I
Her feet are dangling of the edge. She comes here often just to think and enjoy the silence. Sometimes she even sits here until sunrise. The sight never fails to take her breath away. Whenever she is worried, anxious or stressed, spending one night at her safe haven washes it all away.
Higher than any building, quieter than any corner, a true safe place for her and her only. Though tonight she cannot stay for too long. Looking at all the rooftops beneath her she takes a deep breath and closes her eyes, taking in the cool summer night.
Her hair flows in the fresh breeze of this quiet night. The stars are shining brightly onto this dimly lit small town. Not many people are still awake walking the streets, but that is how she likes it. It is peaceful. Her eyes are closed and her lips are curled into a small smile. The wind picks up and she lets herself be engulfed by the breeze.
Thud.
Her eyelids flicker open as the ground beneath her is being covered in blood. Slowly but surely her whole body gets drenched. The night sky shines even brighter as her eyes lost their spark.
A rustling echoes through the streets nearby but she is already far away. She cannot see, hear nor feel. A silent cry swells in the night as small droplets fall beside her still body, but it makes no difference. She will never know who wept for her beneath the moon‘s gaze.
The once gentle breeze suddenly howls through the darkness, as hands grasp at the wind, yearning to hold her. The wind quickens as if she is fleeing, untouchable, unstoppable. Nothing can catch her now. The trees shudder violently before settling into silence once more. Summer has left, the air is getting colder and the warmth that once surrounded her is gone.
It‘s dark and incredibly cold. She is freezing. Her limbs feel numb, any warmth she had left is long gone. She is scared. She doesn‘t know where she is. She didn’t want it to end like that. Standing up she wanders around in the dark, afraid about where she is headed to. She thinks to herself -what have I done to end up like this? But she doesn’t remember. Her memories are slowly fading away. She falls onto her knees, her legs have given in, either because of exhaustion or because of the cold. Emptiness fills her heart, she doesn’t cry, she doesn’t scream. This is the end. She curls up in a tiny ball.
Then suddenly a light appears in the distance. Desperately she runs towards it, her legs carry her as though she is light as a feather until she can finally reach the warmth. It is small but it is warm enough to comfort her. As she embraces it, it grows bigger and bigger until it finally swallows her whole.
Gasping for air she sits up. Her eyes widen as she looks around her. She is in her room. Living, breathing. Tears start to fall as she looks down on her hands. She is alive, breathing. She is warm. She is okay.
Birds, newly awakened, fill the air with their melodies. The air is cool and still, carrying the faint, earthy scent of dew that clings to the blades of grass. The sky, still holding onto the last traces of night. Summer has come.
The sound of dozens of cameras clicking echo through the hall. Students are desperately trying not to blink because of the bright lights directly pointing at them. It is their big graduation day. Their first day of adulthood, some will leave this village behind, study abroad or in the big cities, while some will stay in the coziness of the mountains and work like their ancestors had done before.
Kazumi graduated today, top of her class. She has her whole future planned out, leaving the village behind, embarking on her new journey in the big big city. She studied countless days and nights, while counting the days until she can leave this stuffy village behind.
All the students hurdle together to take one last picture, one last time together, before their lives change. Everyone‘s smile shines brightly even those who always looked gloomy but Kazumi‘s shines the brightest.
So why will she jump at the end of summer?
„We finally did it!“, Sora jumps at Kazumi. She giggles and hugs her friend back; they both jump around in a circle. Suddenly two strong arms wrap around both girls, Kazuo has joined his two best friends and all three jump around like they always did.
It is their cute little celebratory tradition, they have always done it for as long as they can remember. Kindergarten, elementary school, junior high and now highschool.
Though this time their embrace lasts a little longer, a wave of sadness washes over them. Perhaps they have come to realize that this might be their last time as trio for a while.
The three of them had decided long ago to leave their hometown behind and chase their dreams in the big city, the one that sparkles so brightly even at night. Unfortunately, the three of them will attend different colleges, making it harder to meet up regurlarly. „Guys, remember our promise, okay? Let‘s meet at least twice a month!“, Kazumi‘s voice trembles as tears well up in her eyes. Her friends are taken aback, she is not someone who cries easily. Kazuo nods in agreement and pulls them back in his embrace. Sora can only nod while fighting back her tears, she tightens her grip around her best friends. But deep down, they all know the future is uncertain. They are determined to keep their promise, but none of them could have imagined that this moment would be the last time they would feel Kazumi‘s warmth.
The once bustling hall gradually quiets down as the families depart one by one. The sun begins to set and the heat of the day fades away. Kazumi turns back around for one final glance, offering a small apologetic smile as she waves goodbye. Arms linked, hips seemingly attached to one another, the three friends follow their families out the doors, leaving their youth behind.
The school staff quietly begins to clean the hall, sweeping away the confetti and balloons. An uncomfortable silence settles in. The once vibrant echoes of laughter, chatter and crying have faded into silence. Now, the school stands empty. The moon hangs high above the school as the last figure steps out, leaving behind their remnants of youth within those doors. Alone, she walks down the steps, the fresh summer breeze gently brushing against her skin. The night sky, vast and clear, illuminates her path through the darkness. She pauses and gazes upward. Thousands of stars, scattered across the heavens, shine upon her. For a moment she wonders -will the stars be this bright in the big city?
With a deep sigh she continues her lonely descent.
