"Does it hurt?" He shook his head as the blood trickled down his wrist, disappearing into the gaping hole to the lower floor. Red droplets falling until they splattered against her lifeless forehead, pooling on the charred ground around her naked body. "It should."

He shrugged, looking in the mirror at the gaping hole in his head, the flesh torn off to expose bone, and still the hole continued. The gun lay nearby, the chamber empty and wasted cartridges scattered on the broken tiles. "Just to see her," he said quietly, speaking to the empty room as he watched the blood drip from his wrist. It didn't hurt anymore. The first time it had, and the second time it had, but by now it was painless and gone all too fast, the minutes growing shorter each time. "Do it then." The rope ran from the upper floor down to his neck. He shrugged, casually kicking a spent cartridge off the precipice. It bounced off her forehead and came to rest in the pool of blood with a small splash. Following it all the way, he stepped from the edge, the noose tightening around his neck.

"I'll be here when you get back," she said with a smile, her eyes shining. A carton of eggs and a jug of milk for breakfast tomorrow.

"Naked?" he asked with a smile and she winked slyly. "You never know." The store was ten minutes out, ten minutes in and ten minutes back and then there was nothing but a few flames licking up against the remnants of the house.

"Why?" he asked, staring up at the sky as the blood dripped from his wrist. The stairs were holed and broken and he stepped around embers to find the gun and the rope and the pills and the knives.

He shrugged. "It happens. You know you don't have long left, right?"

"How much?"

"Two or three, at best. Then you'll be at the store."

"Alone?"

"Alone."

He nodded. "I just need one more," he whispered, undoing the noose around his neck and then feeling the hole in his skull. "Even if it's for a minute." He jumped headfirst this time, crashing into the ground beside her lifeless body.

"This is the last time you'll see her," he said.

She smiled as he backed down the driveway, waving back as she waved goodbye for a moment. "Even if it's for a minute. One more time? Please?"

"No, you're done. It's time." He closed his eyes and let Death take him, the last moments relived until they were no more.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this, please check out more stories at /r/MatiWrites. Constructive criticism and advice are always appreciated!