Timeless Snow ✓

Ch. 37 - Grey Granite

Taehyung welcomed you that morning with a couple of white-hot chocolate drinks for the two of you, celebrating the fact that the rain passed in the dead of the night and despite the clouds, you had a few hours before the chance of rain increased. Knowing your time was limited, you dragged yourself out of bed and began to get ready. After a brisk shower, you gathered up the clothing you bought last night before returning to the hotel. Leaving in such a rush, there was no time to pack a bag or bring any clothes. Deciding to dress in layers, you picked out a soft white cotton shirt to go under the fluffed up woven beige sweater that was a few sizes too big. The sweater hung low on your hips, nearly long enough to be a dress. Not that you were the type of girl to wear such things, but you enjoyed the comfort oversized clothing provided. You slipped on a pair of black fleece leggings and stuffed your socked feet into a pair of brown leather boots. Lastly, you grabbed the tan scarf from the shopping back and wrapped it around your neck to protect yourself from the whipping wind outside caused by the passing storm. 

Once again, the two of you were cruising around town in the rental car with no destination in sight. Taehyung kept himself quiet, letting only the soft tune of the radio fill the silence as your eyes scanned your surroundings in bewilderment. Through your eyes, everything was foreign, but there was a pit in your chest that you couldn't ignore. A nagging feeling that you couldn't quite place, only recognizing it as possible anxiety from being in a new environment. Even then that didn't feel quite right. Wrapping your arms around yourself you gave them a gentle squeeze in self-soothing. Your breath shallow and hushed. Despite the gentle breeze from the tepid gust coming through the vents, the air around you felt heavy. The feeling deep in your gut began to become apparent, a desire to flee. From what you were not sure.

Trying to soothe the dreadful feeling, your eyes shifted to Taehyung in the seat beside you. Offering up a pained smile your eyes met his, letting those chestnut-colored eyes bring you comfort. He averted his gaze from the road long enough to catch your gaze. He could see the struggle in your smile, the pain in your eyes. Reaching out he took your left hand into his right and gave it a firm squeeze, his eyes shifting back to the road as he approached a stoplight. 

"Taehyung." You called out as the car rolled to a slow stop. His eyes found you again, only this time you weren't looking at him. Your eyes had wandered past his frame to a landmark just across the street. Wrought iron fences with matching decrepit gates surrounding a paved driveway that wove through an open pasture. "Go there..." Your meek voice came out unsure and hesitant. Taehyung looked at you with a mixture of worry and confusion, never the less he understood everything you were doing was for the sake of your sanity. He remained stopped at the light, despite the color switching to green, waiting for you to meet his gaze in affirmation. 

A blaring honk from an impatient car behind you made you visibly flinch and your eyes rocketed back up to Taehyung. He refused to move the car and inch, deciding your well-being was more important than the annoyance the driver on your bumper suffered. With a quick nod of your head, you confirmed your request, which was all he needed. Pulling forward he took a left and began to pull up to those old iron gates that were pulled open wide for visitors. He let the car's speed drop to only a few miles an hour as he began to coast down the paved way. 

Sun-blanched stone angels and carved headstones made of marble, concrete, or granite in hues of white and grey scattered the green pasture. The gloomy sky above shadowing the graveyard. The only remanence of color was the various real and fake flowers that decorated a few gravestones, while others seemed to be dulled down with age and weather. The loved ones of those who no longer came to see them. Sticking your thumb into the seat buckle's latch, Taehyung got the silent hint to pull the car over to the side of the paved road and bring it to a stop. Your eyes were glazed over, your movements feeling automatic as you reached for the door handle and started to get out of the car without waiting for him. You could hear the wind whistling through the trees before feeling the cold sting on your cheek. The smell of newly turned earth and fresh-cut grass was amplified by last night's rain. 

"This place oddly feels familiar." Taehyung pointed out as he unraveled himself from the car and shut the door behind himself. At least it wasn't just you who felt that familiar feeling. Walking around the hood of the car he met your side and looked down at you. Your eyes stared down at your feet as your lips perked into a small smile, unsure if admitting the same made you seem more insane than you already were. The fact that you didn't feel that way alone was comforting to your sanity. Without a word you reached out for his hand and let your fingers lace between his. 

"Let's take a walk." Pulling at his hand you took the first steps forward. Wondering on the trampled grass through the gravestones, carefully avoiding the areas where someone's loved one may be lying just under the earth's crust. Your eyes taking note of names and dates written in the stone slabs you passed. 

You walked in silence. The names of the dead leaving you at a loss for words. Respect in the silence of their disappearance from the world. The soggy ground swished under your feet, as the scent of rain still lingered in the distance. Desperately you wished to know why this place felt familiar as Taehyung had said. 

After some time, you spotted a grey stone bench near the back of the cemetery. With another tug of his hand, you gestured the two of you to the bench. You let the back of your knees touch the stone before lowering yourself down in your seat. Taehyung took his place beside you, releasing your hand as you hugged your jacket tighter around yourself as the wind began to pick up speed. A deep inhale entered your nose, the scent of foliage and wet stone filling you. You let a slow exhale pour from your lips. 

Taehyung's honey-brown eyes cast on you with a ting of worry. Unsure if he should question your mental health right now or allow you the silence that you were keeping. Reaching out he wrapped his arm around your back and let his large palm rub in soothing circles of comfort. 

"I feel like..." You started to say, but your eyes cast down to your lap. The words were unable to find their way up to your throat. To speak out loud your thoughts, you worried you'd only sound insane. "Tell me." Taehyung whispered softly, leaving into you so that your voice wouldn't have to carry far. Swallowing the lump in your throat you parted your lips for a second try. Raising your eyes, you took a lasting look around. 

You felt your body become solidified as your gaze cast over a single name in the sea of stone slabs. Ice poured through your veins, as your heart came to a stop. Clenching your fists into the fabric of your jacket you held onto yourself tightly, worried that if you lose your grip that you'd shatter completely. Moister pulled in the corner of your eyes and began to cloud your vision with salt-filled tears. Closing your lips, they quivered. "B..." You started but the name was choked in your throat so sharply you were scared to speak the name. 

"Bowers..."