The Uncorrected Record

“You’re earlier than I expected.”

“I hate suspense. It makes my eye twitch.”

“You don’t have a twitch.”

“I do when people lie to me.”

“Then tonight should be lively.”

“You picked the place.”

“I picked neutral ground.”

“This is a funeral home.”

“Very neutral.”

“You’re not funny.”

“I’ve been told I’m an acquired taste.”

“Sit.”

“I already am.”

“You’re leaning.”

“It’s an emotional lean.”

“You look different.”

“Older?”

“Smarter.”

“Ouch.”

“You earned it.”

“You didn’t look when I left.”

“I didn’t need to.”

“You’re still angry.”

“I’m still alive.”

“Low bar.”

“You raised it.”

“You disappeared.”

“You fired me.”

“I reassigned you.”

“To unemployment.”

“To safety.”

“Don’t rewrite it.”

“You always hated edits.”

“I hate lies with good posture.”

“You were in over your head.”

“I was doing my job.”

“You were asking questions.”

“That was my job.”

“Not those questions.”

“Whose were they?”

“People who don’t forgive curiosity.”

“You always talk like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like danger is a weather system.”

“It is. You learn to read it.”

“And I was the storm you avoided.”

“You were the lightning rod.”

“So you cut me loose.”

“So I cut the wire.”

“You let them think I flipped.”

“They already did.”

“You didn’t correct them.”

“I didn’t deny it.”

“You ruined my name.”

“You kept your life.”

“For what?”

“For this conversation.”

“You could’ve warned me.”

“You wouldn’t have listened.”

“I would’ve run.”

“Exactly.”

“You don’t get to decide that.”

“I already did.”

“You’re unbelievable.”

“You used to believe in me.”

“I used to believe you were better.”

“I still am.”

“You’re sitting in a funeral home at midnight.”

“Everyone ends up here eventually.”

“Charming.”

“Efficient.”

“Why now?”

“Because they’re reopening the file.”

“They never close files.”

“They do when people stop breathing.”

“Who?”

“You don’t want that answer.”

“Try me.”

“You.”

“Cute.”

“They think you know more than you said.”

“I said everything.”

“You said enough to survive.”

“That’s all anyone ever does.”

“They’re coming.”

“When?”

“Soon.”

“That’s vague.”

“That’s mercy.”

“You’re asking me to disappear again.”

“I’m asking you to stay very still.”

“They’ll tear my life apart.”

“They already did.”

“You don’t get to be calm about this.”

“I do. I’ve practiced.”

“You always do this.”

“Do what?”

“Act like the smartest person in the room.”

“I’m not.”

“Then why does it feel like I’m three moves behind?”

“Because you stopped playing.”

“I was tired.”

“You were scared.”

“I was human.”

“You were predictable.”

“That hurts.”

“Truth usually does.”

“You could help me.”

“I am.”

“By warning me?”

“By reminding you.”

“Of what?”

“You don’t actually want justice.”

“You don’t know what I want.”

“You want it to make sense.”

“And you don’t?”

“I want it to stop.”

“They’re not the same.”

“They feel similar at night.”

“You’re deflecting.”

“I’m pacing the truth.”

“Then pace faster.”

“They’re going to offer you a deal.”

“I don’t make deals.”

“You always did.”

“I made compromises.”

“You called them principles.”

“They were.”

“Flexible ones.”

“You think I’ll sell you out.”

“I think you’ll protect yourself.”

“You taught me that.”

“I taught you to be careful.”

“You taught me to survive.”

“Same lesson.”

“You sound guilty.”

“I am.”

“For what?”

“For believing you could handle it.”

“You don’t get to regret me.”

“I already did.”

“Say that again.”

“No.”

“Say it.”

“I regret not stopping you sooner.”

“There it is.”

“You don’t regret what you did.”

“I regret the cost.”

“You cost me everything.”

“You still have your conscience.”

“You poisoned that too.”

“Yet you’re still here.”

“Because I need to know.”

“Know what?”

“If you’d do it again.”

“Yes.”

“That fast?”

“I didn’t hesitate the first time either.”

“So I was expendable.”

“You were essential.”

“Explain.”

“Someone had to walk away alive.”

“And you chose you.”

“I chose the version of the world where you weren’t dead.”

“You don’t get to frame it like that.”

“I do if it’s true.”

“You could’ve trusted me.”

“I did.”

“Then why not tell me?”

“Because trust isn’t the same as burden.”

“You decided what I could carry.”

“You were already carrying too much.”

“You don’t know me.”

“I know you hate not knowing.”

“Then tell me everything.”

“I can’t.”

“Won’t?”

“Can’t.”

“There’s a difference.”

“Not when you’re on the wrong side of it.”

“They’re listening.”

“Where?”

“Everywhere that hums.”

“You’re paranoid.”

“I’m informed.”

“You’re enjoying this.”

“I enjoy control.”

“You don’t have it.”

“I have enough.”

“You came to absolve yourself.”

“I came to see if you’d forgive me.”

“And?”

“You’re still asking questions.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“It is to me.”

“You could stay.”

“I won’t.”

“You always leave.”

“I always know when to.”

“Coward.”

“Survivor.”

“Say one true thing.”

“I never stopped watching out for you.”

“That’s two.”

“Pick one.”

“I missed you.”

“Say it like it matters.”

“I missed you enough to ruin your life.”

“That’s not comfort.”

“It’s honesty.”

“What do I do?”

“You listen.”

“To what?”

“The silence after I leave.”

“You’re unbelievable.”

“You said that already.”

“Give me something real.”

“Okay.”

“What?”

“If they ask about the fourth name, say you don’t remember.”

“There was no fourth name.”

“Exactly.”

“You’re asking me to lie.”

“I’m asking you to survive.”

“And you?”

“I’ll be gone.”

“Where?”

“Somewhere without fluorescent lights.”

“You’re smiling.”

“I always do at funerals.”

“For who?”

“For the version of us that thought this ended cleanly.”

“You don’t get to walk away.”

“I always do.”

“If you leave, that’s it.”

“It already was.”

“…You were my best partner.”

“…You were my worst mistake.”

“…Take care.”

“…Don’t be brave.”

“…Goodbye.”

“…Don’t answer your phone tomorrow.”