“What do you mean there’s no cure for this? Are you even a doctor?”, yelled James as he started to make his way towards the door of the village doctor’s clinic.

“James, for the last time you have to believe me. I’ve seen this before, it’s the God’s disease”, said the doctor trying to reason with James.

“Bullcrap , that is!”, muttered James as he stormed out of the door.

James had been struggling with mind numbing headaches and memory loss for almost a year now. He had tried every treatment his village had to offer. The shaman, the priest, the doctor and even the village witch doctor in a desperate attempt of saving his sanity. 

Throughout this year which made his life a living hell the only redeeming part of life for James was his wife, Katie. Katie and James had gotten together around 11 months ago and she had moved in when James proposed. Even from the very beginning of their marriage Katie was very understanding about James’s condition and took loving care of him in a way that’d make you think she’d done it all her life.

But James had had enough at last. He could not bear the headaches and waking up in places with no knowledge of how he got there anymore. He made up his mind to end his torment once and for all today. So, when he got home, he was going to tell Katie his goodbyes, give her all his worldly belongings to support herself and the end his life.

“There is no way on God’s green Earth I’m going to live without you”, screamed Katie through her tears when James told her his intentions.

“Honey, please understand I just can’t live like this any longer”.

“Take me with you then”

“Absolutely not!” 

“Fine, go ahead. I’ll do it myself!”

“There’s no need for that let me think about it”, said James defeated.

The more he thought about it ,in James’s head what Katie said seemed to make sense to him. There obviously was no way that she would be able to survive without him. Also, what is more romantic of an end than a joint suicide pact? James made up his mind, so he nodded at her in agreement .

And that night James and Katie made their way to the mountain peak embraced each other while crying and jumped down to their deaths, holding each other hand in hand.

Early next morning the body of James was found, neck broken lying in a pool of his own blood by a group of university students making their way to the city. A little wax doll, presumably stolen from the doctor’s office , was found clutched tightly in James’s right fist.

Penned by: Rtr. Pasindu Gunawardhana (Editorial Member 2021-22)

Edited, translated and published by: RACSLIIT Editorial Team 2021-22