Flames of Fate

Gray Days

[Author's Note: Hey, everybody. I'm sorry that it has been so insanely long since the last time I posted a chapter! I had this one started and half finished, and then it inexplicably vanished...so I had to start it all over. Which, naturally, means that I kind of lost the urge to write it. Then, when I finally got started, I got half way in and stalled because I had NO idea where it was going. On top of that and work being so hectic this summer, it just really delayed my writing.

This chapter isn't very long, but I hope that it tides you over for now! I've started the next chapter, but who knows when I'll finish it haha. Bear with me, guys! Thanks so much for taking the time to read my work, I really do appreciate it.]

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I stood on the roof, staring out at the harbor as I waited. The day was overcast, and the breeze coming off the water chilled me to the bone.

I had given him twenty minutes to get here. Glancing at my watch, I realized that seventeen of those minutes had passed.

I was anxious...so anxious. I closed my eyes and took a breath, hoping the cool air would cleanse my soul of the feeling I had that something bad was going to happen.

Opening my eyes, it hit me again: everything in my life had become gray. The day was gray. My mood was gray. Even my eyes seemed gray today.

Most importantly, though...his name was Gray.

I laughed at the irony. Everything is supposed to be black and white to the Moirai, and yet I had always been drawn to color...and now? Well, now I had fallen in love with the bastardization of black and white; I had fallen in love with gray.

I glanced at my watch again.

Ten seconds. He had ten more seconds.

As I counted them down, a chill gripped hold of my soul and refused to let go.

I had given him twenty minutes to get here and told him that, if he didn't make it on time, I would go to his house. His twenty minutes were up, but I decided to give him a couple more. Maybe he had hit a bad spell of traffic or a couple red lights he hadn't anticipated...maybe he was almost here.

As the minutes ticked by, my mind started playing cruel tricks on me. I began to wonder if another attempt had been made on his life and had this time been successful.

I looked out at the harbor, but there was no joy in the view for me anymore.

I looked at my watch. It had been just over twenty-two minutes.

I sighed. Thirty more seconds...that was all that I would give him.

I watched the second hand on my watch tick down, each fraction of an inch like a dagger in my heart.

Twenty more seconds.

I tried to breathe, but there suddenly seemed to be no oxygen in the air.

Ten seconds.

Where could he be?

Five.

My heart sank as images of him in a mangled car flashed before my eyes.

And then I was moving. I didn't understand how it happened, but the next thing I knew I was wrenching open the rooftop door. I launched myself through the door and bolted around the corner.

Before I could reach the stairs, however, I ran headlong into a very solid chest. Losing my balance, I was about to fall over backwards and land on my ass until strong arms wrapped around my waist.