Beautiful Chaos

She approached the lake, darkness floating around her in a grey mist. Tears streamed from blackened eyes, yet red from the sleepless nights. She stared into the deep water, murky, green and viscous. Her mind wondered to the memories of times with friends at this same lake, all now faded to emptiness. Her hands hung limply either side her waist, as she slumped. She approached, closer, her black trousers dragging. Her eyes wondered to the trees around the lake, leaves rustling in the brief winds. She stepped into the water, cold shivers flowing down her back, beneath her starry white top. An aching headache kept her head low, as she reached, pulling the red ribbon from her long black hair, the curls falling over her sullen face. Her feet squelched beneath her as she waded, almost in up-to her waist. She exhaled deeply, and then dropped to her knees, forcing her head below the chilling water. Rapidly her sight blurred, her hair entangled around her face, and her feet became caught in the algae and weeds. For a second she struggled, twisting in the thick liquid, and then relaxed, letting herself go, a final escape…1

Suddenly she felt an arm around her neck, hauling her to the water’s surface, air being forced down her weakened throat. He grasped her, wiping the hair out of her face gently. She lay limp in his arms, as he dragged her to land, becoming exasperated himself, staring down at her pale white complexion in shock and concern. 2

He let her go, once he’d reached the edge. Catching his breath, he touched her neck, checking her pulse. He flattened his hand out, shivering and suddenly thumping her chest. The dirty water spluttered from her mouth, as she lay limp again. He watched, sitting back, and then lifted her, hoping she would be ok soon enough.3

He staggered down the backstreets towards her home, his breaths deep, trembles growing as drips of the cold water clung to his skin, the hairs on his bare arms grasping for warmth. He wrapped his jacket around her, hoping she would warm, but there seemed no sign of her awakening. He reached her house, glancing through each window, her parents seemed to be distracted by the television in the lounge. He inhaled, lifting her once more towards the porch, placing her on the wooden steps, running his hands through her dripping hair. He rung the door bell, and ran, leaving his jacket wrapped around her, caring more for her warmth. He walked away, feeling exhausted, the reality not yet sunk in. Reaching his porch across the road, he stood out of sight in dark shadows, watching as her parents crouched around her, worried, and then finally carrying her inside. He stood, speechless, why had she done it? What was so bad? And most of all… why had he instantly followed her?4

He unlocked the door to his house. 5

‘Bloody hell Seth, what happened to you?’ his brother asked, turning his head while sitting on the couch, a beer in one hand.6

‘Oh, nothing… don’t worry,’ he mumbled, rushing to his bedroom to warm up, and avoid a conversation with his brother.7

He removed his clothes, chucking them in a pile, and quickly replacing them with twice as many layers. He ran a comb through his long brown hair, and then left, grabbing a beer to join his brother.8

‘So what you been up to today?’ he asked, sitting on the sofa.9

He felt colder and colder as he sat down, wrapping his muscular arms around himself.10

‘Um, went out with Emily, and then saw Joe for a bit, oh he’s staying over tonight,’ he mumbled.11

‘He does basically every night, I’m used to it,’ he mumbled, grabbing wood to throw in the fireplace, lighting the gas. 12