Prologue

A Chapter by Erza Scarlet

She opened her eyes in the darkness. She mindlessly slid out of the covers and left her room. Listening to the distant mutterings from the TV, she grabbed her black coat and left the house. She briskly walked along the empty street, heading towards the bridge several blocks down. When she saw the street lamps along the bridge she held her breath and slowed down. She scanned the bridge for any cars approaching, but she saw none. She cautiously stood in the middle of the bridge, hearing her heart beating really fast in excitement. She waited there for what seemed hours for something to happen, but nothing happened.

Disappointed, she turned her back and stared down the calm black waters. She had to leave soon, and she was really disappointed that she wasn’t able to meet her. She sighed and leaned towards the water, hoping to see something down the river. At that moment she felt a gentle blow of cold wind in her right and the low pitched voice of a girl that she was very familiar of.

“Hana.”

Hana hid her hands inside the pockets her black coat and took a deep breath before she turned her head. What she saw facing her was a girl of the same age, same height and somewhat similar looks to Hana: She had the same almond eyes, small nose and soft lined lips. What differentiated the two was the color of their eyes and hair; Hana had dark brown eyes and black hair, and the girl that just appeared had brownish copper hair with eyes that seemed to have the hue of molten gold. Hana was in awe, admiring the way the girl’s hair was blowing in the wind, how her skin glowed in the dark. The girl smiled and wrapped her arms around Hana’s arm and turned towards the quiet river. Hana sighed and turned towards the river, relived that she was able to see the girl again.

“How can you appear like that without making a sound?” Hana asked.

The girl ignored Hana’s question and just stood there staring down.

“I wish I could be like you.” Hana quietly confessed while looking down the river.

“What am I like?” The girl leaned down and playfully asked.

“Beautiful, confident and I don’t know happy, content?” Hana smiled at her own silliness and turned to look at girl.

The girl didn’t reply and just looked down the waters, smiling. Hana turned her head back down to the waters, feeling down.

“Mahya, I feel like someone like me is better off dying.” Hana said in a weak voice.

The girl whom Hana addressed as Mahya started climbing the parapet and sat down on the edge. Hana mimics Mahya and sits beside her.

“Even when I vanish, hundreds of millions of people wouldn’t even know that I even existed. Nobody would be happy, nobody would be sad. Nothing will change. Nobody wants me.” Hana clenched her fist but quietly looked up to the dark sky. Mahya and Hana sat there quietly for a while staring at the distance.

“Hana, if you could wish for something, what would it be?” Mahya smiled playfully and turned to Hana after several minutes of silence.

“I want to be someone really important. I want to accomplish something big and awesome. I want to be in the middle of everything. I want to go on an adventure, have fun; save people, save the world?” Hana laughed and turned to Mahya “I want to be beautiful like you, really beautiful that every single person who lays eyes on me would fall in love with me, and be strong enough to keep myself safe” Hana blushed a little and continued: “I want to fall in love with someone who could die for me. It’d be nice if such desires could be granted.”

“I will really miss you.” Mahya said while smiling sadly at Hana, and placed her hand behind Hana and patted her gently. Hana looked at Mahya questioningly, and became sad, once she understood that Mahya was bidding her farewell.

“I will see you again, right Mahya?” Hana asked cautiously, hoping to see her again. She was worried that Mahya wouldn’t want to see her again.

“I hope we do.” Before Hana could respond to what Mahya had said, she pushed Hana off the parapet.

Hana couldn’t even scream, or grab the parapet. All she could do was to stare at Mahya’s sad face while hearing the hiss of the wind in her ears. She was falling, and she knew she would die falling from that height. She got scared of the pain she would feel once she hits the water. She didn’t know if she really wanted to die. She thought of her parents back home who didn’t seem to care what happened to her. She thought of her school, her classmates, and her only friend David. She then understood that she didn’t really matter to anyone. She closed her eyes and accepted her fate, thinking it was for the best that she died.

Mahya examined the ripples in the river carefully, wondering how long she would have to wait again.