[This chapter is dedicated to @HardeeBurger for pointing out the much needed changes lol! I hope you like this newer version Hardee ^^ ! Oh, and this is the late Christmas/New Year surprise that I was planning for you >-< which unfortunately got pushed back due to various reason lol ! Sorry >-< !]
Prologue
**
He paced across the living room – his feet digging a trail into the plush green carpet and his fingers clasped behind his back. His face was partially hidden by the wavy black locks, his forehead marked with lines of worry and his lips held a red tinge from nibbling on them too hard. Every few seconds his eyes would drift to the ancient clock hanging on the wall to his left, the hands creeping close to the digit twelve, warning him that it was almost close to midnight.
“Where are you?” he whispered and stopped again, to check on the time and then carried on with his restless pacing.
There were still a few minutes left, before the stroke of midnight resonated through his house. Maybe she was caught up in something…some work maybe.
He continued to ponder on that particular thought, coming up with reasons as to why she was running late. None of the reasons seemed to suffice him, they all sounded baseless and silly even to his ears. She had promised she would return right? Had she forgotten about the promise they had made?
Of course not!
He shook his head and picked up the glass of water that was resting on the side table. His body wanted to rest and lay down on the couch just a few inches away from him, but he refused. No matter what, he had to stay awake for her, she needed him right now and he couldn’t risk given in to these human needs just yet.
He chose a different track this time, pacing near the kitchen with his bare feet beating against the cold tiles. They helped him clear his mind and focus on the task at hand. He knew that this abrupt meeting with her wasn’t a good idea, given the recent events that had taken place in their town – things that had to do with her and her family. But he had to make sure she was alright, that she had no plans of running away from him, like he had envisioned so many times in his mind. If that were to happen, it would break him, break his heart and he wouldn’t be able to bear such pain.
Just as the fatigue began to seep into his body, forcing him to take a seat on the leather armchair, the doorbell rang signaling the arrival of an individual.
He quickly ran to the door, his face a mixture of relief and fear. The doubts about her return had left his mind but the fear of what she was planning, still stayed with him. Her scent had already penetrated into the living room, making him very aware of the chaotic emotions swirling in her chest and the slight perfume of sea water which clung to her body.
Had she been to the beach recently? He wondered.
His hand gripped the door knob and he turned it, throwing it wide open and letting the bright light of the living room illuminate his doorsteps. It wasn’t of much help, given the fact that it was pitch black outside. But he was able to adjust his eyes to the semi-darkness, letting him see the dark silhouette of his beloved, who was standing just out of his reach.
“Come inside.”
“No.”
That single syllable spoken from her mouth was enough to give rise to those fears that had been lying deep within his stomach. They began to churn, stirring panic in his chest and his breath picked up pace.
“Please come inside. We can talk this over a hot cup of coffee…yeah?”
“No.”
This time her rejection was more forceful, as if she were gritting her teeth together. He still couldn’t see her face; it was hidden among the shadows, away from him and his presence. With a firm hand over the door, he stepped down onto the mowed lawn, but stopped himself from going any further, as soon as he saw the dark silhouette imitate him and take a quick step back.
He immediately knew something was wrong…very wrong. She would never willingly create this much distance between them, no matter what. This was not what he had expected, not from her. Was she afraid of approaching him now? Did she think of him as being unworthy of sharing her pain with him?
“What’s wrong?” he kept his voice devoid of any emotion. If he let his anger and frustration get in between, they would grow further apart.
He didn’t want that, he never wanted that. He just wanted to be there for her, in pain and in happiness. But right now, she was taking that right away from him, by not letting him take care of her.
“It’s nothing.” She replied, using the darkness to cloak her face and frame. She couldn’t let him see her like this.
“Please love. Just tell me…what’s bothering you?” he could no longer hide that undiluted fear that was bubbling in his heart upon hearing her response. She almost sounded like a stranger, a stranger who cared nothing about his feelings and who wanted out of this lovely relationship they had said.
“I am sorry.”
“What?”
“I am so sorry.” The girl whimpered softly. Her voice was laced with so much pain and suffering that it broke his heart. He now knew why she was apologizing; why she had returned… just to leave him again.
“Please…don’t do this to me. Please…we can figure something out.”
“No we can’t… I-I tried. I really did. But I can’t stay here. I just can’t...”
“I am sorry.” Soft sobs escaped her lips and she hid her face in her hands. He still couldn’t see her but he didn’t need to now.
Her face was already present in his mind’s eye, with her pale skin and dull sad eyes pleading for him to let her go, to let her live her life without him. But how could he? How could he get rid of a piece of his soul without killing himself first? He couldn’t leave her…he could never leave her.
“No! You can’t leave me like this!”
“My parents are dead! Murdered by some nameless creatures! And you expect me stay here? In this town that has all their bloodied memories within it?”
That shut him up. He couldn’t think of comeback, not on this particular topic which had haunted the both of them since the past two weeks. It was the only time he had remained separated from her, giving her time to heal and mourn the deaths. But it wasn’t enough for her; it would never be enough for her. He knew that. But if, she didn’t try to take a step towards the light, towards getting on with her life, she would forever be stuck in this nightmare.
How could he let that happen?
“Listen to me! I know what you’re going through – ” he began but the girl cut him off.
“No! You don’t! You don’t know anything about it! You never will!” she screamed and took more steps back.
“Wait! Don’t go! Please…” the boy shouted but the girl had already vanished from his sight.
Only the far away thudding of the footsteps told him that she was making her way towards the main city, the place which would take her away from him. And he wouldn’t be able to stop her.
He groaned and fell down on his knees, clutching his head in his hands and rocking back and forth as the pain and frustration crashed down upon him, one wave after the other. His vision blurred as tears spilled from his eyes and his groaning grew louder, accompanied by the violent shaking of his body.
“Shit!” he swore under his breath and tried to calm his nerves, tried to think through the change that was about to engulf him. But he couldn’t, not now when she was gone.
His screams quickly grew with the incoming pain and breaking of bones. One after the other, his bloodcurdling screams echoed throughout the neighbor, calling for her to come back…calling for her to be with him and be his. Begging for her to…
“Come back…”
**
