...they sat and stared, laying blame on the other . No one said a word.

In the stagnate years that they lived together, in the untidiness of their one bedroom apartment, Carmella, taught him how to think less of himself. She burrowed into his head and planted the idea that he should not hold himself in such high esteem as he previously believed to be a healthy, normal level.

Almost witch-like, she used words and movements, cloaked in everyday activity to cast a shadow over young, Aries.

I say, “young,” despite the fact that they were both of equal age and life experience. Young Aries, because of his demeanor of a well behaved child.

“Yes ma’am,” he said over the phone to the woman taking his order. “Yes…30 minutes…thank you,” he added.

Aries and Carmella, were stuck at home together for the next four hours. This was the first time in a long time that they would spend this much time together occupying the same small space. Normally, one of them was at a bar or at work. They hadn’t spent a waking moment longer than one hour together for over three years. They made this possible by avoiding each other as much as they could without ever voicing their discontent to each other. Aries would often be seen at the supermarket, wandering aimlessly, reading ingredients on labels just to keep himself from going home.

Of course, things weren’t always this morose. There was a time when, love, did rule them. Love being their driving force, they would hold hands and tell stories of yesteryear to each other. Opening doors to each others past and present thoughts so that they could develop a better understanding of who they are, who they were, and who they might be in the future of their relationship.

It was during one of these talks, the date and time no longer in memory, that a cold breeze came over both of them. They both inexplicably turned away from each other in that instant. They didn’t know what else to say. They discovered that there was nothing else to share. That all their secrets and desires were out in the open and that their inner souls had became victim to the elements.

Carmella, embraced the cold. She realized she could no longer hide the fact that she wanted more in life than poor little Aries can provide. She began to openly resent him for being in her life. She began to poison him with words and look daggers that affected him deeply. These ills were not easily remedied.

Aries, didn’t know what to make of this. He trembled at the cold. He never had the strength to fight anyone or anything and the new climate of their relationship set him in reverse. He regressed into a child-like state of mind where all he can do is be subservient.

“The food will be here in 30 minutes,” he spoke, eyes downcast. She said nothing.

Thirty minutes had gone by with both of them in the living room. They sat and stared. They read. Neither one would dare to vocalize any thought that might lead them to a conversation. Talking about their feelings only gave them more reason to hate themselves and each other.

When the doorbell rang, Aries stood up and walked towards the door. He brought with him the money that he had pre-counted for the delivery boy, tip included.

“Thank you,” said Aries, and the young man, at the same time as they exchanged goods and monies.

Carmella, turned on the television and Aries set the food on the center table. They sat and stared at the television, eating methodically.

That, dear reader, is where they died. Sitting in front of their television.

When the police arrived two days later. The television was still on and a perfunctory local anchor was telling the public of the thirty or more deaths that had occurred in the last two days, victims of food poisoning. The worst case in US history.

Carmella and Aries never knew what induced this sudden termination of life.

In their last moments they looked each other in the eye, not asking for forgiveness or looking for reasons to continue living. Instead, they sat and stared, laying blame on the other . No one said nothing.

If either one of them was at home alone, they would have never ordered out. Carmella, would have made a turkey wrap and Aries would have had a noodle cup.

Suffice to say, in a very indirect way, it was being together that killed them.

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Rafael Cardenas can be reached at eastsidewriter@gmail.com

You can also find his writing in the Citizen LA.
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