“S’all my fault.” I’m shaking my head, slowly, then faster. He keeps talking…mumbling…slurring. Some of it makes sense. Most of it doesn’t. But I catch enough. “…better off…me ’stead a her……died…s-sorry, Mase, so sorry…” My vision blurs, and it feels like there’s a fucking elephant sitting on my chest. “Stop.” The word slips out of me, inaudible over the ringing in my ears. “Wish it was me…” His words taper off into a silence so heavy, so profound, I’m helpless to avoid what comes next. No. Nonononono—
