdomen gently.
"Oh, Sally, hold on, please hold on help will be on the way soon."
*
June 12th 3:07pm
He charged his glass with everyone else, and toasted Sally as she jovially grinned at them. Less than three weeks before they were complete strangers, now here he was as entangled in her life as she was his. In less than a month she had turned his life upside down; causing him to re-evaluate what he really wanted and set his priorities straight. He thanked God for bringing them together, counting his blessings every day.
*
June 1st 8:38pm
He couldn't be sure how long they had been there, nor how long he had blacked out for but the sky was shedding its vivid blue, the sun falling gracefully from the sky sending out fountains of orange and red to mix seamlessly with the oncoming darkness.
He had found anything he could to try and stem the bleed from her torso and succeeded, at least for the time being. She lay, pinned to her chair, all the while laughing and joking, ignoring or not noticing the massacre around them. He had no idea if there were other survivors; he'd been concentrating on her the whole time, keeping her lucid and awake asking her about her family, her life anything to keep her focused.
"I'm not scared of dying," She whispered.
"Shhh. You're not dying. Help will be here any second."
"I know I'm not dying, but if I did it would be okay. I believe in the afterlife, I don't think death is the end, it's just the start of a whole new journey."
"My brother is kind of obsessed with death," He replied, searching over his shoulder for any sign of rescuers.
"He is? What does he believe?"
"He thinks that death comes for you however you want it to, but-" He paused, unsure as to whether or not he should continue.
"Go on."
"He thinks that when you get there, the end, you go alone." He sighed, taking her hand in his and rubbing it, ignoring the cold feel of her skin.
"I think he's wrong," She smiled. "If I died now, I wouldn't be alone. First off you're here- and secondly, I'd be with everyone else who've gone before me. But if he is right, and I am alone, that's okay too. I like my own company," she chuckled. "Plus I could sing as loudly and out of tune as I like; without anyone hushing me up."
He laughed loudly and shook his head. "You're just a little bit crazy do you know that?"
She giggled. "Yes, Issy tells me the same thing all the time."
He noted how her eyes shone when she spoke of her sister, her love and pride obvious to all.
"Tell me more about your family," He begged, shifting his position to get closer to her still.
"What's to tell? I live in New Jersey with my husband Jack and my son Phillip, which I already told you. Phillip will be nine next month and for his birthday he wants a car, he is car mad, wants to be a mechanic when he grows up. I met Jack at a bar, we were arguing over the jukebox. We married a few years later, and four months in to wedded bliss I found out I was having our darling boy. My mom is a teacher at the local high school, and my dad is a truck driver. They've been married for thirty eight years now. I have a big family, there's me and Issy obviously, then our older brother Tommy and we have three younger brothers, Mike who's twenty five, Damien who's twenty and John who's the baby at eighteen."
"That is a big family," Mikey agreed.
"Yeah, makes for one hell of a Christmas though. We're a close family, even though we're spread out over the country. We make time to get together at least four times a year just so we can catch up and have a great big party. Actually we're having one in a few weeks. Everyone will be there. Well almost."
Her demeanor changed as she slipped into a memory, her eyes watering with unstoppable tears.
"My best friend, Jody, she died just after Christmas. It wasn't sudden, she had a muscle degenerative disease, so we'd pretty much know her whole life what was happening, but this will be my first family party without her. Our moms worked together before we were born so I've known her, knew her my whole life. We did everything together, hell she even came on my honeymoon."
Mikey sighed and rubbed her arm. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be. We lived every day like our last," she grinned as the memories flooded back. "Never putting off anything because we didn't know how long we had. If we wanted something we got it, just went straight out there and got it. She taught me so much about life. Do you know how wasteful we are? How many times have you said to yourself, I'll do it later or tomorrow? I never have. Every second is precious, and I damn well used them all. I've danced naked in the rain at festivals, had tattoos and babies, piercings and holidays of a lifetime. I've crammed more into my years than most eighty years olds," She chuckled. "When she died I cried, my God of course I did but I was also happy for her, her disease brought pain and discomfort. I was also happy for me. I had known a true angel, she was a gift given to us all from heaven. She was such an amazing inspirational person. She was the kind of person I want to be."
She gasped suddenly.
"Sal? Sal? What's wrong."
He watched in horror as her face contorted with pain.
"Mikey," She choked, coughing up blood.
"Sally?"
"It hurts," She moaned quietly.
He ran his hand over her forehead and shivered at her coolness. As the cold light of day faded away, he felt her spirit slip with it. Holding her hand tight he bent his head to hers and looked into her blue eyes one last time.
"Stay with me," He pleaded, touching her face with his hand as a solitary tear fell from his face to hers.
"Don't cry for me Mikey. I don't fear death, it's okay. Just because I'm not here doesn't mean I'm gone," She smiled faintly, the life pouring out of her abdomen like water down the drain; nothing he could do would help her now. With distraught realization he sat with her, listening to her ragged breaths and crying silent tears.
"Tell my family I didn't suffer and tell them I was happy. I'll miss them all; but I'll be with Jody and Grandma," She wheezed shakily, and swallowed back a slight sob, a bitter sweet smile playing on her almost blue lips. "Tell my husband to be happy, tell him he deserves to be as happy as he made me. And my son. Tell Phillip that mommy loves him, and I'll be watching over him with Aunty Jody. Tell him that if he ever misses me to look up into the night sky and the first star he sees, that will be me smiling down, looking after him."
Mikey forced his eyes shut as the tears cascaded down his cheeks, splashing on her body they blended with the crimson pools of blood.
"I'll tell them every word," He promised, laying down next to her and pulling her as close as he could.
With her last breaths she held on to him and opened her mouth, shocking him as she began to sing,
"Maybe I will never be, All the things that I want to be, But now is not the time to cry, Nows the time to find out why, I think you're the same as me, We see things they'll never see, You and I are gonna live forever..." Her voice trailed off as her body became still, the panting stopped leaving a peaceful silence surrounding the pair of them.
Through the tears Mikey wiped the last tear she shed from her face and kissed her cheek.
"Were gonna live forever," He said quietly. "Gonna live forever."
*
June 12th 4:15pm
Mikey walked away from the wake with a heavy heart. The days following the crash had been manic and disorienting, everyone wanted to know what had happened, and all he wanted to do was retreat into oblivion and mourn the death of a unique and wonderful person. Instead he had faced police questioning, doctors, investigations and interviews. After three solid days of general harassment he fulfilled his promise, seeking out Sally's family and giving them the closure and peace they deserved.
He had met her son and held him close, unable to contain the hot salty tears, as the young boy cried in his arms listening to his dead mother's message. Her family had welcomed him with open arms, and hailed him a hero for what he did for their Sally. He spent days sat with them, listening to their many stories of her kindness, generosity and humor.
He'd read a poem at her funeral and danced with her sister at her wake, his life was forever to be entangled with hers; yet he still had a sense of hopefulness. She had taught him many lessons in their brief time together and through him he would keep her sense of life alive. He was living for the day, enjoying his blessings and appreciating everything around him.
Looking at the photo in his hands he ran a finger down the smiling, rose colored cheeks that grinned out at him, her blue eyes crinkling at the corners adorably. Underneath the picture five simple words that broke his heart.
"Sally. Gone but never forgotten."
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