"A Broken Whisper"

"No," she whispered, but he knew what she meant. It wasn't in the wording, it was the feeling. It was a yes according to her heart.

"Didn't you hear me? I said no!" she yelled with a sudden fury, blue eyes reddening at the rims as tears smeared her mascara.

Ryan's hands never faltered as they held out the black velvet box, his knee as steady as ever on the restaurant carpet. Brenda's hands were shaking furiously and she weakly lowered herself into a chair to keep from falling over.

"I said no, damn it. You deserve better!"

"There's no one better for me than you. You know that as well as I do. Now you're going to stop this madness and say yes."

A feeble shake of the head. "No."

"Please, Brenda. Don't do this." Ryans hands shook slightly and for the first time there was a falter in his voice. "This is what we wanted. This is what

you wanted."

"No."

Ryan turned his face away, slamming the box closed and sealing the ring off from the world. "Then have it your way."

Without another glance, he left the restaurant, her words echoing in his mind. No. It was with him as he crossed the street. It was there as he walked the two blocks to his car. The key in the ignition, the car sparking to life, the crackle of the radio. It was all resonating with the echo of her no.

It was there in his eyes as the stranger yanked the door open and pulled out a gun. Ryan's mind was screaming no as the loud threats were yelled and gestures made to get him to forfeit the car. "No," was the last thing he heard himself saying, the last thing he thought he would say. No, and then a gunblast and darkness.