L'Amour Fou (bxb)

Chapter 2

Trying to forget what just happened, I decided to distract myself by observing the beautiful scenery outside whilst I walked. It was early January, and the air was filled with snow. Winter was my favorite season. Not just because of snow or Christmas, but the dark nights and short days made the nights feel longer, and I love the night. It's so calming and quiet, especially when living alone.

The trees were covered with snow and didn't have a singular leaf on them. During winter, it always snows where my parents live, but in the city, it rarely does. The cold breeze gave me goosebumps as I slowly put on my fluffy hat. Even though I hated the cold, winters were always a bliss for me. Birds were flying up high in the sky, twittering in excitement with no worries and only freedom.

I finally arrived to the train station, and whilst waiting for the train, I plugged in my earphones and began listening to music. Music was one of the things I loved the most in life, as well as sleep and food. It just brings me to another world and makes me forget all my worries in life.

A few minutes later, the train finally arrived. I hopped on and chose to sit on the empty seat right next to the window. The city was a few hours from my parents' home, but by train it only feels like an hour. I closed my eyes as the only thing I heard was the songs from my phone. It felt like I was in some sort of trance, just me, the music and the journey. Even since I was young, I have always been quite introverted and only had a few very close friends. Whilst growing up, I've realized my social skills have improved as I'm comfortable with talking to strangers if I have to.

After some time I woke up, and saw that I was near my stop. I looked outside and noticed it was already dark; not pitch black but twilight. I could still make out some skyscrapers and the outline of roads. I love both the countryside and city equally, they were two different worlds with different people. The citylights at night were spectacular, especially during Christmas when the fairy lights surround the entire city, creating an atmosphere of love. It wasn't snowing here, but slightly raining and I loved it.

Finally, the train stopped and I got off. Surprisingly, the roads were almost empty today considering I live in the city. I enjoyed the silence though, in fact, I didn't really mind the emptiness.

But maybe I should have.

Whilst I was walking, I heard a soft thud behind me. When I turned around I saw no one. With the earphones in my ear, and hat on my head, it blocked my entire peripheral vision so I was unaware if someone was nearby. Starting to get quite terrified, I slipped the earphones out of my ears and took my hat out of my warm head.

It always felt as if someone was watching me, someone was following me, but whenever I turned around, there was no one. A chill ran down my spine as I heard footsteps approach me. This time it was footsteps, and yes, they must've been real. They sounded so clear.

Without looking behind me, I began to run, avoiding any puddles or stones that may make me trip over. The footsteps turned into running and before I knew it, I was being chased. I had to let go of my suitcase; it was too heavy and prevented me from running quickly. My heart was pounding as I felt this person or entity coming closer to me.

But then, what I feared the most came true. I tripped over a stone without noticing it, sending me almost hitting the floor. I tried to run, but this person already grabbed hold of me. They forced their hands over my body, with a firm grip as I struggled to escape. It was over.

They grabbed a handkerchief and covered it over my mouth and nose. I tried to resist, knowing it was chloroform, but eventually, I sensed myself getting weaker. Before I knew it, my eyes were firmly shut and I became unconscious, unsure of whatever was going to happen next.