Dying Doesn't Seem So Cruel
Oceans
The sand was bleached by the sun; it became a ghost at night. The ocean danced upon the shore, receded, and flitted up once again, as if saying "Tag, you're it!" Emmett's bare shoulders were a beacon against the dark sky; I slid my arms around him and pressed my cheek to his back.
"Emmett?"
"Yes?"
"Are you mad at me?"
"Of course not."
"Good."
He turned to face me, his liquid topaz eyes bright. "Come on. Let's go for a swim."
"I have a better idea?"
"What's that?"
I stared away from for a few moments before I met his gaze with a meaningful look in my eyes.
"Dahlia, I'm not that strong."
"Please?"
"Dahlia . . ."
"Why not?"
"What if I hurt you?"
"I can live with bruises."
"What if I do worse?"
"I'm willing to take the risk."
"What part of 'I can't live without you' don't you understand? I wouldn't be able to look at my face in the mirror if something happened to you."
"Emmett, calm down."
"You are my life, the reason why I showed up to school every day it wasn't beautiful out. You're the reason I even try to not be a monster. Do you have any idea how terribly it would hurt for me to continue living without you?"
"You'll have to eventually."
"What?"
"I'm going to die, Em. That's what humans do."
"Who says I'll allow myself to live when you die?"
"You're not going to commit suicide!"
"What would be the point of living if my life is gone?"
"Shut up."
"'Lia---"
"Just shut up, Emmett. I don't want to hear this right now."
I stormed up onto the beach, grabbed my clothes, and hurried into the house. I laid down on the bed in the green room and fought the tears.
"Dahlia, I'm so sorry. I didnt mean to upset you."
"Don't I have a reason to be upset? After all, my husband just told me he planned to kill himself once I was dead."
He pressed his lips to my temple, then my jaw, my neck. "Please forgive me."
Without answering, I rolled over to gaze at him; a grin covered his fce, and he kissed my mouth tenderly. I pulled him closer and parted my lips. His icy fingers felt wonderful against my hot flesh.
"Emmett?"
"Yes?"
"Are you mad at me?"
"Of course not."
"Good."
He turned to face me, his liquid topaz eyes bright. "Come on. Let's go for a swim."
"I have a better idea?"
"What's that?"
I stared away from for a few moments before I met his gaze with a meaningful look in my eyes.
"Dahlia, I'm not that strong."
"Please?"
"Dahlia . . ."
"Why not?"
"What if I hurt you?"
"I can live with bruises."
"What if I do worse?"
"I'm willing to take the risk."
"What part of 'I can't live without you' don't you understand? I wouldn't be able to look at my face in the mirror if something happened to you."
"Emmett, calm down."
"You are my life, the reason why I showed up to school every day it wasn't beautiful out. You're the reason I even try to not be a monster. Do you have any idea how terribly it would hurt for me to continue living without you?"
"You'll have to eventually."
"What?"
"I'm going to die, Em. That's what humans do."
"Who says I'll allow myself to live when you die?"
"You're not going to commit suicide!"
"What would be the point of living if my life is gone?"
"Shut up."
"'Lia---"
"Just shut up, Emmett. I don't want to hear this right now."
I stormed up onto the beach, grabbed my clothes, and hurried into the house. I laid down on the bed in the green room and fought the tears.
"Dahlia, I'm so sorry. I didnt mean to upset you."
"Don't I have a reason to be upset? After all, my husband just told me he planned to kill himself once I was dead."
He pressed his lips to my temple, then my jaw, my neck. "Please forgive me."
Without answering, I rolled over to gaze at him; a grin covered his fce, and he kissed my mouth tenderly. I pulled him closer and parted my lips. His icy fingers felt wonderful against my hot flesh.