FLICKER

Prolouge: Promise

A misty overlay of light fog hovered around the dark, brick red houses of Luxfirth, a small town consisting of approximately 40 residents. There isn't much business around Luxfirth apart from a corner shop, nursing home, school and village hall.

The town never usually gets any extreme weather, which means no rain, but no intense sunshine either. I don't want to call the town dull but sometimes I wish there was a heatwave or a thunder storm instead of a constant overcast, just to mix things up a bit.

The village may be a little constricting but I kind of prefer it that way, it's nice and separate from all the bigger cities and towns. I remember me and Sophia would just hang out together for days at a time. It was great, Was.

We were just two 16 year olds who thought we were way cooler than we actually were. I am still so grateful to have met her, even if she isn't around anymore. She was beautiful, unbelievably so. She had a certain beauty that can't be achieved through looks, it was her smile that really got to me I think, but that smile was fading. My mind can't help but wander to our last day together, a part of me wishes I made the most of it, but how could I have known? How can you ever know something like that?

"You promise me that you're ok?"
"Yeah, I promise"

Sophia was always a bit reclusive but her sleep pattern was worse than usual and her voice had grown more quiet and monotone, I knew something was wrong but she just wouldn't tell me what; I think I may had just made matters worse, I was always prodding and interrogating her and I like to think that I was just being a caring girlfriend but I can't help but wonder if I had just got on her nerves.

We stayed up talking about stupid things that both of us knew didn't matter, I could tell she was avoiding talking about what was bothering her, but I was happy just being with her.

She kissed me before leaving the next afternoon. She said she'd always love me. She said she'd see me tomorrow. She said that I was the best thing to ever happen to her. She said that her eyes were just misty because she was tired. She said "Yes, Ellie, I promise I'm ok"

That was the last thing she said to me.