And there I stand before you as you drift in and out of consciousness. You look up at me and smile. “Yes, it’s me,” I say, “I couldn’t leave you here to suffer like this.”

You ask me if you’re dead as the church bells begin to toll again, chiming the melody of Greensleeves as you lay shivering on the wet pavement. I shake my head in response, but you don’t seem to see me. I reach down, touch your face, and the sky becomes gray as the surrounding buildings fade out of existence. The bells continue as the world around us loses color.

To reassure yourself, you grab my arm and squeeze it hard. Your eyes fix on mine with an intensely sad stare as the shell of your body dissolves.

“Remember that song?” I ask. “We used to play it in Mr. Grover’s music class – you on the viola, me on the cello. Do you remember?”

You nod in response as I lift you in my arms. Weeping, you grip my robe with shaky hands. Your eyes wide open now, your pain and tears abate as I carry you into a night sky of transcendent brightness.