by Patricia Watson

Created on: August 31, 2011

Running Out Of Time

Jessie sat upright on the uncomfortable, hard, metal chair. The space around her felt cold and somehow grey, despite the newly painted lemon walls. Oblivious to others in the room, her empty eyes focused on the scratched plastic window directly ahead of her. She sighed as she stared at the withered, grey haired, old man, restrained and laying motionless on the bed before her. His body seemed so still although she noted that his grey eyes darted from side to side, never settling in one place.

Watching his chest rise and fall with each breath she focused on her own body noting that she was in rhythm with this man before her. How could she ever have anything in common with this man?

Staring at his grey wrinkled face, Jessie’s eyes locked onto his, those cold grey eyes that so long ago had looked glazed and yet crazy, fueled by drink and drugs. Those cold grey eyes that continue to deny that he watched as he and his friends raped her after beating her husband to death. Those cold grey eyes that frequently invade her dreams making her scream and beg for mercy.  This cold grey man, who has never admitted his guilt, has never said sorry or taken any responsibility for his actions. This monster who has wrecked her life and taken away her husband and her faith.

The man knew that he was running out of time and very soon the lethal clear liquid would enter his body and end his worthless life.  Focusing his eyes on the women who stared at him in the distance, beyond the window, he reflected on his wasted life, most of which he couldn’t remember. But he knew this woman; he knew those eyes which he recalled were once so beautiful and full of life. During the past ten years he knew that he had wronged this woman, not only by violating her and taking her husband’s life, but by his ongoing plea of innocence. Laying on his death bed everything now seemed crystal clear; he somehow had to make amends.  

Never taking her eyes from the man’s face Jessie realized that the liquid was entering his body and that both he and she were running out of time. The man’s breathe began to falter but he continued to focus on the woman’s eyes as he mouthed the words ‘I’m guilty, so very sorry blue eyes’.

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