Autumn Remembrance

“Bryson, wait!”

The scream sliced through the eerily quiet night, and was met by a slight rustling of near-skeletal trees. Their stretching branches crackled as they cast off dying leaves into a wind that lifted and twisted them in a private ballet. The gold’s and browns swirled downwards in a frenzied stream that caused Bryson to turn and watch them fly past. His eyes lit up at the crescendo of the dance before they spun away down the street to join the other dancers.

“Bryson…” The voice was quieter this time; a mere whisper that was almost drowned out by the increasing sound of nature as it flung itself into a growing storm. Bryson turned his gaze to the source of the voice, and the light that had illuminated his eyes moments before, softened until it was all but extinguished. The girl stood at the end of the road, under the near-bare tree, clutching her chest as she panted for air. With large brown eyes, she stared wistfully at him. The whirling wind rushed past her, causing her long auburn hair to join it in its wild dance. A yelp escaped her lips as she tried to pat it down, but the restless zephyr disallowed it. After a useless struggle, she surrendered her hair to the element’s will, and instead focused on the boy watching her.
He hadn’t moved since he turned to look at her, but as she fought with her hair, he started to spin away. She called after him again; a note of panic in her voice. He stopped, looking over his shoulder, as she started to move forwards. Step by fearful step, she closed the gap between them. She reached a hand out to him as she neared where he stood.

“Bryson, please, don’t leave.” A small sad frown lined her previously smooth forehead as he remained unresponsive. Then, as she was about to speak again, a smile broke out on his face. He turned again to her, this time to look down at her worried face, rather than stare from across the asphalt. His smile grew, but it wasn’t one of joy; instead sadness haunted his features. His eyes didn’t warm as they had before, and the smile she was so used to had changed to an unfamiliar one. He reached out as if to touch her, but as his fingers – pale and comforting – stopped inches away.

“I’m sorry…” His own voice was a breath of wind that swelled and died almost as soon as it left his mouth. She shuddered. The voice she remembered had been so warm- so full of happiness, and strength. Now it was different. He was different. The boy in front of her wore Bryson’s face; his russet coloured hair was the same, as was his imperfect mouth, his chocolate eyes – sweeter than her own - and the freckles across his nose, but it wasn’t Bryson. Bryson wouldn’t vanish in the middle of the night without an explanation. Bryson would have talked to her; he would have confided in her, even if it was a problem they alone couldn’t fix. Which was what this seemed to be.
“Alice, you don’t understand. I have to go.” His eyes shifted as she tried to connect with them, like they used to do; where they’d stare into each other’s eyes for a moment, and know what to say. Nothing. She felt tears well up as spill over the shape of her cheeks and down to the rain water pooled on the road, where it added its own saltiness to the mix. The spark she knew in his eyes was gone, fleeing with the leaves that pranced on the swell of the wind, and rushed across the inky city.
Alice wiped the salty flow from her face with the corner of her sleeve and cleared her throat.
“Tell me then” her voice a murmur. “Tell me why you’re doing this.”

He sighed and dropped his eyes.
“I can’t. Goodbye Alice. I hope we don’t meet again.”