Hellbent

● Chapter 1 ●

A girl, looking fifteen with her childish face, but being old enough to be eighteen, walked toward the cliff. Her coiled hair was poorly bound into a ponytail. Her feet were bare. The sun had just set. Stars peered through the silvery dusk like holes in a vast tapestry of washed colours. The ocean swirled and crashed upon itself, the rhythmic sound mimicking the breathing of a giant creature.

This was her safe place. Ever since she had been moved into the suburbs by her mother, she had come here after school, to watch the waves. She stayed as long as she could, but had to leave before she could watch the stars shine. She could see them now.

May approached the edge. Soft sea breeze lapped at her ankles, foam spinning below like a thousand people caught in an endless dance. The rushing water blurred everything out. It was blissful, to just forget everything. May watched the horizon, her breathing in time with the waves. The tangy air stung her tongue, the salt flecks spotting her dark hair to match the incoming night.

The ocean answered her with just its same breathing, only disrupted by the ragged sobs that escaped May's throat.

Hush, hush, hush, was all the ocean said.

May quietened herself obediently. The rhythmic sounds tugged her further. She was tempted. She had thought, many times, how nice it could be, just to slip beneath the waves and never have to breathe again.

But not yet, not yet.

Soon.

A woman appeared beside her in the blink of an eye. Pale grey hair was touselled perfectly by the light breeze flowing around them. The tide played with her foam-coloured dress. She was taller than May, although that wasn't too hard. May was quite short, especially for her age. Her eyes were milky white, sea foam washing over her corneas. Despite being blind, she didn't fear the cliff edge, and seemed to be watching May's every move.

"Every day," the woman softly, "for a long time, you have come here." Her voice contained a quiet power that could have easily swept May away, off her feet.

May couldn't speak. She tried, but the air turned to stone in her throat.

"I will give you a gift," the woman continued. "If you only grant one wish of mine. Do you accept?"

May nodded, fearfully. She didn't know what to expect, only that she didn't want to anger the woman before her.

"In exactly one year, I wish for you to return here, and take your own life."

"What?" May tried to take a step back from the woman, towards the edge, but the air seemed to turn to ice around her. "What--"

"I will grant you a friend, if only, in one year precisely, you fill my waters in your life-blood." She stood impassively as the cliff face stood over the waves. "If you fail to do this before the sundown of that day, everything you know will crumble, and your soul will be lost."

May shivered violently. All she wanted was to run. Run away, back to the safety of the beach. Far away from this woman holding her captive.

"Do you agree to these terms?"

"Yes--yes! Anything!" May spoke through clattering teeth. "I agree."

"It shall be done."

With another blink, the woman vanished once more, and the air melted around her. May stumbled toward back from the edge, her legs crumpling under her unsupported weight until she lay on the ground.

What had she done? What happened? Was she dreaming?

May gingerly stood and wearily brushed sand from herself.

Just a dream.

Perhaps she will return tomorrow, and finally lay on the ocean bed, and sleep.

She needed more sleep.