Ed steps back from the brink

The moment stretched for what seemed like more than a year, an eternity almost.

When his eyes focused his discovered he was still standing over his prone assailant, the man who disrespected his dead mother, berated him and treated him with contempt in his own house.

He dropped the knife, despite his anger **** was simply not part of his being.

Ed felt overwhelmed by exhaustion and slid down to sit beside his defeated opponent.
"She is dead you know" Ed stated sadly.

There was a pause, Idris coughed and spat out some blood. He dragged himself to a sitting position beside Ed, closing his eyes in pain "what are you talking about?"

"The police came, there was an accident" Ed paused as he choked back his emotions "a car crash, she didn't even make it to the hospital". He stared into the distance, at his past and all his moments of regret "She's gone, I'm alone now."

Idris cleared his throat "are they sure its her?"

"Pretty much, they found her driving licence on her...." Ed blubbed the final word "body".

"I see..." Idris sighed

"I need to identify her later on today to confirm" Ed closed his eyes.

"I'll go and identify her" Idris offered

"No, its a family matter" Ed stated firmly.

"I see, I guess we know where we stand" Idris replied coldly.

Ed kept his eyes closed "I guess we do."

Idris response was silence, when Ed eventually opened his eyes he was alone.