Nirvana

Chapter Two: The Bay

"Who are you?" She asked the only logical question, given that a boy she didn't know knew her name and had called her by it.

"Why are you crying?" he spoke guilelessly, deflecting her question with one of his own. Lucy was under no obligation to answer, yet she felt so bottled up inside that she was willing to let everything out with the slightest pressure.

"I'm... sad," She managed to let out after a loud bustling of noise occurred in her head. The words were not readily flowing out of her mouth; instead, she had so much to say but was hindered by her mind's inability to form words at that moment.

"Why?" He questioned further, pressing the matter. Normally, Lucy would get annoyed, but for some reason, she felt thankful for such a gesture. It was as though it was nudging her almost unresponsive mind to find words that could clarify her predicament and relieve some of the burden from her chest.

Her mother warned her against opening up to strangers. Still, despite all her mother's advice, Lucy, in a moment of vulnerability, found herself unable to resist confiding in that little boy.

"I want my mommy back," she started, "Ever since she was gone, everything's been going wrong. My dad lost his job. He barely makes any money now, and once he does, he spends it on alcohol. Our house has become all broken up, and no one fixes it. It's been like this for years, and we hardly have any food on our table." As a result of their financial constraint, their house became shabby, receiving little to no repairs or maintenance. Nevertheless, Lucy remained grateful to have a roof over her head, displaying a maturity well beyond her years.

Lucy's eyes darted elsewhere, avoiding the boy's gaze as she divulged details about her personal life. Guilt started to creep up inside her, fearing she might have shared too much. The confidence with which she spoke waned. She pressed her lips together, resisting the urge to say more.

The hesitation Lucy was experiencing was in no way absurd, considering the things she had been through. She felt a strong desire to open up to someone, but at the same time, feared that sharing too much information could get her in trouble.

"Do you miss her?" he inquired softly, peering deeply into her eyes. He crouched down and settled beside her. His presence was both comforting and unnerving to Lucy. She shifted uncomfortably and averted her gaze, but his unwavering stare remained fixed on her.

"Yes, very much. I want to go see her so bad," she nodded, her earlier guilt vanishing in an instant as she answered.

"Why would you want to go see her when she might have moved on already?" he asked, noticing her confused look. "I'm saying, what if you went to see her and she wasn't there?" he elaborated.

"How can she not be there? All dead people go to the same place," she retorted, irritated that someone was messing with her beliefs. There was no way she wouldn't find her mother if she crossed over to the other side, or so she believed. The boy was taken aback momentarily by her sharp reaction, yet made no remarks about what she said.

Both Lucy and the boy shared a notable trait: they exhibited a maturity that defied their young ages.

"I'm sure she meant a lot to you, but someone's absence shouldn't mean that our world is about to end," he tried to comfort her. Lucy sighed, appreciative of the boy's efforts to console her. Even though she wasn't fully convinced, she decided not to delve any further into the matter, and so they sat in silence for what felt like minutes. The sound of Lucy's heavy breathing filled the air around them.

"Lucy," the boy called, "would you like me to give you an idea of what to do when you feel sad?" His eyes shone with excitement as he eagerly awaited her response.

"Sure!" Lucy giggled, curious to see what he had in mind. He sprang to his feet, Lucy's eyes trailing him as he stood and prepared to go somewhere.

"Come with me," he invited her, extending his hand and urging her to get up and accompany him. She reluctantly took his hand, accepting his offer. He wasted no time and dashed off, pulling her along beside him.

At that moment, the girl who was hesitant to reveal too much found another reason to be anxious. She had followed the stranger boy to god knew where.

"Where are we going?" Lucy cried out as she ran alongside the boy, her eyes scanning the surroundings to commit the route to memory in case something went awry.

"You'll see." The boy refused to disclose their destination, adding to the girl's worry. Regardless of that, she could feel her heart beat with anticipation.

She followed the boy through the alleyways, navigating left and right as if traversing a maze until they finally stopped in a certain place at the far edge of their town, where an interesting scene unfolded.

In a tucked-away corner of Cypress Grove, where the sea meets the land, a hidden bay revealed its beauty. Basked in moonlight, its waters shimmered with a silver hue. The sound of waves was hypnotic; gentle waves rippled through the stillness of the night. As the waves rolled in, they created a hushed roar that was soon replaced with melodic hum as they receded back to the depths of the ocean.

The natural beauty of the untouched shore, which was abandoned for years, stayed fully intact. The night air carried a briny aroma, while the ocean's gentle lapping against the shore created a soothing melody that harmonized seamlessly with the scent.

Lucy couldn't help but find herself utterly mesmerized by the scene before her. The soothing sound of the waves created a calming effect, guaranteed to distract anyone from their sorrows. Standing there, enveloped in the quiet beauty of that abandoned bay, she felt a sense of calmness wash over her.

"I never knew this place existed in our town." She gazed with awe evident in her eyes, taking in the landscape surrounding her. The boy's face lit up with a warm smile, pleased that his efforts to lift her spirits had finally paid off.

"I never did either. It really is well hidden," he grinned.

"How did you know I like the ocean?" she inquired, deeming it unfair that he knew so much when she knew so little.

"It's a secret," he winked.

"You don't tell me anything. I don't even know your name," Lucy retorted, grunting softly as she crossed her arms and turned to face the boy directly.

"My name is Alec. Don't forget it!"