Broken Railings

A Story by Christina

My somewhat-fantasy, with a bit of a twist...

The waves tumbled and crashed against the jagged, torn rocks at the base of the canyon. She glanced up at the purple and pink sky, blended by shades of blue and orange as all ends met at the setting sun glowering against the horizon. Grey clouds scattered randomly across the marvelous sky, adding accent to the dream-like picture.

Her white gown flowed smoothly, in perfect sync with the gusts of wind, wrapping around her knees and tickling her thighs. Her toes tingled as she stared at the tumbling waves below. The wind rushed through her damp hair, slapping around her neck. She closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath of fresh, salty air as a mist of seawater sprayed her face, sending tingles down her spine. She spread her arms out wide as she daringly leaned her weight onto the beaten railing. She didn't dare open her eyes. The bases of the canyons lie straight below, with nothing to catch her but the sharp pieces of a once solid foundation.

She didn't care. This is where she belonged. She prayed that this moment would never end, that she could feel this way for the rest of her life. She felt at peace, as if there weren't a care in the world. She believed that this is all that she could ever need.

She opened her eyes slowly and lifted her weight off of the broken railing. She stepped over the railing and sat down on the edge of the cliff. Tucking her knees to her chest, she sat her chin on top of her folded arms. She stared into the horizon. She closed her eyes once more as she lifted her arm and painted more pink here and more blue there. Another gust of wind sent tingles through her toes, and she grinned sweetly at the setting sun in front of her eyelids.

Her arm fell down beside her with a thump, as a sharp pain shot through her chest.

She realized, then and there, she was not in fact complete. A knot formed in her throat and her stomach constricted. She rocked herself slowly back and forth, humming quietly to herself. A song blared in her head as she hummed to the calming melody. She had memorized the lyrics long ago, but they seemed to stick with her, and thinking about them brought back unwanted thoughts. "Please don't walk away, and please tell me you'll stay..."

She knew she was wrong. Without him there with her, without him by her side, she was nothing; she knew she was incomplete. She imagined his arms around her, his slow and steady breathing on her neck. She felt him whisper into her ear like he always would and like he always will. She touched the area above her shoulder, tenderly stroking the air. Her arm dropped to the ground once again as her face crumbled and her eyes scrunched together.

A tear crept down her cheek and she closed her eyes. She inhaled deeply, but couldn't manage to exhale. Sobbing loudly, she grabbed a rock near her foot and chunked it down the canyon.

She felt his breath on her neck, felt his warm lips on her collarbone. She felt his hand grab hers and squeeze it tightly, and she tightly squeezed the space of emptiness above her palm. She heard him whisper, "I love you." She shuddered as a gust of wind howled through the trees behind her, and air whooshed around the yellow "DEAD END" sign beside her.

She glanced down at her hand resting at her side, her palm upwards on the ground. Another tear slid down her cheek and landed on her thighs as more gathered in her eyes, blurring her vision. Blinking twice, she looked back into the horizon. The small droplets poured down her face and formed a damp pool on her gown as she screamed in agony.

She missed him. She terribly, horridly missed him.

The knot in her throat grew bigger and bigger as she attempted to choke back the waterfalls on her cheeks. It was no use.

She screamed at the sky -- at the clouds -- as she rocked herself back and forth, clutching her knees to her chest even tighter. She cupped her face into her hands as she screamed into her palms. The tears poured onto her dress even more heavily now, dampening the edges. She beat and kicked at the ground as she screamed down at the tossing ocean.

Rocking back and forth, she felt his hand stroke her back, as if an attempt to comfort her. It didn't seem to work to well, for it just made her scream even louder. "Please don't cry... I'm here for you... I always will be..." she heard as the voice whispering assuring thoughts into her ear faded away somewhere off in the distance. The sound of the violent waves below drowned out her deepening sobs. She pleaded to the sky, begged to the clouds, and wept at the setting sun, "Please, don't leave me..." but it was too late.

She no longer felt his warming presence around her. She knew he had left, she knew he was gone; she could feel it no longer. Her tears brightened as she glanced back up at the horizon. The clouds she painted were fading, and the orange and purple sky was darkening. The sun lost its luster and now appeared a dull brown. The gusts of wind blew stronger, and the sound of the waves below her grew even more terrifying.

She took the dampened edge of her gown and wiped away the streaks on her cheeks. Managing to finally exhale, she shuddered once more. She stood up and balanced herself on the edge of the cliff. As she set her foot down in place alongside her other, it sent a cluster of pebbles and chips of rock tumbling down. She watched them as they fell, while the sound of the violent waves drowned out the sound of the million plumps and plops.

The wind swooshed her hair around the back of her head, entangling with the small chained necklace she wore.

Another tear streamed down her cheek as she grinned at the sign of the knives down below. Glancing one last time into the darkening horizon, she shifted her weight forward. Her stomach flew and the knot in her throat dissolved instantly as a spray of saltwater misted over her body.

She spread her arms out wide, and whispered, "I love you too," into the salty air. She closed her eyes as the wind rushed frantically through her hair. Her white gown tickled her legs as the air pulsed through the fabric, tingling her legs. Her smile widened as her whole world crumbled into the darkness of oblivion, and her body met with the jagged pieces of the now crumbled foundation.

She opened her eyes and sat up in the swaying grass. She blinked her eyes a few times in disbelief. The light warmed her body and she gasped in awe at the miraculous sight before her.

She felt his presence again, stronger than ever. Yet she felt no heartache -- she felt no terror, she felt no pain -- she felt calm. At peace...

She stood up, and after gaining balance, she glanced around and saw a blackened silhouette at the edge of the meadow, standing beneath a large tree. Its branches protruded from the trunk, blocking the blinding light from stabbing her eyes.

She gasped as she felt her chest thump in rhythm with her heartbeat. She felt its pulse inside her hands, its rhythm pumping in her head.

She knew who it was. She knew all along. He's here.

She took off in a sprint towards the figure beneath the tree. She couldn't believe it. She knew she'd be with him once again, someday, but she couldn't help but show the excitement and enthusiasm she knew she'd feel when she saw him again. She slowed to a jog and came to a stopping point beside the figure staring into the swaying grass ahead of them.

He looked down at her and smiled his beautiful smile. His eyes glowed as soon as hers met his. He gently kissed her cheek, and, for what seemed like eternity, they stared into eachother's eyes. They reminded her of the sea; the tossing, violent, deep, blue sea she stared into just moments before. A tear slid down her cheek as she grabbed his hand. His grip tightened around her small hand, just as it used to.

At the same time, they both looked forward and took a step into the blinding light. It was intense; it blinded her the moment they both stepped out from under the safety of the tree. She was blinded instantly.

Suddenly, there was a gust of wind and they both gazed out onto the darkening horizon, sitting side by side, hand in hand, together. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and she could feel his cheek against her ear. Calmly but assuringly, he whispered, "I love you."

She knew now that she was, in fact, complete. She had lived her life the way she wanted to, and now she was with the love of her life, and she wished nothing more than to reside there, feeling his steady breathing on her neck, his heartbeat on the back of her shoulder, side by side, hand in hand, with him, forever...