The rain fell softly that night, however the mind of the man had made it seem like it was a river falling on top of him. The man hung over the railing, looking down into the city river. Seeing nothing but a reflection looking back at him in disgust and hatred. The rain drops creating ripples in his seemingly fragile projection. He slowly began to tap his feet, the tempo to calm his head. Unable to turn to anyone and unable to do anything about the past, he stood there. Silently. The seconds felt like minutes and the minutes felt like hours. With nothing working, to his dismay, he let out an aggravated sigh. He couldn’t help but look out into the void that was the night, as the lights of the small city gleamed like a beacon of hope in a sea of hurt and despair. Having no such effect on him, he lowered his head back again. He slowly closed his eyes as he began to dream. Where they set a nice little picnic in the park, blankets rolled out with plenty of food to feed a family. The summer was the peak of everything. Love, happiness, warmth. Everything seemed to fail to compare to such emotions. But soon, it came to an end. To a most ugly truth that not even he could have guessed. No one could have guessed what really happened. Utterly breaking the silence, he heard the steps of heels running. Louder, louder and louder they got. Until they got so loud… they stopped. He didn’t need to look to know that his worst fear had to be confirmed. There she stood, trying to catch her breath. The man had stood up right, fixing his slouched posture. His hands gripping the railing in a feeling he could only describe as... heat. She raised her head slowly, looking at the silhouette of a man..

“I...I… looked” she continued to breathe in and out at a broken pace, trying to steady it out. “Goddamned every… where for… y-you.” He only stood there, silent. As if she had been looking at a ghost. The time he had spent looking over the river, let the young woman catch her breath at last. She corrected her stance, being narrow as an arrow. Her eyes locked onto his back.

“I was worri-” It wasn’t long until the man broke the silent nature of the night with a voice full of what he could only describe as... heat.

“You were what now? I know you weren’t about to tell me yet another lie.” He could feel his teeth seemingly gritting themselves of their own volition. The wind picked up with his voice, the gods yet again had seemed to show the man pity.

“I know how you’re feeling right now but I had only wished to talk it out.” Her arms raised from her side as if it was in anticipation for the man to turn around and to grab her hand. However the truth of the matter was different. The man continued to stay there, looking at the shore. Only bringing him the memories he soon wished to rid themselves from his mind. The women goes to open her mouth but to her surprise, the head of the man turned to attention. She looked into his cold empty eyes, trying to find a sign of life but to no avail.

“Talk huh? Did you talk about every little thing I did wrong with…” He stopped. She stopped. The world had seemingly stopped. The only thing that seemed to be speaking were their eyes as they stared into each other. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have stooped to your level.” He began to speak while walking to her side. “I had only wished for the best, for not only you but ultimately for ALL of us. We had a kingdom, housing the people who gave nothing but support to us. And you wish to tear it all down?” He drew closer and closer, with a force only described as… heat. “I had wished to be able to pass the torch without the interference of a force as destructive as the wind, but I guess they wouldn’t want our battered torch anyway.”

“That’s not true!” Finally finding her voice. “I know that times had been hard, I know this doesn’t help but I still love you and everything you have given me. I only wish to repair that torch, to tell the story of love prevailing over the evilest of beasts. To transcend time itself.” The man raised his arm as the women looked in fear, covering her face. Seconds pass before she feels the soft grip of a hand on her shoulder. Shocked she slowly lowered her arms to see his face, confusing the tears as rain. She had felt happy, she thought her troubles were over and washed away. As if she repented. A feeling she could only describe as... warmth. The silence, and mood, was soon broken.

“No, the torch is nothing but splinters now. You made sure of that” Walking past her side as he slowly let go of her shoulder. He continued to walk into the night as she could do nothing but stand there, paralyzed. She slowly turned her head to see the man disappear into the night. Preparing for the death of autumn and the cold loneliness of winter.