Clutching The Darkness

Chapter 2: Shifted

I felt at peace. A sense of softness radiated throughout my blood vessels, each droplet of my blood becoming invigorated with harmony and tranquility. For a time I laid my curled head upon the concrete walls, completely undisturbed by the noticeable scent of garbage and stewing waste products. A faint smell lingered in the air- the oh so delectable scent of sizzling meat and steaming onions. 

My anxious bites from before left me with a rock in my stomach, but even that ache couldn't disturb my still amazement. Those puffy clouds of tangerine that brimmed with a thin indigo outline, the short twinkling of stars shone with cerulean sparks, the Sun's magnificence spanned across the sky; its hues of raspberry and magenta gently covering the sky like a warm woolen blanket.

Nearby, I heard a group of teens chatting and laughing, all with their cheery voices of amenity and comradery. They seemed to be enjoying life, enjoying their friendships. When their voices neared, I saw the group pass by, a joyful bunch but I eyed a girl and a boy who had their hands entwined. They seemed happy, and I wondered if that was juvenile naivete or true hope for the future that they carried in their hearts. 

A smile warmed its way past my face overriding my previous scowl from the chills of the wind. It made me reflect on the past, the time where maybe I had also felt that sense of hope. Definitely naivete. My elbow pressed past the jutted shape of my knife and I scooped it out of my pocket and ran my hand across its smooth, electric blue handle, the four-inch blade glowing in the Sun's affection. Zay had given this to me as a present back when we dated.

I still remember why too. Such a stupid phase I was in! For a short while I became fascinated with blades; Isaac was the one to hitch me on that. We often watched videos of the welding process of swords and knives, usually the blacksmiths utilizing scrap or junk metal to make impressive weaponry from. 

For a solid three months, I obsessed over the intricate designs and the overall aesthetic of a blade. I could still hear her voice sheepishly apologizing for not getting a more well-crafted dagger but instead settling for a cheaply produced knife. 

I didn't mind. I suppose I still don't. It was the one thing related to her that I could never abandon. A small gift that was way too large in meaning from someone who had a large heart, given all to me who had a spirit so small.

I wanted to lie on the plastic-bag-strewn floor, sleeping warmly coveted in the grazing but real touch of the gravel. I could sit here and enjoy the sense of comfort for hours. The Sun's colors shifted as it lowered more and more. I hadn't felt such an inner sense of hope and quietude in a long time.

 In my room, I was often racked with my pressuring responsibilities, hanging over me like a distressing anvil ready to drop upon me, not to mention my emotional troubles of frustration and solitude. And guilt. But now, I wanted to savor what little I could. 

A red cardinal hopped around a tree branch, pecking at some spots near bark, startling a zenaida dove which flew at it, the aggressor bird's wings flapping offensively like bladed fans. I was a bit shocked to see two equally non-predatory birds fight like this, but I suppose in nature, even those that shouldn't brawl sometimes do. It seems predestined to have allies fight.

Slowly but surely, the streetlights came on with pleasantly soft buzzes. Cars and bicycles crunched on the road with smooth noises and slight purrs. The town around came to a serene status, as if the busy rustlings of monotonous but stressing life had come to a halt and blended in with the restful silence of the night. The day hung over everyone's head, the peacefulness dangling over the town before dropping all of us into the quiet darkness of the Moon's brilliance. 

But...the dark never came. 

In fact, looking closer at the Sun, it moved in unnatural patterns. For every minute that had passed, the Sun winded down quickly, casting longer and longer shadows with even lessening light tints. The speed in the change of lighting was remarkable as it is, but the real oddity was that after a period of around five minutes, the Sun suddenly shifted back to it's starting position, as if whatever celestial being that controlled the universe had simply picked the big ball of fiery gas and placed it back where it began thus, restarting the sunset.