Losing All Hope

Chapter 7 - Whispers and Warnings

Rushing down the overgrown, tangled pathways to the park I trip on a large thorny branch. I can feel the ground thud against my face as I land heavily onto the mud path. 

I try to re-gain y balance, standing back up and ignoring the intense pain that surges up through my leg.

I know that I have to get to Hayden before he does anything stupid; over the last few days I realise that I have gotten to know him a little too much.

I stop briefly at the park entrance to catch my breath and notice a blur of dark red from the corner of my eye.

I slowly, anxiously turn my head to my calf where I have been ignoring a burning pain for the run to the park and see the large peice of glass that has lodged itself into my skin.

My leg oozes a long stream of dark blood that is just reaching my shoes as I start to run again.

I don't know why but my leg has gone numb and all I can think of is getting to Hayden.

From over the field I can see Hayden gently treading towards the deep lake on the edge of the park. A sense of danger floods my body.

Something inside of me expects him to jump in and drown himself but I don't understand why.

"HAYDEN! DON'T!" I scream as I hobble rapidly towards the lake but he doesn't hear my yelling as he disappears from my sight.

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There is a strong gust of wind as I once again fall over onto the luscious, just mown grass. I can feel the glass dig deeper into my leg as I roll over and look up at the clouds.

"Hush..shhhhhh..." The wind almost seems to whisper into my ears, blocking out the world for a minute. Everything goes silent as the wind picks up and the pain increases.

"I...Will...Protect..." The words bounce around my head, as I hold onto the small breath which I still have left. 

Suddenly I can feel my lungs filling with fresh oxygen, I can feel my blood circulating again and my breathing returning to normal.

The pain of my leg disappears also. Although I can still feel the blood trickling down my leg, when I place my hand on the wound the glass has vanished.

A sudden surge inside of me makes my legs bounce up and I begin to sprint towards the lake, filled with a new energy.

I can see Hayden stood loosely at the water's edge, swaying in the wind.

"Hayden! Please... Don't jump..." I say the words before I even think about it.

"What?! Why would I jump?! I only came here to think things over." My heart suddenly fills with joy as I realise that he wasn't going to commit suicide.

"I though that you were upset... I thought that you might... You know... Suicide." I begin to blush at the embarrassing truth. 

"Oh Alys..." Before I can even relpy to Hayden's sigh of relief I can feel the air being drawn out of my body as Hayden's lips lock onto mine.

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A feeling of loving warmth begins to wash over me as Hayden's kiss sends welcomed shudders down my spine.

I can feel his ice cold hands entwine in my hair and wrapping around my waist, pulling me closer towards him.

I slowly and gently break away, not wanting to but feeling a need for air.

"What was that...?" I begin shyly.

"Ummm... A kiss..." Hayden's grey eyes sparkle to silver as he blushes and grabing my hand he pulls me down to the bank of the lake.

"Well yes... But... I enjoyed it. What does that mean?"

"I think it means that ou love me too." A gentle smile begins spreading across Hayden's face as I lean my head against his shoulder.

"I think it does..." I can feel the wind pick up once more, sending an awfull chill down my spine and sending an impossible sound into my ears that makes me shiver; it is almost like finger nails on a chalk board.

Hayden stands up, Leaning proudly over the edge of the lake, spreading his hand out over the stem of a small purple flower with a luminous yellow centre.

"Purple's your favourite isn't it." He almost asks rather than questions me.

"When did I tell you that?" I reply shocked.

"You didn't. I guessed." His fingers clasp the light green stem and as he tugs in the earth beneath the flower I can feel the wind fly through y hair.

"I...Told...You..." Is all I can pick up as I hear a splash from the lake infont of me.