This Tragic Affair

I soon felt my feet hit the floor. I say felt because I couldn't see to tell if that's really what happened. The mist was all consuming. It filled my lungs and veiled my face. If Ronnie's hand wasn't still linked with mine I would have thought he wasn't there.

My heart started beating faster and I could hear it in my ears. My breathing [if you could call it that] had been reduced to shallow, ragged intakes. I was freaking out. If I knew were the hatch back to my apartment was, I would have already turned around and went back.

"Relax," came Ronnie's monotone voice as he gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "Just relax."

'Easy for you to say.'

I resumed my panic as I felt Ronnie's fingers slip away. I was alone now. I became acutely aware of the mist surrounding me, rubbing against my back, filling my nose, pressing in on me. Suddenly, I noticed something sliding around my waist, squeezing slightly as the white mist turned to darkness.

I was panicking before. I was terrified now.

"It's alright," Ronnie whispered from somewhere by my ear. "You're alright. Now listen to me. I'm going to let you go in a second. When you open your eyes you're not gong to like what you see. Don't panic. Don't be afraid. Whatever you do, don't scream."

"Ronnie, where are we? What's happening?" I felt the mist start to dissolve around and a faint murmuring began nearby.

"Just promise me you won't scream." I didn't respond, but I didn't have to. He let go of my waist and [with some hesitation] took his and from my eyes. I squinted a bit, adjusting to the colors around me. The lights were dim and every sound was magnified in the quiet room.

"Where are..."

Then I saw it. It was at most twenty feet away from me, sitting on a cloth covered table. Slowly, and against my better judgment, I made my way towards it. Every small step I took felt like I was walking on glass. At last, I had arrived to the table. I ran my hand along the glossy casket it held.

"No. No, no, no, it's not. It can't be. It's not!" I pleaded with a cracking voice. My eyes began to sting as I forced them to take in the coffin's contents. "No, no, no, n-!"

Ronnie's hand cut off the rest of my scream. He pulled me away from the table and into one of the back pews as I began to sob. Tears cut paths like knives from my eyes as they soaked my face and Ronnie's hand.

'This isn't happening,' I thought to myself. 'This can't be happening.'

"Listen to me, Nicole." Ronnie sat me down in the pew and kneeled before me. He grabbed both of my shoulders and forced me to look him in the eyes. "I know this is hard for you, but you have to calm down. Alright?"

"Ronnie, it wasn't..." I sobbed. "It can't be! Tell me that's not me up there!"

He tensed up, and slowly brought his hands down from my shoulders. He looked down at his hands in his lap and let out a heavy sigh.

"I'm sorry."