Cracks Within

Chapter 18

Wednesday 12th December 2040.

"Are you listening to me?" Marshall's voice is quiet as I slowly come to consciousness. "We should probably abseil down; it's starting to get really dark."

I snap out of my mind. "Oh yeah, let's go."

I turn and propel myself off the top of the cliff, yelling in excitement as I do. Wind rushes through my hair as I let the weight of my problems off my shoulders. I open my eyes as the cliff rises in front of me. My feet hit the hard rock and I throw my body away again, freeing myself. I look to my left, seeing Marshall do the same. As he falls, he looks over at me and winks. Smiling, I push my feet off the cliff one last time, pushing myself as far out as I could.

My feet touch the soft ground. Breathing deeply, I unhook my safety line and my eyes follow Marshall's every move. He lands (less delicately).

"That... Was an experience."

I laugh. "THAT was fun."

Marshall runs over to me and wraps his arms around my waist, not letting me go. Laughing uncontrollably, I try to struggle free.

"Marshall!"

"I've got you now!" he giggles.

He wrestles me to the floor. Kissing me, he rolls over to my side. We lie there, watching the stars become visible and shine like diamonds. I think of nothing but this moment. My phone rings.

I sigh, it layered with annoyance. I answer straight away, wanting to get back into the moment.

"Hello?"

"-silence-"

I roll my eyes. "Funny, prank call. You've got five seconds to talk until I hang up and get on with my life."

"Anna..." Sam's voice faintly bleeds through the phone.

"Uh-huh. Yeah okay, bye Sam."

Marshall looks up as I say Sam's name. His eyes blaze with fury. Standing up, he walks towards me anger radiating off him.

I shake my head when he tries to take my phone,

"Is there any way that we can figure this out?" Sam says, his voice cracking. He starts to cry.

"No." I say, sharply. I hang up the phone to find Marshall cowering over me, his face unreadable. I turn to stand directly in front of him.

"What?"

"I don't like it when he calls you like that, Anna. What if one day you decide to forgive him and- "

"Okay, stop." I roll my eyes and walk past him, bending over to collect my bag. I stand up.

"Anna, I love you. I can't lose you again. I can't lose you to HIM again."

I turn to face him. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. I'm divorcing him. I don't love him. Acting like this is not you. I don't know why you're acting so weird but you need to stop, it's annoying,"

"You may think this attitude is beneath me but you will never understand how much I'm in love with you. If I lose you again, it'll kill me."

Instinctively, I hug him. I stand there and hold him. He sighs and rests his chin on the top of my head.

"Watching you choosing him, kissing him, holding him... It drove me insane. When he was kissing you, I felt a pain that pierced my heart like an ice shard. To know that he's touched you, that you bear his last name, that he made love to you and I couldn't... I have been waiting for you for so long Anna, for you to be mine."