Rotten Ribbons

Chapter Three

The light filtered through the blinds, bathing the darkened apartment in a cool white glow. A cold wind blew across your skin, sending shivers down your spine as a chill ran down your spine. The wind seemed to mock your loneliness, making it difficult to focus on the book that rested in your lap.

You sat at your desk, pen poised above the paper, attempting to write the first few lines of the book you were working on. But no matter how much effort you put into writing the assignment, no matter how many times you stared down at your notebook trying to make sense of the words on the page, none of the characters seemed to fit together. Your brain kept repeating the same word over and over again: "Ribbons".

For the past couple days you had been feeling restless; every time the words 'love' came to mind, all you saw was blood and sorrow. But it wasn't just the words that were bothering you, it was the fact that you felt as if your heart had stopped beating, as if there was only one word that mattered. It seemed as if your entire being became numb, your soul unable to process the concept of 'love'.

How did it come to this? Had life truly become meaningless? Or is it more accurate to say that your soul was becoming meaningless? At least your body could still feel pain, but your mind? Where was that warmth? All these questions circled around and around, causing your brain to overload. Every time you closed your eyes, your hands seemed to twitch, itching to grab onto something, anything to keep yourself grounded and sane. But you couldn't reach it. You knew you needed to distract yourself, so you turned to what helped you the most to relax and clear your mind.

Opening up the small wooden box lying at your side, you turned the knob on the box, it played a quiet melody you hummed along to. Taking in a deep breath to calm your nerves, you exhaled slowly, letting the tension seep from your system, leaving behind a sense of relaxation.

Pushing yourself off your chair and standing, you placed the music box down. Grabbing a jacket, you locked your apartment behind you as you headed out into the night, eager to find some peace despite the storm raging above your head. maybe you'd go to the park and relax at the pond, yeah, that's a good idea.

You walked towards the exit of the apartment complex, hoping that the fresh air might help ease your restless thoughts. The crisp evening air greeted you, cooling your burning flesh, easing the tension in your bones.

As soon as the fresh breeze hit you, the pressure that had built up inside your chest released itself, allowing you a much needed reprieve from the stress you've accumulated over the last 24 hours. You closed your eyes, basking in the moonbeams that bathed you in a comforting warmth.

It was as if the whole universe had aligned in order to bring peace to your troubled mind. With the wind in your hair, the moonlight shining upon your face, and a gentle breeze tickling at the edges of your skin, you finally felt like everything was going to be okay. No matter how bleak your day may have been, everything will be alright. Everything will work out, because nothing is impossible.

After walking for several minutes, your surroundings began changing. Now, instead of the empty streets of the city, there was an abundance of nature surrounding you. Wildflowers covered the area, swaying gently in the breeze, and bushes lined the pathway. Birds chirped and sang as they flitted across the branches, enjoying the springtime breeze. It seemed as if this beautiful scenery was designed specifically to draw you deeper and deeper into its depths.

You didn't even notice that you had arrived at your destination. It wasn't long until you noticed a tall tree with large roots sitting beside the entrance of an old playground. A smile crept on your lips as you approached, finding comfort in the familiarity of the setting. Even though you spent nearly everyday here growing up, the park had always remained an integral part of your childhood.