Salvation

The soft pitter patter of rain hitting the sidewalk enveloped me as I pulled up my hood and began to make my way up the street. I walked in the general direction of my house, and hoped that I would be there shortly.

The rain had just begun to fall in this part of Michigan, not surprising me in the least. Michigan weather was temperamental. In the morning it could be freezing rain and snowing, then in the afternoon it could be forty degrees and sunny.

The wind began to pick up. It howled as it whipped past me. Small tendrils of my blonde hair escaped my hoodie and blew forward in front of my face. The sky was already shades darker than it should have been for the time of day it was, considering it was only around four in the afternoon.

“Dahlia!” a familiar voice called my name from behind me, making me turn my head and slow my pace. “Dahlia, wait!” He called again, louder. I stopped this time and fully turned around to face him.

“It’s getting ready to storm! Are you crazy? Come back inside!” his navy blue t-shirt was soaked and stuck to his skin. I didn't know it had been raining that hard. His arm was raised above his head at a weak attempt to keep the rain out of his eyes. His sopping wet blonde hair that was usually spiked up lay flat and gangly against his brow. He pursed his lips as he took me in. “Come on, Dahlia.”

“I’d rather walk home then stay at your house, Brandon,” his name came out as more of a sneer then it was supposed to be, but I didn’t apologize.

Hurt flashed across his brown eyes before quickly being replaced by anger. "I told you about it because I care about you, and I didn't want you to find out via someone else," he spoke lowly and calmly. I had to strain my ears to hear him above the steadily increasing storm that whirled around us. His jaw was tense, and the muscle flickered as he clenched it.

He was building up. I still egged him on.

I scoffed at him. I turned to leave, but his hand caught my forearm, keeping me in my spot. "You apologized for hitting me, Brandon. I was a fucking fool to forgive you. Now you cheat on me," my eyes began to fill with tears, making me rip my gaze away from his.

The sound of rain and thunder filled the silence as I waited for him to speak before trying to yank my arm out of his grip. His grip on my arm only tightened, forcing me to look at him "Your hurting me you--" I began but stopped.

Angry tears were openly flowing down his reddened face as his narrowed brown eyes stared a hole through me. "Shut up. Just, why. I mean, I sometimes hurt you but I always apologized..." He began to rant, coaxing himself into getting angrier and angrier by the second.

The sound of a truck's horn blaring caught my attention. I turned just as an old ford hydroplaned, the tires screeching and skidding, causing the truck to swerve in our direction. Brandon was screaming at me to run, and trying to drag me away. It was all happening within a matter of seconds.

My body was stuck in slow motion. I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think.

I watched as the truck tipped, slowly at first, and then faster as it began to roll in my direction. I was going to die.



I stared up at the leaves on the tree. It was odd for me, knowing it was winter but seeing leaves on a tree.

A slow and steady breeze weaved through the trees, causing some of the green objects that currently held my fascination to fall next to me. I rolled onto my side letting my arm slink out to snatch one up and bring it back to me for a closer inspection.

The leaves were thick and healthy. The underside had a slightly rubbery feeling and it was fuzzy on top, making me smile slightly.

"I'm back."

His sudden entrance scared me and made me jump, successfully making me drop and crush my leaf in the process. I sat up and smoothed my hair down and readjusted myself comfortably before giving him my full attention.

"What's going on?" I asked, my voice only slightly shaking. I'm curious about everything that had already happened to me. He gave me a slightly confused look before sitting down in the soft dirt next to me.

We looked out of place next to each other. I was wearing faded denim shorts, sneakers, and a pale pink shirt. My light gray hoodie was folded and set aside in the corner; it was dry. The only thing hinting at the fact I had been in the rain was the smell of my hair and how frizzy my wavy blonde locks currently were.

He wore black cargo pants and a long sleeve white V-neck t-shirt that fit snugly over his muscles. His head was shaved closely to his scalp, showing that the long scar that mutilated his upper lip snaked upward jaggedly around the crown of his skull, disappearing from my line of sight.

My eyes flickered lightly to his and stopped abruptly. He had been watching me watch him, making me blush. I couldn't look away though. His eyes were black, the tiny hints of white at the corners looked out of place. I instinctively leaned closer to get a better look, and he leaned back before rolling to his side and getting up.

"You should have died," he stated simply. I looked at him dumbfounded. Before I had the chance to answer, he continued. "I broke The Law by saving you." He began to dig the toe of his steel-toed boots into the soft earth, scarring it.

"What happens now?" My voice was small: childlike. His eyes looked up at me through dark eyelashes, his head unmoving from its stooped state.

His lips slowly spread into a weak smile, “You get to go home.”

I stared at him.

He sighed and tossed his head back. “I’m coming with you. I’m going to be shadowing you for a few months,” he said. His words were quick, as if they pained him to say.

“And what happens then?”

His eyes found mine, the black seeming to go on forever. We held each other’s gaze, and I began to get lost in the obsidian depths. His eyes slowly lowered sadly as he walked over to retrieve my hoodie.

His silence was the only answer I needed.