Generation 4, Chapter 1: The nightmare

"Oh, Danny! You know I can't do that!" Sarah giggled profusely, cringing away from me as I reached over to tickle her.

"What's another five minutes away from the art gallery? Your boss can't fire you just because of that," I argued, but sensed that I was going to lose this battle. Sarah had never been one to bend the rules for her own pleasure, even if she wanted to. She was the kindest person I had ever met, and the best fiancée I could ever have wished for.

"This is Paris, Daniel. The people here are a lot different than back home, and probably not as lenient."

"Sarah, you're right, this is Paris, the city of love. We're supposed to be enjoying our little vacation, not work our butts of as a student. I'm sure your boss could understand the fact that you need some more time with your fiancé."

"Nope," she shook her head with a smile. "No can do."

"You are so stubborn," I laughed. "Alright, if you don't want to take off some time, how about I accompany you to your place of employment?"

"I don't know... Isn't that stretching the rules a bit too thin? I'm not sure company rules allow that."

"Sarah, come on! Throw me a bone or something!"

"Okay, okay, just because you asked so nicely. I'll tell my boss you, a friend, were dying to see some of the exhibits before the gallery has officially opened. He can't argue against that."

As Sarah was impatient to walk all the way back to the art gallery, I offered to drive her there, something that was a rare sight in Paris. The city was so beautiful, you never wanted to climb into a car and let the sights pass you so fast. You wanted to savor it for as long as you could before reality hit you in the face.

All the way up in the elevator, Sarah kept dancing around the cramped space, teasing me, tickling me the way I always tickled her. She was the complete opposite of me, playful and kindhearted. I was always the serious one, but Sarah, she changed me.

"This place...it looks fantastic. Where did you get all of this stuff?!"

"A lot of it is on loan from the Egyptian and Chinese government. After a few months, we'll have to return it."

"So it's a good thing I decided to drop in for a little visit," I chuckled.

"Yes, it is," she blew me a little kiss from where she stood at the flower bush. "Just don't go telling everybody about your 'secret visit'."

"That won't be necessary," a voice emanated from the elevator, and as the doors opened, a black clad individual stepped out. His attire wasn't what scared me. What was in his hand was a lot more threatening.

And he was pointing that gun at Sarah.

"Where are the most valuable pieces of art, woman?" the figure kept his weapon pointed at her.

"T-there aren't any!" she cried out, taking a step back and almost tripping over into the small pool connected to the fountain. "The art gallery isn't open yet because most of the artifacts haven't arrived yet. We only have smaller objects on display currently..."

The man smirked. "Your loss, then."

I didn't hear a thing, but I knew what had happened, because in that moment, all I could see was the fear that shone in Sarah's eyes, the obvious pain she was feeling.

He had shot her.

"Daniel," she yelped out, her hand dropping to her stomach. When she took it away, it was covered in blood.

It was as if a movie was taking place in front of me. Sarah sunk to the ground in slow-motion, her eyes still locked on mine. She kept calling to me, but I could not hear her. Her voice had completely faded to a whisper.

That wasn't the only problem on hand. In the corner of my eye, I could see the gun being pointed at me. I was next.

"So, lover boy, how you doin'? I guess you're ready to tackle me now, huh?"

The feeling of hatred that stirred in me was powerful, and all I wanted to do was let it go and murder the man before me. But I couldn't. I was frozen where I stood.

"Guess not, then," he laughed darkly. "Seems like you didn't care too much for her, in the end." Like the coward he was, the culprit turned and ran into the elevator, quickly travelling back to the ground floor. I prayed that someone would see him running away, and call the police.

What had just took place finally started to sink in, and I fell to my knees, sobbing. Sarah was dead because of me. I had promised to protect her from everything and everyone, yet when the moment presented itself, I froze, and it cost her her life.

Crawling all the way to where she lay on the floor, I took her motionless body, hugging it against me. The blood that stained her dress now stained mine. If only we could have shared the pain, and everything that had followed.

"I'm so sorry, Sarah... I failed you."

~*~

The clock read exactly 12:03 AM. I had barely gotten any sleep during the night. I should have been used to it by now. I never got enough sleep.

The nightmare came, every night, as if it had scheduled a meeting with me. It was never late, too. For the past four years, it was recurring, and there was no sign that it would ever stop.

Sarah's eyes would forever haunt me. I blamed myself for what happened, and for good reason. Maybe I deserved the nightmares. It was punishment for the fact that I lived and she didn't.

I would never be able to forgive myself.