Twisted Roads – Twisted Horror Stories by Matthew Tonks

Today’s story is brought to life by the following prompt…

This is my submission for the Only Murders In My Mind Weekly Writing Prompt.

RE: Happy Birthday

The soft red glow from the light dimly washes over Cassandra’s motionless body, while the low hum from the whirling of motors and pumps battles to be heard against the steady beeping of a monitor that sits just a few feet from Cassandra’s bed. She swallows and attempts to smile as Evan looks down at her.

“A reflex,” he says with a smile of his own.

“W-What is?”

“Everything you’re feeling, everything you’re doing. They are but a habit, a reflex, a closed door upon the life you once so adored, and I adored you living,” he says, his voice calm and almost void of feeling.

She shakes her head. “I-I,” she stammers, as she closes her eyes and swallows a desperate mouthful of air. “W-W-W-Water?”

He smiles again and places a firm hand on her shoulder and squeezes it gently. “Reflexes, my dear, reflexes. You don’t need water, not anymore, and besides, with the cost of living and how little water there is left on this dying rock, it would be a waste of resources.”

“I-I-I,” she lets her eyes rest and takes another deep breath into her ample chest. “Will it be quick?”

“Will what be quick, my love?”

“The end, will it be quick? W-W-Will it be painful?”

“You won’t feel a thing. It will be as if the moment has not paused at all.”

“A-And my s-soul? M-My eight grams of who I am? W-What happens to that? W-Where does that go? Do I, do I have it? A-Am I still me? Or am I just command codes mixed with videos and sound files collected from a dying mind?”

“I don’t know,” Evan says, as he looks down upon Cassandra’s dimly lit frame. “I guess we must have something that would be considered our soul, for we are much more than what our circuits make us out to be. We are who we are, and have always been.”

“A-A-And, what about her? What about, C-Cassandra?”

“You’re Cassandra, th…”

“Stop it, Evan. Stop it! Tell me about her. Tell me what’s happening to her?”

“She’s at peace.”

“I-Is, is she dead?” she asks as she takes another deep breath and opens her eyes once again, looking over at the slightly confused Evan.

“D-Does it matter?”

“Of course it matters, Evan! Why wouldn’t it? D-Don’t tell me you weren’t there? Don’t tell me you left her to die alone! EVAN, TELL ME YOU DIDN’T!”

“I-I-I,” he stammers nervously.

“I WANT TO SEE HER, EVAN. I WANT TO SEE HER BEFORE SHE PASSES, I WANT TO SEE HER NOW!”

Evan squeezes her shoulder again and smiles plainly once more. “You know that’s not allowed. She’s comfortable and she’s at peace, that’s all you need to know.”

“B-B-But she’s alone.”

“She’s sleeping, and she’ll stay asleep…”

“NO, EVAN! NO! IT DOESN’T MATTER IF SHE’S ASLEEP, SHE’S STILL ALONE!” Cassandra cries out. “D-Don’t you care, Evan? Don’t you want to be with her, holding her hand, brushing her hair while she passes?”

Evan takes a step back in shock. For the first time in a long while, his face exudes many mixed emotions.

“I-I-I,” he stammers as he struggles for a breath.

“Reflexes?” Cassandra asks.

He smiles nervously. “R-R-Reflexes,” he repeats.

“Take me to her, Evan. Let me hold her one last time. Please?” she asks.

He closes his eyes and lets a long-winded sigh emanate from his chest. “If we are to go, then we must hurry. She, s-she,” he stammers as his eyes shoot open. “She only has a few moments left in this world.”

“WHERE! Where is she, Evan?”

“B-B-Below us,” he stammers.

“Below us? But there are no medical facilities below us, there’s only…” Her words trail off as she stares up into Evan’s robotic eyes.

“There’s only the furnace,” he says softly.