The Last Beat


If you thought this story is about music, you’re wrong. This story has nothing to do with it. Or does it? Maybe it does. I guess we’ll have to see. Anyway, if you thought this story has to do with life, you’re completely right. This story is all about life, and how Aaron no longer had one.


The curvy outline of his face, the thick eyebrows, the green eyes. She never noticed how handsome he was.
“Stop staring at me” he said, without taking his eyes of the TV screen. As always listening to the same music on his headphones, he was watching The Simpsons. How many times he must have seen this very episode. She couldn’t stand The Simpsons. It was such a foolish show.
“I’m not” she said, without looking away. He turned his face towards her. The kind, gentle expression on his face didn’t match the bony, lifeless face. He coughed, and she went to press the nurse button. He stopped her.
“Please, don’t.” Silently she looked at him, a tear rolled down her face. Scotching to the side he made a space for her in his bed. As she lay next to him, she felt his warm breath on her neck. She closed her eyes and leaned in towards Aaron. But again, she was stopped by one of his cough episodes. This time she called the nurse. She came in with a towel holding his head in an upright position until he had no more energy to keep coughing. Debilitated his head fell back onto the gigantic pillow.
“He needs some rest.” the nurse said, implying she’d leave. She decided to go to the gift shop. Not because Aaron would have any desire to any of that hospital stuff, but because she enjoyed looking at the teddy bears and the signs with the encouraging quotes for people unlike her, who had any form of hope left.
When Kale was first diagnosed she would come here, as it was the least hospital like place to find. But now it was just like everything else. A place that reminded her that life wasn’t worth anything. Simply created to end. Everyone and everything ended at one point of time. Every organ shuts down. Every heart stops beating. And Aaron’s might today. Waiting in front of the elevator she decided today, she would tell him what she had been afraid of, for so many years. Afraid it might ruin their friendship. But that wasn’t a concern for much longer anyway. She could hardly wait to tell him. The elevator, taking for ever to come, was still on the third floor, so she took the stairs. Racing up she skipped every two steps.


But as she walked in the room, empty. Nurses were exiting. No one in the bed. Aaron was gone. A tear rolled down her face. Silently she moved away from the doorframe, and reached towards the remote. She put on the headphones, playing with the usual song, and switched on the Simpsons.