Before the Teardrops Fall

Prologue

It pained my heart to watch as tears blurred her eyes. She hugged her knees to herself as she rocked gently to the jarring tick-tocks of the clock. Silence filled the room as I squinted my eyes and tried to focus on what Elena was saying in her trance-like mutter. If I could just catch a phrase, a keyword or two, maybe I could figure out what might have happened.

I needed to know what happened to me, to us. I needed to know what happened that changed everything I once knew about Elena. I needed to know who and what robbed away the smile from her eyes. And when I discovered the truth, I swear I would do all that I could to bring her back. My cheerful and adventurous Elena. My laughing Elena.

My time was running out. I could hear the sound of sand rushing down the hour glass. It was getting louder each minute. As I looked out the window, I could see the merciless grey clouds coming our way, threatening to take away my time here once again. I clutched at the antique pocket watch hanging on my neck, felt the etched curves of the glass with my thumb and made a silent prayer. Please, let me find something.

I inched closer to Elena's lips and listened intently for clues but I could not make out anything. I tucked a strand of hair behind her ears gingerly as I fought back the urge to hold her in my arms and tell her that I still care. But Elena's eyes were blank as she stared intently into the space that held a world of her own. A world that I could not break in.

I turned to see what I could find in the room - in Ward 87 of The Mental Health Institute. It had been past midnight so the lights were already switched off. I was glad that the curtains were pulled back as it allowed the window to bring in light from the moon and stars. I had hoped, every time I was back here, that the starry night sky would catch Elena's attention and bring back the twinkle in her eyes. She used to tell me stories about the constellations as we lay with our backs on the open field back when we were still kids. Instead, the whites on the walls and bedsheet never failed to reflect a blue tint, filling the room with a depressing air.

I crossed the room in quick strides to the desk and shelves at the other side and began looking through the files and papers. On top of the polished wooden table, everything looked the same as before. The same pot of money plant sat on the top-right corner, a blue colored ball-point pen lay on top of a black notebook. The desk calendar read 29 May 1994. I reached out for the second drawer, the one I had yet to open. An orange folder labeled "Case Notes" stood out in the pile. I picked it up and began to flip through the pages. It was a record of Elena's personal details. The other documents on the desk had been news articles and therapy hand outs, nothing that provided the information I need. Perhaps I could find something in here.

I scanned through the first few pages briefly, unsure what I was really looking for. My fingers moved aimlessly across the lines in the report

"Born on 5 May 1964... Age: 27....Married..."

She's married, I thought to myself as I scanned the page for information on her spouse but found nothing. I stopped on a page filled with handwritten notes,

"...Admitted with bruises on arms and stomach.. history of suicide attempts..."

I clenched my fists as I read. What in the world happened to Elena? Where was her husband? Just who the hell did she marry? A list of old friends and acquaintances flashed through my mind as I continued to read,

"...Parents died in a car crash in 1977... Custody granted to maternal aunt, 1977..",

I paused as I tracked back "Parents died in a car crash in 1977? When was that?!".

Suddenly, the air in the room grew sharp and cold. Flashes of lightning lit up the dark room followed by bouts of thunder. I could see the books and chairs floating now. The room began to spin. The sand shushed loudly down the hour glass.

It's any time now.

I instinctively ran back across the room towards Elena as I always did. Grabbing Elena by her shoulders, I shouted in her ear amidst the sound of thunder and sand, my legs started to lift up in the spin, "Wait for me, Elena. I'll be back!"

I saw her eyes shift up as she looked into my eyes, a single tear drop falling. I tried to hold on to her but I was pulled in by the spin.

Finally, with a flash of red followed by a million stars in my minds' eye, the thudding sound from the last drop of sand threw me into the darkness.

*~*~*~*~
Author's note:
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This is a short story with only 8 short chapters. Do continue reading for a twist at the end of the story!