The Glass Rose

by Tiffany Harju
(Las Vegas)

She walks alone through the tall wrought iron gates. A dark shrouded figure in a scarlet cloak. Clouds of her shallow breath manifest and dissipate just like the one she loved. She's here for a reason during this lonely cold winter season to uphold her end of this dateless bargain.
In her small ivory hand she carries a single rose made of glass. Perfect, it shall never die, nor shall it's beauty never fade. Frozen in time flawless and clear crystallized forever nothing to fear.
Her sad icy blue eyes scan the tombs reading names, her heart smolders and blossoms into flames. She stops in her track, there is no turning back.
Her delicate spidery fingertips lovingly caress the engraving. His name is sacred. She whispers it quietly remembering the day they were to be wed, but life is cruel he was no fool. Forbade to see each other their hearts tore asunder. They made a pact. If not wed in this life only dead could she be his wife.
They planned secretly to do it together, to shuffle off this mortal coil and be together forever.
But fate would not have it as it were and he died from the plague that has no cure. Her rosy lips press against the cold stone and she embraces his final resting home.
Removing her hood long cascading waves of inky black tresses fall around her shoulders. Softly she cradles the glass rose so gently as if it were a fragile infant. Warm memories flash before her eyes. When he gave her that very same glass rose as he was down on one knee preparing to propose. Never had she felt such love, it was like he was sent from the heavens above.
Tears began to stream down her face and she knew now was the time and place. She sliced the glass thorn on the stem of the rose across her wrist and through her clothes. She gashed and slashed down to the bone.
Her life force draining dark blood cascading. Unstoppable bleeding, her life receding and finally her heart stopped beating. Though now dead finally they were wed. Hand in hand never to be apart again. They were meant to be and finally free. He whispered in her ear I will always and forever love thee.