Children of The Night

A Promise Kept

Well, this was meant to be an apology, but I procrastinated and waited too long to publish it, I warned you  loversofthelost_

***

"Delusional," she answered death. That's what she's always been.

Ever since she was young, she's dreamt of so much, far more than her little heart could handle, making friends with anything and everything: her cupboard, the drawers, everything, it didn't matter to her. She'd sing to them if she wanted to. No one knew this side of her, of all the dreams she chased.

There was a time, one night — nothing special about it really, it was cold, her blankets kept her warm enough, the outside was dark — the little girl began to think.

Staring up at the ceiling she thought, not of herself, but another, who she hoped was maybe, for sure doing this exact thing — thinking of her. How there'd be someone mirroring her movements, waiting for her. This wasn't a delusion, she was promised another half, she just wanted to find it.

Are they thinking of me? Looking up at the ceiling just like I am right now? Her hands raised. Just like that, do they want to hold me too?

So what if she still thought that way, she should be allowed to.

Her heart couldn't take it all, couldn't stay till her wishes were fulfilled.

How long ago was that? She'd passed a millennia' worth of changing seasons, seated amongst the willow trees, as bright as a wisp, she waited. How patient she had been.

Delusional. She hoped that her other half would be somewhere beside her, on the other side of the world, lost deep beneath the tumultuous waves. She searched. How naive she was. Even death couldn't keep her from her dreams, no matter how dark they were.

A flame lit.

A tiny little spark, as feet, splashed in the water.

She resurfaced, dark eyes widening, her unbeating heart lurched forward, her senses flooding at the sound of his laugh. The flame inside her heart grew. Him.

He saw her. Albeit startled, he waved at the shocked girl, swimming closer to her, whilst she swam back. Her dreams never prepared her for how to act when they were fulfilled.

He returned many days after that, always trying to catch her, running into the water. She couldn't let him touch her, she knew that.

Whenever he got tired of running, he'd stop, a smile tugging at his lips as he splashed her with water, she always expected it, but it seemed he was delusional too — how could she refuse to play along, acting surprised every time?

As night approached, he'd always leave. That's when she'd come out. Just to make sure he went home safe, she'd watch him from the trees, making sure nothing would harm him. She chased after him.

She had been chasing him for years, long before this, but this was real.

The leaves changed colour, new flowers bloomed, and like trees growing in spring, their friendship grew alongside. She felt more confident now, talking to him, about all her dreams, while he shared his with her, in a world they created.

Until it stopped.

His visits got shorter, he came less and less, until finally, he stopped coming altogether. While she didn't age, he did. His magic of delusions died down.

She never forgot. She waited. One year, then two. Until she wanted to get closer.

She walked beside him — hiding whenever he looked back, in case he got angry, smiling whenever he smiled when surrounded by his friends. He seemed so happy

"Coach is awfully mean to you isn't he?"

"He just wants me to do well, I understand that," he shrugged.

"Swimming's in his blood, nothing can deter him from that," his friends laughed slapping him on the back.

Won't that hurt him?

"A lot of practise really —" he laughed, shrugging them off, as they walked along the river that was theirs, "Right here actually."

No.

Cracks formed around her heart. The world she kept locked up, no one else ever had access to, and he just let them enter.

His friends eyed him wearily, "that's terrifying, all alone? seriously?"

"I wasn't alone,"

A tiny thread wrapped around the cracks, preparing to sew the world up, maybe he's proud of it, proud of—

"It's kind of embarrassing," his voice softened, flushing slightly, running his fingers through his hair, "for the longest time I thought I wasn't alone, I was with someone, this — Girl? I can't even remember her name."

It snapped.

"That's harsh, dude. Not even knowing the name of your imaginary friend."

"Well, I thought she was real."

Their voices deafened, as she melted into the ground, choked-out wails spilling from her lips, loud enough to frighten the trees overhead. She wept for a broken heart.

He had taken away her magic.

How stubborn she was, like the moon chasing after the sun, she ran after a key she could never grab without being burned by it.

***

"Everyone has something they're proud of, taking care of their one true possession till it's reached its full potential. Some wait longer than others, but the wait is always worth it, to see the prettiest of buds bloom amidst a field of thorns. He doesn't realise how long I've waited for him. The one who has always been by his side. No one knows him better than I do, if anyone claims they do, well, that's easy to fix — I've given my friends many new playmates from their poor delusional souls. He knows about me, why would I hide from my beloved? His eyes constantly search for me in crowds, looking behind him to make sure I'm there whenever he walks home, slowing down so I can keep up with him, sitting in the back of the class so we won't be disturbed, his window always open for me to enter —" She winced, choking back on her tears, as death grabbed hold of her wrists. The chains keeping her to this world were no longer needed — she was no longer needed.

"Years have passed since I've heard his voice. I can't remember it, I can't remember much, just the question he asked, my name."

The anguish, the sadness, the pain remained as the waves pulled her under, soft and warm, and gentle, careful not to hurt her, to stir her from her much-needed slumber.

Why did you leave me?