Loving Merritt Forever

Loving Merritt After 35

The next sunset found Merritt and the cottage exactly as they had been at sunrise. Alone, lonely and heartbroken.

Merritt needed closure, she went out into the yard, wandering through the thin copses of trees. Gathering two separate bouquets of flowers. Sprigs of rosemary, clover flowers, and wild roses, bound in twine for Asher, forget-me-nots and Queen Anne's lace wrapped in fern fronds for Levi.

Merritt took her two fresh bouquets to the outdoor fireplace. Setting each bundle of flowers reverently on the grill. It took Merritt far longer than she anticipated to light a fire. The matches in the cottage were strange, and perhaps old or had gotten damp. Never mind that Merritt had few outdoor survival skills.

All she had was her determination that she would do this. Eventually, nearer morning than Merritt had wanted the fire finally caught. Spreading through the wood and twigs she had arranged. The fresh flowers smoking, the leaves turning black and curling. Burning down to ashes.

Just before sunrise, Merritt picked up a handful of the ashes that had been the flowers for Levi. Letting the wind blow the fine ash through her fingers. "Thank you for loving me. For everything you did for me. I forgive you. I'm so sorry Levi. I will love you forever and after." Merritt didn't bother to wipe the blood tears as they trailed down her cheek. She kept going, carefully picking up ashes from Asher's memorial. "You loved me enough to give up everything once. I will love you forever and after Asher." A gasping sound from lungs that did not need air as the wind took the ashes that represented Asher in Merritt's heart.

She had taken too long, the sun starting to blister her skin as she ran into the cottage and closed the door. Merritt went to the bed, welcoming the pain of her sunlight caused burns. She wanted her whole body to hurt as much as her heart did.

Marisol arrived with the sunset, delivering fresh bags of blood for Merritt. Ignoring the dried blood on Merritt's face, leaving quickly. Telling Merritt she had no more information and that she needed to get back to work.

Alone once again Merritt drank the chilled blood that tasted like plastic. Saving the others for later. Hoping the large ice packs would be enough to keep the precious liquid from spoiling. She missed electricity. Lights and movies. She missed crowds of people. She missed her loves in a way she wasn't certain she would be able to recover from.

Merritt sat outside on the grass all night. Watching the unfamiliar stars as they moved across the sky. Merritt saw the hint of sunlight at the horizon. She did not rise from the grass to seek shelter.

She had nothing left to keep her going. If Marisol feared what would happen if the demon who sought to possess Merritt got a hold of her, then there was one last thing that Merritt could do to try and make the world a better place. One thing she could do to protect Joy, and Gabi and Gabi's family. One chance to do something good for the world on her own.

Merritt closed her eyes. Clenching her teeth together to keep from screaming out as the sunlight touched her skin. Burning her alive. Slowly at first. As the sun rays grew more intense the pace of Merritt's immolation increased as well.

Merritt welcomed the pain. This pain was better than her heartbreak. She couldn't stand the thought of an eternity living in fear of a demon or being alone. This wasn't how Merritt wanted to live.

Merritt had no idea what she would find in the true death. "I'll be with you soon Levi and Asher." Merritt tried to whisper through lips that had nearly already been burned away entirely. Merritt's demon hummed her lament. A sad song ton usher Merritt to the end she had chosen.

Merritt screamed out as strong arms grabbed her without warning, pulling her close. Rolling their two bodies along the ground and into the cottage. Kicking the door closed. Saving Merritt from her suicide plan. Beating all the fires until they were out.

Merritt lay stunned on the floor staring at the ceiling. The intruder who had ruined her death had taken off his coat, beating back the remainder of the flames that still licked at Merritt's skin and clothes. Merritt had never seen anything like him before in her entire life.

His skin was black, like lava sands on the beaches of Hawaii Merritt had seen pictures of. Stranger were the swirling marbled red lines tracing patterns over his skin. Merritt almost thought it was a tattoo, then instantly knew that wasn't right. Her demon knew what he was, but as always the broken monster in Merritt's head was not forthcoming with information. All Merritt knew was the demon didn't feel threatened by him.

Thanks to the blood she had drank right after Marisol had delivered it, once Merritt was safe from the light of the sun, the active flames put out, her body quickly began to heal itself. The strange man looked with wide eyes at Merritt as the damage she had welcomed undid itself right before his eyes. Merritt glared at him. She had not wanted to be saved. Her heart was done suffering. Nothing, endless nothing would be better than how things had ended up for her. She was certain of that.

Still glaring, and now firmly angry and not just heartbroken, Merritt snarled at the man. "Why did you stop me?" She felt angry and frustrated and just exhausted. She had wanted to stop everything. He had ruined it.

She made eye contact and saw red eyes looking back at her. They weren't glowing like her own, but she had never seen red eyes in any creature other than vampires. "Are you a vampire too?" She asked. Her demon yelled not not not, in Merritt's head, but the stranger was not answering. Gesturing with her hands Merritt asked "Do you understand me?" Touching her lips then her ears.

The stranger shook his head. He didn't understand her. He said a few words but Merritt couldn't understand his language either. Merritt got to her feet, looking more closely at the stranger. He was not a vampire, he had a slow heartbeat and living blood flowed in his veins. She did not know what to make of the man with long white hair, red eyes and strange swirl patterned skin. If they could not communicate than he was as much company as one of the song birds outside. Merritt gestured she was going to sleep in the back room. Trying to flick her hand to indicate the interloper could do as he pleased.

Merritt slammed the door the bedroom closed. Peeling the burnt clothing from her body. Needing to rip it from her skin where the burned flesh and fabric had fused. Merritt went to rest naked. Giving her badly burned skin a chance to heal. Going to rest as she heard the sound of pots and pans clattering in the main room on the other side of the door as the stranger started to prepare a meal.