Bliss

| Prologue |

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Prologue - In The Midst Of A Storm

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IT started up North, where most storms do. Grey matter and black and white all clogged up; all cold. With no warning and no regard for the rest of the tired atoms in her body. Dark and heavy clouds filled with condensed emotion and ignored precipitation, getting heavier by the day and colder by the night. Rain was coming. Lightning and thunder would follow. She felt it looming overhead and thought she was alone; that she was the only one who could see the darkness approaching.

But someone was watching the sky that day.

Someone was watching as she stood crying in the middle of the hallway and in a flurry of emotion threw her phone to the hardwood floor. Someone picked up its shattered body; catching a glimpse of the last message she sent to a number that wasn't registered.

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The bridge was desolate. Until he saw her dark hair, frizzed and dancing with the gentle breeze, a waltz around her shoulders and face. He didn't dare to make a sound and yet he could hear his own breathing; the friction of his jacket beneath his jacket. She moved and be froze. Lifting herself onto stocking-clad knees and trembling arms, she knelt on the wet concrete for a moment, being weighed down by her own pending decision or in prayer concerning it.

He took a step forward, hands lifting as if to release an invisible force to stop her from going any further.

She did not stop, and once she stood on unsteady feet his own feet moved faster until he was right there.

"The water is freezing."

He heard her startled breath and didn't feel remorse-better startled than none at all-instead he continued, "I wouldn't recommend swimming in that water; especially this time of the year."

A pitiful snivel left the girl and she peered over her shoulder with hazy tear-filled eyes, her voice was strong despite her state, "I wasn't planning on swimming."

"Good," He looked down at the water and back at her with pursed lips that hid how desperately frightened he was, "Because the water is freezing."

She scoffed, "You said that already."

"You should listen then, I don't usually repeat myself."

He received a broken sigh from her and her dark eyes stared at him inquisitively. No words passed between the two for a long time. He stood against the concrete column and watched her carefully as her own gaze flitted between him and the water below them.

"I've seen you around you know-around campus I mean." She stuttered out, her hands trembled, "You have a sort of... Mind-staining face."

His eyes widened, "You have?" He asked, disregarding her particular opinion about his appearance.

Her lips trembled but he didn't see that. Her hands clenched into fists as she held back the sudden torrent of fury she felt towards every existing power that tormented her.

"You remind me of someone."

Silence returned.

Finally, after some internal deliberation; he asked sincerely, "Are you sure about this?"

"-the swimming?" She asked for certainty.

"Yes, do you want me to leave," He peered at her while nothing but panic rose in his veins, "To forget that I ever saw you here?"

Her stomach flipped upside down and twisted inside out, suddenly it all became too real. There she was, teetering on the edge, metaphorically and literally. The fall down to the water... Was it better than a fall down to misery?

A strong wind rippled through her clothes and she stared down at the dark water below her, wild and dangerously cold waves splashing against itself in a graceful war. She didn't want to die in those waters. She didn't want to...

Fiery tears seared a path down her cheeks and she tried to cover her burning face from the fierce wind. Her sobs only got louder as the wind began to howl. Then she took a deep breath, and as if there was no one but her on earth; she let her sobs turn into screams of agony.

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