The Creek

~Esmee~

So much has happened.

My life has degraded to a blur, it seems like. Things go too fast.

Light dances on the water, and the water greets the stones on the bottom. But only briefly. Quickly, it sweeps by.

They say you can never step in the same river twice, because the second time neither you nor the river is the same.

I lean forward from my seated position and trail only the tips of my fingers through the cool surface. The current lightly pushes on me as I submerge a little more of my hand. If it could, it would pull me away with it.

Currents threaten to sweep any of us away at any moment.

And sometimes, they succeed.

This little creek winds down past me, and slowly my eyes cease to register it.

Once, this glittering stream carried down it mysteries to unravel... or more accurately, utterly fail at understanding. Where I sat was once the place where I had met her, and where I didn't have an answer. And it's where she won't ever stand again.

I clench my fist and pull it out of the creek and slam my eyes shut, as if that would block out anything.

"Damn it... damn it... damn it... I'm sorry..." I mutter in Greek, slowly leaning back until I'm resting against the grass.

Eventually, my eyes open once again. I can see a gorgeous deep blue breaking through the leaves of green above. The sun peeks through as a leaf sways just a little in and out of it's path. Each time, the light seems intolerable. But after a while, I adjust. I learn exactly when to blink, to shut it out.

Someday, I'll learn to do the same here.

Nearby, lying next to the tree, was a stone I had taken from the creek. Engraved shoddily by my sword, it read:


I turn to look at it, clenching the necklace that now rarely left my neck. I try a smile. It wasn't very convincing, but she deserved an effort.

"Goodbye."

A breeze brushed past Esmee's cheek, carrying with it something remarkably like a laugh, something remarkably like a caress. And whispered words, quiet, almost inaudible with the whistling of the breeze.

I forgive you.

~Esmee~

Tears instantly well up, but I fight them back down again. Somehow, it felt like a great weight had lifted from me, and yet another concentrated somewhere deep inside of me, and around my skin like armor.

I don't know how much time passed before I drifted off, the trickle of the creek lulling me away.

~Alistair~ 
Alistair laid down under a tree hovering over the ground above a shadow.

Lance

While wondering around the camp, ring in hand, I end up at the creek.

Elliot sat by the creek twisting a clover in her hand. Her dark hair was pulled to the side, making the shaved part of her hair more shown. She stared at the clover with her brown eyes, studying it as it twisted back and forth. She could honestly say that he hated who she had become, but she wasn't going to change any time soon. This harsh exterior protected her and she need that.

~Alistair~
He Sat there in Silence and felt the other peoples shadows in the Sunset. He kept looking down depressed thinking about life.

Skylar went and sat beside ali "hey handsome "

~Alistair~
He looked turned his head to her and smiled "Hey.." Then gave her a kiss.

She smiled and kissed back, "You ok love?"

~Alistair~
"Yeah. I guess. Im on the New Quest, so "Ill be gone for awhile."

"Youre leaving?" Skylar asked softly

~Alistair~
"Yeah for the Quest. Im leaving tonight."

"I dont want you to go."

~Alistair~
"I have to. Ill miss you the whole time."

Skylar took off her necklace and put it around his neck, "So you remember me."

~Alistair~
He gripped it. "I will." He said then kissed her.

Skylar kissed him back as tears fell down her face

~Alistair~
He stopped and wiped her tears. "Dont cry. We both know Ill be coming back."

"What if you dont... what if you get hurt and I never see you again. What if you meet some girl and move to Montana to be with her!"

~Alistair~
He laughed. "Now why would I do that?"

"I dont know..." She said sniffling softly

~Alistair~
"Dont worry. Im not gonna die. Plus If I die Id probably end up a wraith anyway."

"A what?" She said wrinkling her nose

~Alistair~
"Nevermind. I just wont ever die die. Like Dead forever. But that doesn't matter because I wont die."