The Summoning (Sleep Token FanFiction)

XXXI - Thread The Needle

February 12th (Five Years Ago)

I stood as close to Dover Cliffs as I felt comfortable as I stared out into the sunset. The sun was barely a sliver over the horizon as darkness began to set in. 

"I guess this is goodbye, Tate." Saying his name pushed thousands of tiny needles into my chest. "I'm sorry it took so long to get here."

Trying not to let the anger at myself take over for taking an entire year to come see him, I listened to the waves crash below as I let tears fall from my lashes. I sniffled, wiping the tears from my eyes as my sight was blurred with them before choking out, "I should go."

I took a step back, letting my eyes wander over the foam of the sea, the green water crashing over the rocks in the setting sun. "I miss you."

Wiping tears again, I took another step back, "I love you."

By the time I made it back to my rental car on the side of the road a half mile out, it was dark. I let myself sob as I leaned my head against the steering wheel. It seemed as though I wasn't allowed to cry back home when my mother asked about him almost daily. Wondering when he would come and visit. Forgetting he wasn't here anymore. 

I started the car and turned on the headlights to find it had started raining. Turning on the windshield wipers, I started down the road.

Coming around the corner, there were the headlights of another car, a sign of life in the middle of nowhere. 

I didn't even have time to swerve away when the car jerked toward me into a head-on collision.

~~~~~~~~~~

"I'm so sorry..." There was a sobbing voice bringing me back to consciousness. The interior lights of my car were on. It was cold. My face was bleeding.

The warm hand on my neck slid away as I blinked up to a man crouched and crying in the open door of my car. 

"Tate...?" I croaked out and confusion flashed over his eyes with the falling tears. It hurt to turn my neck. I could smell the stench of hot motor oil and the salt of the sea mixing together. 

His face crumpled into a bone-deep sadness and he stood, limping out into the path of moonlight that led to the cliff's edge. 

"Tate, no..." I slugglishly moved to unbuckle myself and crawled out of the wreckage of my car. The other car, torn and tattered, sat with one headlight flashing, but I couldn't see if there were anyone else in it. 

I was limping as I followed him to the edge of the cliff, gasping for air as I tried to catch up.

No...

Not again.

I found more strength and started into a sprint over the wet rocks of the cliff.

"Stop!" I called, but the waves drowned me out. 

Who I now realized was a stranger stopped right where I had stood to say goodbye, raising his arms out.

The other car sputtered. Sputtered. Started. The engine struggled into a hum.

I pushed past the pain in my ribs, in my skull and surged forward, grabbing his shirt and yanking him back, away from the edge. 

"Please don't do this, please!" I cried over the downpour of rain. 

The single headlight flashed over his face as he looked down to me, sobbing. There was blood being washed down the side of his face with the rain. 

The car revved, starting toward us. 

They were going to hit us. 

I couldn't process anything as the man pushed me to the side, ready to be struck.

"No!" I pulled on him, rock crumbling under my foot as the headlight drew nearer.

The cliff edge gave way and I went with it.

He tried catching me, the car barely missing him as we both fell down... down... down...

Wind whooshing past my ears as he clutched me to him.