The room was still.
No static. No flickering. Just a frozen monitor.
Subject 3830's body slumped beside the one she loved. The pistol still dangled from her fingers. Her expression was peaceful. Like she'd already left long before the bullet did its job.
I didn't speak.
Didn't move.
I just stared at the monitor.
A smear of blood had started to darken on her temple. It didn't spread far. The floor caught it.
I didn't blink.
Not when her hand finally fell.
Not when the lights in the room overhead flickered and dimmed.
Not when the auto-feed timed out and the monitor went dark.
Just one word echoed.
Gone.
She was gone.
And this time, I hadn't been too late.
This time, I'd simply been useless as there was nothing I could do, but watch her kill someone before ending her own life.
I stood.
