Short Stories

Stone Cold

Her long, red hair fell in waves over her shoulders. Eyes piercing through those around her with that alluring gaze; yet no one would approach her. She sits waiting for someone, anyone, to speak to her.

'Just look at me' she willed, pleading with all her heart.

Her lips part, pushing air out but no trace of a sound. Calling out to the people was impossible. They would never hear her cries. Nobody ever will.
If- If they can't hear me... Then nothing else matters. Their lives mean nothing to me; so why do I yearn for their acknowledgment? Why do I feel so empty without their praise?

--

Days pass and the scarlet haired woman still sits in isolation, people passing by not noticing her at all. Her eyes grow dull with the overwhelming loneliness, she fades into the background seemingly unconscious to the world around her. The woman's chest rises and falls slowly, but no air passes through her lungs. She looks up at the familiar statue that she's bound to- trying to remember why she recognizes it. The statue is chiseled from what seems to be black marble, it's a woman. Her eyes covered by a hood that drapes over her face, attached to a cloak that protects the rest of her body.
The hair falls in loose waves down her torso and she holds her hands outwards, palms to the sky, cupping them together. The red haired woman stares blankly at the figure, angered by her unknown connection to this woman.

"Why do you tie me to this wretched place? Why do you insist on keeping me alone..?" The woman stands and angrily strikes the statue, the feeling of the stone stinging her hand slightly.

She freezes, the sense that she is being watched washes over her and she feels for the source. Her body moves slowly as she looks over the crowds of people walking around- picking out the gaze of a young man. She stares back at him, the pain of isolation fading away slightly as she thinks to herself.

"He.. He can see me.."

She exhales smoothly and the man disappears into the crowd. She panics, attempting to follow him but being dragged back to the damned statue with such an intense amount of strength. She struggles and fights the power drawing her closer, digging her feet into the ground with unbelievable determination she screams out at the figure.

"NO, NO!! HE SAW ME- LET ME GO HE CAN SEE ME!" She pulls away from the statue with all her strength as rage and desperation begins to bubble up from within her.

Her muscles tense and she feels a great pain in her hands before the connection to the statue fades away, her body slamming into the wall as she falls to the ground lifeless- darkness clouding her vision before she loses consciousness. She lays there the energy drained from her body, as air begins to fill her lungs again.