Loved Me, Then Destroyed Me

My teammates rushed me onto a stretcher and pushed me toward the runway.

We ran straight into Janice and Tim as they were about to leave.

Katie Hoffman sprinted over and grabbed Janice by the arm. "Let Samuel get on first. He's crashing. If he doesn't make it back, he's not going to survive!"

Janice didn't even pause. "No. The helicopter only fits two. I'm taking Tim out now. This place isn't safe."

Her voice was steady, with no hesitation.

Katie's voice broke as she shouted, "Samuel's dying! He's your husband! How is getting Tim out more important than his life?"

Tim lowered his head, putting on that soft, fragile look. "It's okay, Janice. Samuel's probably just jealous. You should take him back. I'll be fine here on my own."

Janice had been wavering, just slightly.

But after she heard that, her expression settled.

"Samuel's not in danger. The doctors just said he was stable. Don't try to lie to me for him. This isn't the time to act out."

She grabbed Tim's hand and headed for the helicopter.

Katie held onto her, tears already falling. "He's really not going to make it! Are you seriously leaving him behind?"

Janice shook her off. She looked at me, her eyes cold, her tone firm.

"Samuel, be reasonable. I'll come back for you after I drop Tim off. Stop being so jealous."

But I wasn't being jealous.

I was literally dying.

I lay there on the stretcher, pain locking my body in place. I couldn't even speak. I could feel my body slowly shutting down, and my consciousness starting to fade.

Janice walked over and leaned down beside me.

She brushed a hand against my face, her voice low near my ear.

"Wait for me. Six hours."

Her fingers brushed my ruined lips. I noticed the scar on her hand, the one she got when she burned herself making soup for me.

"When this is over, I'll take you to see the flower fields you've always talked about, okay?"

I didn't want to see any flower fields.

I didn't want to wait for her.

I watched as she climbed into the helicopter with Tim.

The blades spun faster and faster, the wind whipping across the runway. Then it lifted, higher and higher, until it disappeared into the sky.

All that was left inside me was a hollow kind of despair.

I never thought she could be this cruel, that she would choose another man over my life.

With what strength I had left, I pulled my phone and my wedding ring from my pocket and handed them to Katie.

"Give the recording on my phone to headquarters. Don't let Tim take our credit. And this…"

I had to pause. Breathing felt like dragging air through broken glass.

"Give it to Janice. Tell her we're done. I'll never forgive her."

Katie froze, her eyes turning red. "Samuel, hang on. We'll find another flight. I'm sorry… We couldn't stop them…"

"It's too late…" I managed a faint smile. I could feel myself fading, piece by piece. "Cremate me. Don't give my ashes to Janice. I don't want to see her ever again."

My eyelids finally gave out and drifted shut.

Around me, my teammates removed their caps and stood in silent salute as a final farewell.

At that same moment, thousands of miles away, the interdimensional communicator Janice carried suddenly blared with a harsh alarm:

[The main protagonist of this world has fallen. A new protagonist will be designated. Designation confirmed. Tim Jenkins is now recognized as the main protagonist of this world.]

Janice froze.

She had been with Tim, pushing hard to transfer our team's credit over to him.

At that moment, everything stopped.