He stared down at the white tile floor. The red stood out against
the bland color starkly. It was such a difference that he found himself
transfixed by the colors until he inhaled and instantly fought the urge to
gag. The smell of blood, sweet and metallic, brought him back to the
present. He looked further into the room and saw her slumped against
the wall her head lulled to the side. If he hadn't seen her inhale he would
have thought she was already gone.

"Ashley." He stepped into the room. He felt the blood beneath his
feet, knowing then that he had forgotten his shoes , but also unable to
think about it. He couldn't think of it as her blood. He went to his knees
beside her,"Baby. I'm calling help."

"No. Just let me go."

"No." He flipped open his phone and dialed 911. He watched her
as he spoke to the operator."Ashley stay with me." His was panicked as
her eyes drifted closed."I don't know where she cut herself." He said
into the phone. She rolled her arm over and showed him she had cut
herself in the bend of her left arm."In the bend of her arm." He fought
back tears as he watched Ashley's breathing change from slow and quiet
to rapid and noisy and knew that if help didn't get there soon she would
be gone. He grabbed a towel from the shelf above him and put it against
her arm. He knew his prayer had been answered in that she hadn't slit
both arms."Ash did you take any medicine?" He repeated the question
the operator had asked him. When she shook her head, he sighed and
relayed the answer."They are on their way baby. Stay with me." He
whispered pushing the hair out of her face with is free hand. He stared
down into her eyes as she looked up at him. He could swear he was able
to see into the deepest parts of her soul and knew he would never be the
same after tonight. There were so many things he wanted to tell her, but
he said nothing.

He realized that the ambulance had arrived when the EMTs pulled
him from in front of her. He watched in stunned silence as they lifted her
lifeless body from the floor to the stretcher. Tears inched their way
down his face as he watched them preform CPR on her as they pushed
her out of the room and down the hallway.