Tears of Crimson

Faith’s emotions rip through her as she falls to her knees. Her eyes swell with tears and she tries to hold them back. To no avail, they flow down her angelic face. Her sobs are heard throughout the hotel lobby.

Faith had been patiently waiting for the arrival of her brother and Morton in the lobby when they came. The police came to tell her heart wrenching news. Her stepfather had been beside her when they informed them. He showed no evidence of sadness while Faith’s legs went numb.

Her brother is dead. ‘My sweet, innocent, younger brother is dead!’ She thinks to herself.

“How can this happen?” She sobs into her hands. No one rushes to console her. They just stand and watch with curious eyes. The only one who cares about ‘Miah’s death is Faith. They carry on with their talking and laughing. Even her stepfather leaves her side after ‘being fed up with her crying’ as so he put it. The police stand in front of her awkwardly.

The police had told her that Jeremiah was killed in an accident. A red Corvette had run a red light and slammed into the driver’s side of Jeremiah’s car. Jeremiah’s neck snapped at the intense impact of the car.

“Who-who hit him?” Faith asks quietly while keeping her head down. One of the policemen reaches out his hand to help her up. She reluctantly accepts it.“His“His name is Morton Rainey.” Faith gasps. “He is badly injured also. He may be paralyzed from the severe whiplash. Right now he is in a coma.”

“I-I know him. He was a friend of my mothers’.”

“Would you like to see him?”

“Y-yes, I would.”

“Alright then. He is stationed at the Rhode Island Hospital in Intensive Care. We will escort you there, Ms. Walsh. We will tell the nurses that you are a relative of Mr. Rainey’s. Follow me.”

The guests of her mother’s reception stare at her nosily. Faith hears their indistinct whispers. Faith follows the policemen and leaves her past behind. Now that her brother is dead, she has no more business with those people; not even her stepfather.

They brought her to one of the police cars they had arrived in. Faith felt like a criminal sitting in the backseat of the car. She absentmindedly stared out at the city. Suddenly, the beautiful day is not so beautiful to Faith. Her life is crumbling and she is powerless to stop it. Faith thought back to her mother’s funeral. The things she had thought about Jeremiah burned through her mind. ‘How could I have thought that about my brother?’ she thinks to herself.

“Ms. Walsh, we are going to have to take you to the morgue for identification; just to be safe.” Faith snapped back to reality. Did he say morgue?

“I what?” She asks quietly.

“You have to identify your brother’s body. I know it’s hard, but it’s law.”

“I-I can’t. There is no way. I just buried my mother for Christ’s sake! Know I have to stare at my brother’s battered body? I can’t; there is no way!” Faith cried desperately.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Walsh. It has to be a blood relative.”

Faith feels helpless. How is she going to pull through this? “When?”

“Perhaps after your visit with Mr. Rainey is finished?”

“Fine,” Faith forcefully agreed. Faith tries to take her mind off of her brother. It drifts to Mort. She doesn’t know what to do about him. What will she say if he wakes up? Can she forgive him? Strangely, her heart is screaming forgiveness. Mort had awakened feelings that have not been touched in years; even if they only spoke for five minutes.

The car pulled into the parking lot of the RIH. Faith is very nervous. Even though he will not be awake during her visit, she does not want to see him in that state. Or anyone for that matter.

One of theicemicemen opens the door for her. She steps out and looks around. They escort her to the Intensive Care unit. The police inform the nurse of Faith’s relation. She is suspicious for but a moment. The police leave Faith to be brought by the nurse to Mort’s room.

“We will be outside in the car when you are done. Then, we will bring you to the morgue.”

“Okay,” Faith says meekly.

“This way,” the nurse says with her back to Faith. Faith obediently follows. She brings her to room 109.

“He is still comatose. The doctor suspects that he will be that way for a few days. I’m sorry for your loss, Ms. Walsh. The doctor informed us of the accident. Is it true that you buried your mother today?” Faith nods. “I am truly sorry. If you need anything just call.” The nurse exits the room and Faith turns to look at Mort. He looks so peaceful. His head is bandaged and his neck is in a brace.

Faith sits beside his bed. The stale smell of hospital the the steady beeping of his heart monitor strike her senses. She gently grabs Mort’s hand. She silently prays for him to wake up sooner than a few days. No matter how angry she should be, she cannot bring herself to feel that way. She feels nothing but the aching of her heart. She has no room in her heart to feel anger. Despite the little time she has known Mort, she feels like she has known him forever. He is her best friend. Faith feels pathetic at the thought of him beinr ber best friend if she has only known him for two hours, if that. She brushes it off.

“I need him,” she whispers to herself. Little does Faith know that Mort needs her just as much.

An hour passes and night falls. She cannot bring herself to leave his side. She softly drops his hand and stands up. She kisses his forehead and slowly leaves the room, leaving her heart behind.

*

Faith steps out into the cool night. She spots her escort patiently awaiting her arrival. She trudges to the car. She sits down onto the cold leather seats. The police drive off in the direction of the morgue. Faith has been dreading this moment since the second they informed her.

But five minutes later they pull up in front of a white building. Everything about the building appears eerie. They once again open the door for her and walk her up the stairs. She walks down a hallway of white, through steel doors, and into another room of white. The only sound present is the clicking of her heels. Butterflies flutter in her stomach. She glances at a man standing beside a table holding a body covered by a white sheet. He smiles at her. He walks over to them.

“Hello, Ms. Walsh. I am the coroner, Dr. Hinckley.” He extends his hand and she accepts it. “I know this is hard, but it will be over before you know it.” He sounds much like a dentist pulling a tooth. “Are you ready?” Faith says nothing.

“Go ahead, Doctor,” one of the policemen commands.

The doctor quickly uncovers the body’s head. Faith stares at it with frightened eyes. “Is this your brother?” Dr. Hinckley questions. Faith nods. She cannot remove her eyes from her brother’s battered skull.

As quickly as he had uncovered it, he covers it back up. In the process, Faith snaps back to reality. Her brother’s face is emblazoned in her mind. She fears it will be for quite a whil
“
“When are you expecting to have the wake?” The coroner asks.

“I’m not.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m not having one. I want him to be cremated. I’m hoping to have his funeral sometime this week. Perhaps Monday?”

“Whenever you wish, Ms. Walsh.” He escorted them out of the room and back into the hall. “Thank you for coming down, Ms. Walsh. I will call you when the body is ready for the funeral.”

“Thank you, Doctor.” Once again they shake hands.

She ioughought back to the car and they bring her to the Inn to pick up her car.

“Are you okay to drive, Ms. Walsh?” The driver asks while glancing at her through the rear-view mirror.

“I’m not driving anywhere. I am staying at the Inn until I get another job or another apartment. Thank you, officers.”

“No problem. Take care of yourself, Ms. Walsh.”

“You do the same.” They open the door for her and she heads up to her room. As she approaches the door, she finds it slightly ajar. She steps into the room puzzled. She scans the room and spots a dark figure sitting on her bed. She turns on the light. “What are you doing here?” She asks with fear in her eyes.