Lost in the Northern Lights

Chapter 1

A year and a half ago

Eva shifted from one foot to the other, standing beneath the expansive canopy of a tree. She breathed in the crisp April air of Hamburg, that grew colder with each passing hour.

"Come on, where are you?" Eva stared unblinkingly at one window of a towering building. For a considerable amount of time, the light in the observed window failed to flicker, leaving Eva disconcerted and rendering her stakeout somewhat useless. She was free this evening - a rare occurrence - and didn't have to work her hostess job at a restaurant. Frequently, she was required to fill in for coworkers who were sick or injured and carry out tasks that were not necessarily her own responsibility. As a result, she found herself with spare time to probe into the whereabouts of her boyfriend, who stopped conversing with her.

Two days prior, she sent him a detailed, sensual text, expressing her hurt feelings because of his sudden coldness and urging him to get in touch. She was also afraid that something dreadful might have happened to him. Despite her attempts to contact him through calls and messages, he ignored the initial ones, and the subsequent messages only showed a "delivered" status, with no sign of being read.

"I have the impression that it's just another cruel joke at my expense," she said under her breath. Why do I keep falling for bad boys when there are plenty of good men around? "It's some sort of issue that women face," she continued to soliloquize.

She showcased photos of him to her best friend Anna and enthusiastically praised him as perfect, sharing with her all the plans they had made. Perhaps it was foolish to do so, only a few weeks into their relationship. Did she bring this upon herself? No, it's just a load of nonsense. He's just another one of those jerks.

"I got myself into some bullshit again, not of my free will. Just look at her. When did young miss become a stalker with no dignity?" Eva seethed with anger, frustrated with herself.

Whatever, he will come home after work, won't he?" Eva reasoned. If needed, she'll wait until the very end. Perhaps she could observe something strange in his actions, or even catch him off-guard to surprise him and demand an explanation. She had already dishonored herself mentally, leaving nothing to be lost.

It seemed too perfect, almost unbelievable. Did Eva allow herself to be optimistic once more? With his irresistible charm, he was the epitome of a dream guy. He took her to quaint cafes, introduced her to his friends, and even talked about future vacations together and meeting her parents.

With the knowledge that she lacked the ability to surprise people, Eva had strengthened herself a few hours prior with a couple of glasses of rum and cola. It took little for her to feel emboldened and courageous, with each sip pushing her beyond new thresholds of bravery.

Truth be told, her association with alcohol was quite delicate since even tiny quantities would trigger an enthusiastic reaction in her body, compelling Eva to act. But in this case, the alcoholic elixir acted like a magic pill, spurring her to venture out of the safety of her home and into the unknown, terrifying world outside.

Desperate to project an image of a heartbroken, battered woman, Eva begged a couple of cigarettes from her dormitory neighbor. She hoped that the sight of her smoking would add a touch of fatal allure to her appearance and convey her inner turmoil to anyone who passed by. However, despite her best efforts, Eva still looked more like a teenager sneaking a smoke and trying to hide it from her parents. Her coughing and wheezing gave away her lack of experience with cigarettes, and she struggled to exude the sense of world-weariness she wanted to convey.

Eva grumbled about the weather as she stood outside, shivering in the cold. "Why is it so cold today?" Eva shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself. "I find myself perplexed by the weather patterns in this country, within this city."