Anniversary

"Today is the day." Jason said excitedly as he walked out his studio apartment's front door, closing it quietly behind him; he had left his girlfriend behind to sleep. Coffee brewed, breakfast cooked, and alarm clocks turned off. His walking speed picked up as he traversed Market Street, and he looked from shop to shop. Jason was on a mission. He was in search for one shop in particular, an antique shop that Kirsten had stopped at a few weeks prior; she had spotted a simple silver locket in the shape of a heart, and he knew that it would be perfect. Today had to be perfect, after all it marked three years since he had met the love of his life. His person. He had pulled a few extra shifts in the factory just for this little piece of silver. Just then he spotted the shop and hurried to its front door, gently clicked the knob, and the dusty old bell jingled above his head. Within moments he was the proud owner of Kirsten's heart.

Jason took the small piece of metal a few doors down to a jeweler, who engraved the day of their first date and their initials on the inside face of the locket. He handed the older gentleman a small photo of him and Kirsten on their one year anniversary, and the jeweler placed it in the other side of the locket. He had recieved some free tickets to the carnival at work, they were feeding each other cotton candy, arms wrapped at the elbow, and smiling. He rushed back to the apartment, small purple box in hand, a huge smile plastered on his face. His shoes thumping against the wooden stairs, he turned the doorknob, and pushed gently; there Kirsten was, sitting on the counter, his black Chevrolet t-shirt hung loose around her waist as she drank from her cactus coffee cup, obviously appreciative for the coffee he had brewed.

"Good morning my love" she said softly, Jason adored how she looked in the morning, her honey brown hair fluffed up from the pillows, the slight pink hue to her cheeks and nose when the apartment had gotten cold, and the sleepy smile she always welcomed him with.

"Good morning Beautiful" Jason said tenderly as he took off his shoes and walked over to her; he gently took the cup from her hands and placed it on the counter. He wrapped his arms around her small waist and pulled her close, the smell of her shampoo danced with his cologne and he took a deep breath. Kirsten wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him just as close.

"Today must be special for you to wake up on a Saturday." She chuckled softly.

"Yes ma'am, it is." He said reaching into his jacket pocket, pulling out the small purple box, and placing it in her hands, "Happy anniversary my love". She opened the box gently and a soft gasp left her lips as she pulled the small heart shaped locket from its box.

"Oh Jason, when did you... its beautiful. Thank you so much baby" Kirsten inspected the locket, and opened it to see the picture he had chosen, and the date inscribed next to it, he could see tears forming in her eyes, but the smile didn't falter. He was mesmerized by her, he took the locket from her hands and went to clasp it around her neck, as a faint sound happened behind him.

...son... Ja... Jas... Jason...

He looked up into her eyes and with a sad tone, she said "It's been a year..."

"Jason!" His friend shouted and Jason was pulled back into reality, the truth he avoided every day as he slept. He looked around him, he was hiding in waterways with the rats, while the fighting went on above rattling the stones. Water dripped from the ceiling into his hands, and he looked back at the locket, now tarnished with age and dirt. He was surviving, but he died that day with her, the day the world fell apart; he latched the locket behind his neck and kissed it.

"I will be with you again Beautiful"