Lethe's Lament

Chapter 8: Reflection

It was around 10 in the evening when Lily's bus slowly slid into the nearly empty street. She stared absentmindedly into the window next to her seat in the very back of the bus, and saw her own face. Her white hair shone brightly in the cool, electric light of the bus, and it seemed to match the iridescent streak that tore mercilessly across her face. Her eyes were red and puffy. She had no plan, barely any money, not even a proper coat... She was worried. About Aaron, who she left behind, not knowing whether he was okay, or even alive. She worried about her mom, who would probably be worried sick too by the time she'd figured out Lily was gone... But she couldn't go see her. She couldn't go see them. Not if it meant putting them in harm's way. It was better this way. 

The windows of the bus were speckled with raindrops from earlier, and the air was stale. It smelled like cleaner fluid. Nothing about this place was comforting. Even the seats were just a little too small, and just a little too hard. The only advantage was that nobody had been on the bus since she'd jumped on. In this part of the city, at this time of night, nobody used public transport. Only the driver was there, but he'd been silent, and at times she almost forgot he was even there. "Good." she thought. "Nobody I can hurt." But she was starting to realize just how lonely she would be, and already was.

She took a deep breath. "Right" she thought. The little screen hanging from the roof of the bus indicated that she'd reached the final stop. Carefully, with heavily shaking limbs, she lifted herself off her chair and started walking towards the doors halfway down the bus. She shot one last glance at the bus driver, who was seated behind a little window. The older gentleman with curly black hair stared directly forward into the street, and showed no interest in her whatsoever. She pushed the little green button to open the doors, and stepped out.

It was a bit cold out, but Lily didn't notice. Her attention was captured by the eerie atmosphere of the scene she'd found herself in. The sky was dark, and among the few, ghostly clouds, stars bored through the void with their penetrating gaze. Windows, behind which life went on as usual, far away from Lily, shed their own light onto the streets, which halfway across the sidewalk would meet that of the street lamps. They stood crooked and tall like hags, in their ancient outstretched arms were lanterns like will o' wisps. Friendly, maybe, but unreliable, and unsafe.

Quickly she started walking away from the bus stop, but after only three steps or so, her foot got caught on something, she tripped, and only barely managed to hold herself up using the side of the little glass bus stop hut. Frantically she straightened herself and looked back. On the pavement behind her she saw the culprit. A blue and gray travelling backpack, clearly packed, was hastily being picked up by a stringy man she had failed to notice.

"Hey lady!" He said, angrily. "Watch where you're going, huh?"

The man reached out to grab her arm, and Lily panicked. "Not again. Not again. Please." Tears flowed once more, and the man fell back onto his seat, clutching his bag. There was a flash of cold. Teardrops on the gray tiles. Lily started running again. She couldn't stop. She bumped into someone outside a bakery. Another flash of cold. More tears. She didn't stop. 

Panicked, she turned and bolted into a dark alley. No time to worry. She had to get away from people she could hurt. She turned right. The alley narrowed, and there were big puddles of water on the ground. The violent beating of her feet turned into splashing. She turned left, and froze.

Some twenty meters in front of her stood a figure, its presence accompanied by the sound of rushing water. Lily couldn't make out whether it was a man or a woman, or even... As she watched, its facial features shifted, flowing, rippling. No, its entire body was constantly shifting, sending waves across the puddle it was standing in, but... did it have legs? The shadows made it hard to see. It blended in with its surroundings like a chameleon, or like... 

Lily's mouth fell open, maybe to scream, but no sound came out.

The figure was see-through.

Water.

It was made of water.

And it slowly started to approach her.

Lily turned around and ran back. Left. Back into the alley she'd been running through, jumping over the puddles as much as she could, fearing another water person grabbing her legs as she passed. 

Left. Right. Right again. Left again. She couldn't be very far from the street, or from the bus stop, for that matter. This place was such a maze, she might as well have been running in circles. It all looked the same.

She turned another corner, and in front of her she saw a red fire escape staircase, with a dumpster underneath. The building had three floors, she guessed, and the second floor actually had a window. Lily didn't stop to question why anyone needed a window facing a grimy alleyway. All she saw was an opportunity to flee. The lights were off behind the window. She had to.

She heard the sound of rushing water softly approaching from around the corner.

Immediately, Lily started bolting up the stairs. The steel clanged heavily under her heavy steps and her hands frantically searching for a solid grip. She made it to the second floor and tried the door. No luck. She quickly moved over to the window, dug her fingernails under it, and lifted it up.

To her surprise, the window swung open easily.

Lily jumped through the window and fell onto a desk. Piles of paper and books shot away and scattered through the dark apartment. Out of breath, Lily collapsed on the floor.

"Shit, the window." It was still open. With immense difficulty, Lily peeled herself off the floor, and stood up, her legs shaking like there was an earthquake. Through the noise of her panting, and the rush of blood in her ears, she suddenly heard the sound of footsteps. Lily wanted to hide, but her thoughts had gone sluggish, and her body didn't work with her at all.

The door swung open, and a young woman appeared in the doorway.

There was a flash of cold.

Teardrops hit the carpeted floor.

And so did Lily.