you aren't born with strength, you cultivate it

RHYS | I'm wakin' up at the start of the end of the world

PUBLISHED: 30 JAN 24

Rhys happens upon a scene... it reminds him of a few things.

tags: mentioned attempted suicide, suicide attempt, trauma

"I'm wakin' up at the start of the end of the world
But it's feelin' just like every other mornin' before
Now I wonder what my life is gonna mean if it's gone
The cars are movin' like a half a mile an hour and I
Started starin' at the passengers wavin' goodbye
Can you tell me what was ever really special about me all this time?"

"How far we've come" | Matchbox 20

TW: mentioned (and showed) attempted suicide

______

His footsteps are deliberately slow, deliberately calculated. One gentle step forward, followed by a placating motion, lifting his arms into view of the woman sitting dangerously close to the cliff. The expression on his face doesn't falter. A kind smile tugging at his lips alongside sad, sad eyes. Charcoal-brown hues clouded with the thick emotion as he wondered what led this woman down this path.

Rhys always hated these scenes. Not because of the people getting themselves in these situations. No. Never because of that. More so the reason that these scenes always reminded him of his past. The past he so desperately tried to escape. Of sharp blades pressed to delicate skin and deep, dark thoughts that held the intention of bringing him down into their depths. Suffocating, drowning, becoming submerged under his own volition, his own grief and pain and self-hate.

So, there was a reason he usually opted from these scenes.

"Mrs. Snowe, would it be alright if I came closer?" He asks calmly, his radio thankfully overpowering the sound of his heartbeat in his ears. Rhys didn't know if he could deal with the sound.

The woman, Aya Snowe, was a regular around Sandy Shores. He knew she lived with her mom who had just undergone surgery due to some underlying issue in her brain. Janice was a nice woman, taking the time out of her day to gift baked goods to the Department. He personally enjoyed her chocolate muffins. Her daughter was often dragged to these occasions, making both women highly recognized by the BCPD. That's what made seeing her here on the off chance so startling. Aya was always a bright star that refused to dim, someone to light up the room with her tiny smiles.

Glancing back to him, her soft blue eyes droop, almost sadly. Furrowing her brows, the woman returns her attention to her swinging legs over the edge and the beautiful scenery below. His heart clenches at the sight and he found the air to be stolen from his lungs by the silence that followed. Only the chatter from his earpiece, the chirping of birds, and the rustling of leaves was heard.

"Sit with me?" She offers, surprising him greatly. Though, her tone didn't sit well in his stomach.

Just as another two cruisers arrive on scene, he walks forward. He steps lightly, but purposefully makes his footsteps detectable. Rhys wanted to avoid startling her. Slowly, he sinks to the dirt a few paces from her, sitting close to the edge, but not close enough to dangle his legs like Aya was doing.

Swallowing, he breaths slightly through his nose, brows furrowing minutely. "Can you tell me why you're here today Mrs. Snowe?"

Over the radio, he hears Vanessa Holt describe what was going on. Her observations, as usual, are to the point and concise, not leaving any details out while she avoided clogging the radio too much. He's partly glad she was on scene. He would rather have the Corporals calm, level-headed thinking rather than worried "what-if's."

Aya leans her weight against her arms, her head and neck following the motion to stare up at the sky. "The sky's pretty today Mr. Valentine."

Rhys hums, ignoring her careful change of subject to follow her conversation. His eyes glance to the sky briefly before focusing back on her, muscles tense as he prepares himself. "It really is." Inching a little closer, he tries to think about a good subject matter. "What's your favorite thing about the sky?"