Loneliness that may sedate,
Intentions made in good faith,
Many trials that I must take,
Even to see you once again,
Rain washes over the stake,
Another heart played like a game,
Not in my control this was made,
Cornered is the desire I once embraced,
Evermore lasting is your name I wish I could call out to once again.
Kai sat at an awkward angle as he slumped over his study table as the setting sun slowly caressed him, which bubbled his consciousness to the surface. Through orange and gold hues that painted his sight, he also reveled in a faint breeze from what seemed to come from his unconscious.
He slowly got up, tidying the messy chemistry textbooks and plugging in his dying phone to charge next to his lamp. His room was small but smug, which made him feel more connected to the refuge that was his window overlooking the street. His door was left slightly ajar, and the faint white light started to shine brighter than the world outside.
Kai sat down on the side of his bed, his back slightly slumped towards the world beyond his room. He could see the faint reflection of the local river outside, its surface gorgeously glistened and glittered in the slowly fading sunset. His face that spelt boredom slowly had curiousity written all over it, since he hadn’t been to the river banks recently much due to the construction that had just ended, but he just felt drawn to it in the moment. As he gazed out of his room, the smell of steamed veges slowly started to waft into the room, but it didn’t really affect his resolve.
Kai walked to the other end of his room. Next to the white bathroom door lay a beige cabinet, which he opened and put on a plain white tee. In the bathroom mirror he ruffled his dark brown hair, and splashed some frigid water on his face once he was happy with his hair.
Slowly, he made his way down the wooden stairs and followed the scent of the food. As he passed by the various trinkets and knick knacks that his dad collected from all over the world, instead of a warm awe he only felt a cold indifference.
“Hey Ma, when will Dad be back?” he peeked into the porcelain tiled kitchen, which was illuminated in bright white.
“In about twenty I think.” she replied.
“Alright, Imma go for a walk. Be back by then.” he turned to the cupboard and took out a small glass cup.
“Okay, don’t forget to lock the door and close the gate on the way out.” the sound of the oil simmering slowly crescendoed.
Kai filled the cup with water from a jug, and downed it in one gulp. After washing and drying it, he took the keys from a nearby wooden table, and embarked on his solo rendezvous on the river banks.
As he slowly wandered the familiar street, the fading sunlight started to cast the clouds in various hues of pink and purple. The further he walked, the more his heart began to pipe down, the slower his breathing got and the stresses in life seemed to melt away.
The endless houses that accompanied him slowly revealed an alleyway to the river, and it reminded him of her. He tried to not remember, but those memories were etched into him.
The cycles they used to take by that river; the nights where they burned the midnight oil together; the countless stars they tried to count together.
His tranquility was, like life, merely transient.
Soon enough he stepped out the woods of his memories and onto a flight of concrete stairs that ended next to the platform that stretched alongside the river, which were evidently new by the lack of graffiti and filth that usually became of these initiatives.
Dim streetlights also accompanied this landing, as he descended the stairs the louder the river sounded around him; the rush of water was usually a calming sound, but he could only remember the memories of her. He felt like a husk, but one that ate itself from inside. He just wanted to sleep forever.
These thoughts accompanied him like a fog as he meandered his way counter-currently, and a bridge slowly appeared in the distance. There were no streetlights under it, which was odd considering it was shaded from any natural lighting, but something piqued his curiosity, starring his deepening trance.
A figure stood at the ledge, blocking the shimmering moonlight that reflected off the currents.
Kai stopped dead in his tracks.
“Hello?”
He thought a bit more about his actions. “Why did I say hi, I should just book it.” he sheepishly told himself.
Frozen in his footing, he couldn’t seem to find the will to leave- was it because he had accepted this as his fate or that he wanted this as his end? He also didn’t know.
But it was pointless, as slowly his eyes told him the figure was not where it once was. So he ran back to where he came, not wanting to know more.
“Curiosity killed the cat, didn’t it? Would you not like that too?” a voice spoke out.
Kai knew running was now pointless. The voice emanated from all directions. Yet fueled by his instincts, he only ran faster to the lone stairs.
“Now I wish more than anything that I could just live a bit longer.” The voice was behind him now. “I know what you want.”
Kai felt weak, the air felt uncomfortably cold, devoid of life. He tried to run faster, yet time only seemed to pass slower.
“Humanity, chained by their past, devoid of their present and blind of their future. It’s sad to see someone as innocent as you go, but that’s life I guess,” it spoke.
Every vertebrae in Kai’s spine screamed as his neck turned to face the being, but his body stood still, as if he was a doll with a head attached on it.
“If it brings you any comfort, her passing isn’t your fault,” the cloaked figure, now holding a scythe said.
“But you must go, it’s what you want, isn’t it? I’m here to make your wish come true,” it spoke with some semblance of joy.
A single tear meandered down Kai’s cheek, just before his body contorted in ways one couldn’t do by themself.
Splash.
Kai opened his eyes. A golden sunset called to him from outside his window. A faint scent of fried veges wafted through his door, which was left ajar.
He reveled in what seemed like a faint breeze from his own imagination.
He peered into the distance, and something out there seemed to call his name.
Written by: Caelan
Edited by: Hoe Yan
