Run.

Young and vibrant she was married to the man she has loved for the past seven years. Happiness and simplicity has always been the highlight of their relationship. friendship and enjoying everything about one another made up the foundation of the high school sweetheart's union. A brief three years later, grief had stricken them.

He a, meticulous crane operator, was unfortunately caught in the wrong point in time. Building, what only could have been described as a skyscraper, an unfortunate flaw in the blueprints caused the frame to crumble under itself and crash down atop of the crane cab of which he operated. Sirens screamed and wailed trying to reach his side. Things blurred in and out for him. One moment he was in the arms of a man that wore the emergency emblem on his chest, then he had an air mask wrapped around the front of his face. Then the sight of his beautiful worried wife flashed in front of his eyes.

The call had her up and out the door in a matter of seconds. Every sense had seemed to be hightened on the drive to the hospital. Shocked, she was numb with fear. Time had seemed to drag and traffic had seemed to become nothing but a flash. She burst through the doors of the hospital, sprinting past every nurse that tried to stand in her way. The hallway seemed to close in on her as she raced her way to the end where he was being held. She made her way to the door and then to his bedside, in what felt to her like a lifetime. The heart monitor beeped irradically while nurses tried to stabilize his rising blood pressure. She was pushed out the door by a nurse, only seeing a glimpse of her husband on the way out.

Sitting in the vacant waiting room, she blankly stared at the floor. People visiting loved ones strolled by laughing and going on about their lives, not noticing her fear-stricken demeanor. A nurse came to her side and explained what was going on. She couldn't seem to focus on the words spewing from the hefty woman's mouth, but she heard what she had feared most. he was not going to make it much longer. She didn't listen any longer and ran as fast as she could to his side.

His eyes fluttered as she spoke to him, her voice shaky, yet soft. She wanted to say so much but yet nothing could come out. She slowly reached to his hand and miraculously he met her halfway. Her eyes met his and he spoke in a very hoarse manner.

" Hi there cutie," he cracked a small smile, "I need to tell you something and I need you to listen."

She nodded with tears in her eyes.

He squeezed her hand, "you and I both know that I'm not going to last much longer," he coughed, "I love you and I want you to go on with your life," he continued, " I want you to go to where ever you feel most at peace, and I know that is the ocean."

She nodded, holding his hand tighter.

"When the service is done and over I want you to run, don't let anything here get in your way just run," he didn't let her cut in, "I know you have always wanted to be there and you put off that dream for me because you knew this area was great for my line of work," he coughed again, harder this time, "you're the greatest woman I have ever known and I want you to make someone else as happy as you have made me, but most importantly I want you to live your dreams."

She nodded with tears flowing softly down her flushed face. He held his arms out and motioned her in. She brought herself gently into the hospital bed with him. Perfectly curled around him, she softly sobbed. With what little strength he had left, he stroked her long hair and repeatedly kissed the top of her head. They laid there for five minutes lost in their own world. They soaked up every last second they had together, hoping that time would stand still.

"I want you to remember what I said," he choked out, " I love you with all my heart and I always will, forever and always."

She sat up and looked at him, "I love you too."

He crooked his finger at her and she came closer to him. He brought his hand to her chin, making her lock eyes with him.

"Remember, run," he kissed her one last passionate time.

She opened her eyes to see him peacefully laying back on the pillow. Then the noise of the dreaded flat line began to ring in her ears. Her eyes scattered looking for any sign of life left in him, but there was nothing. She slowly came close to him and ran her fingers along his face. She softly brought her lips to his forhead and tightly shut his eyes, squeezing out one last tear.

One week later he was laid to rest. She couldn't help but hear his last word replay over and over in her mind. He was right, she did put off her dream of living by the ocean. She always settled for a vacation or two a year, but in a way it still wasn't enough.

She went home to a near empty house and slept on the floor next to her boxed up belongings. She was set out to move tomorrow, the day after burying her husband. determination on keeping the promise she made to her husband, kept her on top of this busy week. She not only planned the memorial service, she also sold her home, bought another, and found a new job within her career field.

She woke the next morning with the sun streaming through the bare windows.  She made one last walk around the empty home, seeing all of the memories of her and her husband almost flash before her eyes. She slowly shut the front door trying to take in every last moment. The door finally latched and just like that, a chapter of her life ended and a new one began.

She made it to the coast in record time. The salt air wisped through her hair and the sun kissed her skin. After settling in she made her way down to the beach, which she now called her backyard. She walked the waters edge letting the waves touch her skin. Her heart felt somewhat at peace and she knew he looked down at her and smiled at the way she glowed. She sat in the sand with her knees to her chest and her crossed arms resting on top. She gazed out at the horizon and smiled at the memory of her husband and at the new life that has unfolded before her.