“It’s been a while.”

“…”

“Where have you been? I missed you.”

“Not everything is for you to know.”

__

__

“Maybe. Maybe this should have been.”

“…”

__

__ “Do you ever feel guilty?”

“About what?”

“…Nevermind.”

“If you’re just here to berate me, then leave. Give a dying person peace.”

__

__ “Are you?”

“Am I what?”

“Dying.”

“It feels like I am.”

“Oh.”

“…”

__

__

“What does it feel like?”

“To die?”

__

__ “Yes.”

“It feels like something is catching up to me.”

__

__

“I can only pray it’s your past.”

“That isn’t fair.”

__

__ “…”

“We all make mistakes. Mine just seemed to affect you the most.”

__

__

“That’s because I loved you.”

“…”

__

__ “Don’t act like you didn’t know.”

__

“Don’t act like you still know me.”

“…”

“Was it you or I that stopped reaching out?”

__

__

“Does it matter? Wouldn’t we still be here, all these years later, you on your deathbed? Would any of it have mattered if you knew?”

“I don’t know.”

“Then why do you ask?”

“I suppose questions are natural of someone who’s about to lose every chance of getting them answered.”

__

__

“So you’ve lost hope, then.”

“I don’t have any choice.”

__

__ “Don’t you want to fight? Don’t you care any longer? Don’t you remember what it felt like to want to have a choice?”

“I have forgotten.”