When Life Stops (On Hiatus)

Chapter 1

Willow Cyra Maiden

It certainly wasn't everyday when Willow came out of the house and didn't go in for longer than a couple hours. As a more antisocial, reserved personality who cared about books more than people, she didn't have many friends to hang out with.

She didn't work, as she didn't really need to with how her parents both made a good amount of money through their jobs. She had a dog, an affenpinscher who she had named 'Pistachio' for whatever reason. She didn't drive despite having a license and she had never tried weed, only alcohol.

Yes, she wasn't 21 but then again who really waited until they were legally allowed to drink? Not many, that was for sure.

Currently, in the skatepark sitting on a wooden bench, Willow had her bag filled to the brim of rather useless stuff. Her straight, light brown hair was tied up into one of the worst buns she had seen in her life at the back of her head. Her hexagon glasses were hardly on her nose, about to fall down and her back was bent down, her eyes reading the words printed onto the pages of the book.

It was a rather crowded day at the skatepark and Willow had absolutely no idea on why she had brought herself there, but getting up seemed so hard right now especially with it being a breathtaking moment in her book. With the cover pressed against her thighs, the name was kept hidden along with the author and all that information.

Willow was so deeply into the world the book offered, she didn't even realize a skate was rolling at her way rather quickly until it hit her leg.

Flinching with the sudden, unexpected pain she felt when the wood came in contact with her bare skin, she looked up quickly to see a rather young boy running towards her way.

"Hey... I-I'm so sorry miss.. I was trying to- to show this trick to my friend but lost control of my board!" The boy apologized quickly. He had fluffy reddish hair that poked from underneath his helmet. His rather chubby, flushed of embarrassment cheeks were covered in soft freckles and his eyes were truly apologizing.

"It's alright buddy, hey. What move were you trying to show your friend, maybe I can help?" Willow offered with a smile on her face, picking the board up in one hand before he pushed herself up to her legs. That didn't have much of a meaning though as she got onto her knees to be eye level with the boy.

Perhaps it didn't look to be much for those around, but being like a giant staring down at the boy wouldn't really help him be comforted.

"Uhm... It was the trick that miss was doing... B-but you don't need to help, not to be rude but I want to do it myself!" He spoke quickly, smiling widely before he reached for his board in Willow's grip.

Offering a tiny smile at him, Willow let go of the board when he wrapped his own arms around it protectively, getting back to her spot on the bench. "Okay then, see you bud!"

Only in a couple short moments, she was back in the depths of the world, yet again oblivious to everything going on around her.

***

That evening when the sun began setting, Willow decided it was finally time to make her way back home. It was getting dark, and before everyone around disappeared she wanted to get home, get to safety.

Her bag over her shoulder, she quickened her steps. Many people were returning from their holidays and only in a couple days, the calmed down South Carolina had started filling up again.

Once the sight of the Maiden house came into her view, Willow let out a breath of relief and smiled, making her way up to the front door as she fiddled with her keys.

Her parents had both been out on a business slash holiday trip for a week or two, and during that time she had been providing for herself. However, it was with electricity, with technology still working. So obviously, the world shutting up, ending in other words, it freaked her out a lot.