If I could have wings to fly

Ch. 7 The Turning Point

That night, Tine couldn't sleep.  Again. 

Sometimes, Tine would feel like something was clutching his throat.  His mind wouldn't shut down.  He felt like he was trapped inside, the walls encroaching him.    

As he lay restlessly that night, he thought about the crashing waves.  Maybe? No, it was crazy.  But the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to see the cliffs again.  But wasn't it dangerous to go out at night?  Well, their town was pretty safe.  No one had to know...

Quietly, Tine slipped out of bed.  He threw on a black hoodie and some black sweatpants, and tied his sneakers.  He locked his apartment and quietly stepped outside.  It was 2:00 am.

As soon as Tine went out, he stretched out his arms and breathed in the crisp, fresh air.  Tine started jogging lightly, breaking into a run. He felt like a bird that was released from a cage, learning how to spread its wings again.

He ran past the apartment complex, past the crossroad, past the restaurants, until he turned to the deserted street leading up to the bridge.  It had an abandoned, eerie vibe.  Maybe I should just go back...Tine shook himself.  It's ok, I can do this.  He took a deep breath and ran, conscious of the sounds of his footsteps hitting the pavement. 

At last, he stopped at the edge of the road, panting and out of breath. He made it.  He made it, by himself.

"Oh my god, I'm fucking crazy" Tine laughed, catching up on his breath.  It was beautiful.  The moon was out, shining down onto the waves.  The  waves soared up to the sky before crashing down onto the rocks, over and over again.  

The dark waters, the unfettered nature, the rough edges...it all reminded him of Sarawat.  Tine felt like he was surrounded by him. He stared into the night, his worries slowly melting away into the ocean waves.

Tine glanced at his watch.  Wait...4:00 am?! Holy shit.  He was there for nearly 2 hours. I need to get back. Tine broke into a run again, leaving the cliffs behind.  He jogged back into his apartment building, ran up the stairs, and collapsed onto the bed.  I swear there's something wrong with me.  That was Tine's last thought before he fell asleep.

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Ring ring ring........

What was that annoying sound?  Tine fumbled around the sheets and took his phone. "...hello?"

"Tine, where the hell are you?" It was Fong.

Wait what. Tine jumped out of bed, blood draining from his face. No. He didn't miss Sarawat play. He couldn't have.

Tine frantically checked the time. 1:00 pm.

"Oh thank god! Thank god..." Tine breathed a deep sigh of relief, crashing back onto the bed.

"What? Hello? Can you hear me?"

"Yeah, yeah, I overslept".

"You overslept?" Fong sounded shocked. Tine barely slept. "Anyways, I'll text you the address for tonight.  Don't go back to sleep!"

"Ok, ok, I'll be there" Tine replied mindlessly before hanging up. That's when he saw the text.

Wat: You coming tonight?

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