The spark // Art Donaldson

005. Familiar

Cadell, 2019

Cadell was many things. A liar, an addict, the abuser and the victim. But she would've never thought of herself as a pussy– as someone who ran away from confrontation. But there was one man. One man in the entire world that could make her fear bravery. She thought she had lost him forever.

But he was standing right there, in the same room as her, sharing the same air as her, walking the same ground as her.

He looked exactly the same, save for the fact that he cut off his floppy hair. He might have gained weight– muscle. But shit, those eyes. The eyes that she had fallen in love with all those years ago? They were still the same.

The world seemed to slow down as his eyes landed on hers. Her breath caught as all logic escaped her. She only found one thought.

Run.

The weight of their shared history hung heavy in the air, suffocating Cadell as memories flooded her mind like a torrential downpour. She was drowning in a sea of emotions, each wave threatening to pull her under. Art's presence was a reminder of everything she had tried so desperately to forget, a ghost from her past come back to haunt her once more.

The familiar ache in her chest resurfaced, a raw and primal instinct urging her to flee. But as much as Cadell longed to escape, a part of her was inexplicably drawn to him, tethered by an invisible thread that refused to be broken.

She felt like a deer caught in the headlights, paralyzed by fear and uncertainty. In that moment, time seemed to stand still, the world fading into the background as Cadell grappled with her conflicting emotions. Should she stay and confront the demons of her past, or should she heed the instinctual urge to run?

With a trembling hand, Cadell reached out for support, her fingers curling around a nearby table as she fought to steady herself. The room spun around her, a dizzying whirlwind of conflicting emotions threatening to overwhelm her fragile resolve.

But as Art took a step forward, taking large strides towards her. His eyes were locked on hers, captivating and mesmerizing. He was closing in too fast– she wasn't prepared.

"Art!" A familiar feminine voice made him stop. He turned around and she followed his gaze to see Tashi. She looked beautiful, still as radiant as ever, with her hand clutching that of a young girl.

Of course. It was his family.

She took the opportunity to slip away from them, her heart beating erratically as she spammed the elevator button.

As Cadell stepped into the elevator, her heart pounded in her chest like a drum, the adrenaline coursing through her veins. She leaned back against the cool metal wall, closing her eyes and willing herself to calm down. But try as she might, she couldn't shake the overwhelming sense of unease that gnawed at her insides.

The elevator descended slowly, each floor passing by in agonizingly slow succession. With each passing moment, Cadell felt the weight of her decisions pressing down on her, suffocating her with their consequences.

When the elevator finally reached the ground floor, Cadell stepped out into the lobby, her mind racing with a thousand thoughts and emotions. She felt like she was on the verge of a breakdown, teetering on the edge of a precipice with nothing but darkness below. But amidst the chaos of her thoughts, one thing remained clear: she couldn't stay here. Not now, not ever. She needed to get away, to escape the suffocating grip of her past and forge a new path for herself.

With newfound determination, Cadell pushed open the doors of the hotel lobby and stepped out into the cool night air. The street stretched out before her, illuminated by the soft glow of streetlights and bustling with activity. It was almost 10 pm, but Cadell didn't mind the late time.