31. Water under a bridge (part 1)
It snowed in New York that night, winter reforging. An empire rebuilt from a momentary falter. Colossi of ice and concrete bending their huge knees before propping themselves back up once more.
Beverly swayed in watery dreams.
This ice, molten, reformed. American water. Ever-persistent.
Charming little city, this place I cannot forsake.
The fallen troops snaking away from the rebirthed legions, towards the river. Tears of silver. Blue jaws that gnawed at the feet of the Brooklyn Bridge. Soon, the ocean, too.
Lake, like you.
In her dreams he was water, as well.
He'd provided a newer, kinder meaning to the term, after all. He'd been responsible for the fall of stars and found safe haven in her own. Born to the sea and killed by it.
We may just sail to calmer waters one day… When we've done all we could.
He slipped away slowly. His body deflating like some sort of balloon. Black hair liquifying, snailing in inky trails of sweat across his forehead. His colors converging into ashy browns and cement greys. Murky waters, one river, upon which she lay.
Why do you show me this, stars? What meaning must I derive from this? Hasn't he suffered enough? Haven't I?
"Beverly."
Cecil.
His long, warm hand curled around her shoulder.
Beverly breathed in the dry midnight breeze. Pale exhales of a vicious and perplexing metropolis.
She saw Willa, asleep in her little bed, her white cheeks stained with violet tears.
Isaac, her father, before the flames, eyes closed in a frozen frown. Her mother casting dancing yellows and oranges upon the wrinkles on his flesh.
Peter, lain upon his back on a breadth of dark sand. Black eyes absorbing the starlit heavens like the glassy iris of a telescope.
"Peter," Beverly croaked, lifting herself up.
Don't disappear.
The ground felt colder under her hands.
"Peter."
"Shh…"
How solid were they? These bodies of light and spent breath? That they could diffuse so easily in the pitch black dark…
"He's gone," she murmured.
A superfluous remark. Cecil had known before she had.
Black hair, black clothes, black eyes.
Peter wasn't sunlight, as much as she'd thought he was earlier, up in the sky, swathed in his arms. He was merely the anticipation of it.
The rain before rainbows. The lighting before the thunder.
He was a promise.
He wouldn't abandon her, but he'd get lost in the night, bled into its hues, bouncing from shade to shade, trying to find that which he'd so long avoided.
You're not a thief…
"You see him?" Cecil asked.
"He's under the bridge. The… Oh… How… Why did he go there…?"
"Breathe, honey. Your light has yet to blaze, don't be impatient. Let's go fetch him."
This was the second time they woke up in different spots, upon falling asleep abrace. To cling with arms and hands was no longer enough.
And yes, these threads of light provided thicker binds than any mortal embrace, any caress, any kiss. He and she traveled together. A green glint bounced off the surface of Beverly's eyes.
And yet… And yet…
Peter, feel me…
She felt him as he floated. American nurses, gentle hands of empty flattery, caressing him, and her as well. A deceitful comfort.
Was this the water of mortality, this city, with its cruel towers and vacant-eyed people? Or was this the ocean to which they were now enslaved? The galaxy, liquid and heavy with requirements.
Had it ever been enough? To hold on for dear life?
Feel me as I feel you.
Beverly had taken a bite of his doubt before he went.
Author's Note: To whoever is here today, thank you for reading.
I am going on vacation tomorrow, for a week, my friends and I will go to one of our friends' house and we are super excited, of course. The only worry I had was that I wouldn't be able to finish Chapter 31 before I left, since I won't be bringing my laptop along and the mobile app is being weird and denying me from logging in for some reason I don't comprehend lmao. The site works just fine for me everywhere else but in the app, ever since its new update.
Idk, I hope that gets fixed soon. I'm glad to know it's just an app bug, so I'm not worried, I'm just annoyed cause I like being able to have my stories in that app, and be able to look at them whenever I want without opening my laptop or logging in on Safari. It's like I always have them in my pocket, y'know? :3
Well, on the chapter itself, I actually had to divide it in two cause it got so long. I'll give you Part 2 tonight, too, if I'm able XD So stay tuned for that.
Thank you once more, to all of you. You make my days a little brighter. You are my miracles - the fact that someone is reading my stories about these characters and this movie, is just... yeah, miraculous. And wonderful. Thank you. Here is your hug *hug* . I'll see you again soon.