thanatophobia ✔️

Not a lot of things meant something to Cameron. He was scared that if they did, he would lose them and it would hurt so much more than if they meant nothing at all to him. He was terrified of dying. The whole concept of dying was a scary and awful thing in his opinion. Then he met somebody who made his fear seem way less scary than it was. But that was only because that person scared Cameron way more than death did.

Cameron begged that person to stay. He begged them to hang on just a little longer but was only acknowledged with a smile full of lies and words that tore their way to his heart. He felt betrayed that that person didn't love him enough to even consider holding on. That the smile he had loved so much was only another one of that person's lies. He was hurt because that person couldn't convince themselves that Cameron's love was enough to make them stay. What other reason did they need?

The crisp autumn leaves crinkled under the weight of his foot as Cameron rushed towards the place he knew that person would be. Horror filled his gut as he picked up speed, scared that he might have been too late. Wavy, black hair came into view, followed by the frame of that person's body. Cameron's eyes widened and he opened his mouth, calling out that person's name. He couldn't lose them. He wouldn't.

Startled, that person turned to face him, losing their balance and tumbling towards the harsh water. Cameron's grip on their wrist began to slip and he used every last ounce of strength he could muster up to haul that person back onto the bridge's edge, sacrificing his own life.

Cameron smiled as he hurdled towards the crashing water. That person's life meant much more to Cameron than his own did. And although his fears of death were great, Cameron's fear of that person's death was much greater than his fear of his own.