Chapter 1: Butterfly and Crow
Everything you can imagine is real. -Pablo Picasso
4/6/2023
Afternoon
The street buzzed with voices, an endless cacophony of; noise, people, and cars as a solitary figure amongst the crowd waited patiently for the pedestrian crossing signal to turn green. Wearing a school uniform that wasn't from the local area the boy with hair dark as tar placed headphones over his ears, thumbing the phone that sat in his uniform pocket, and nodded in satisfaction as music began to stream into his ears. Elijah Newman glanced up at the sun, shading the single blue eye that remained visible through his hair with a raised hand.
"The sun's very bright today." The thought ran through the boys head as the crowd began to make their way across the street, the pedestrian crossing light now green. "I should get going too. Wouldn't want to miss my train." Within the light of the afternoon sun, a butterfly flew through the streams of wind...
That same sunlight streamed through the glass of the girls' restroom window, enveloping a teenage girl that was leaning against the wall with a cold blade pressed directly against the warm flesh of her arm. Her heavy, ragged, uneven breathing was masked by a running faucet, sweat coloring her face.
"Come on, Luna, all you have to do is..." Her heart roared like thunder and her vision grew blurry and narrow, fighting desperately to find the courage to paint the floor with her remains.
"Just do it... You can't back out now...You can't back out now...You...Can't..."
She took a deep breath and exhaled as slowly as she could. She took a deep breath in. Then out. I-in. O-out...
"No I can't!" Luna's shaking hands fell to her side, razor dropping to the floor from her limp hands. Luna slid down to the ground and curled into a ball. This time the muffled sound of her sobs were covered by the running faucet.
"I-I just can't do it. I don't want to die! But I have to... I've got no choice..."
Luna stood up shakily and splashed cool water onto her face, staring at her reflection, seeing what a mess she was. Her eyes were red and puffy, her shoulder length raven nest hair stuck to her face and neck, and her skin was as white as a sheet.
Luna glanced at the shiny, silver razor that was discarded on the floor, the dried blood on the blade engraving itself into her mind. She felt sick just looking at it. With shaking hands she picked it up once more, working up the nerve to try again. On the windowsill, a crow perched. Watching...
Elijah swiped his phone across the scanner and stepped onto the train platform. After a quick visual confirmation that his train had not yet entered the station he reached into his school bag and pulled out a dorm pamphlet, double checking what station he needed to get off at. The boy closed his eyes. He was five again...
Elijah could taste something pooling in his mouth. The taste of iron and the smell burning metal perforated engulf his other three senses. Though he couldn't see or feel anything, he could hear. One solidarity sound that echoed throughout mind and body for the rest of his life. His own scream rang out under the moon. Ten years passed in ten seconds. Elijah opened his eyes and the scenes disappeared as soon as they came. He placed the pamphlet back into his bag and buried his hands deep in his pockets, thinking more than he would like.
A young man's voice spoke over the station intercom. "For your safety, please stand behind the yellow line. The train is approaching. Please take care to board before our departure." The train appeared from around the bend, gently decelerating and coming to a smooth stop, a sea of people rushing out as soon as the doors opened.
Once the crowd thinned the tar haired boy stepped through the train doors that closed soon after he entered. The sudden acceleration of the train that would catch any individual unaccustomed to traveling by the transit had no effect on Elijah, little did anymore...
With his objective complete Elijah stared out the windows in a daze as scenery flew by, music playing gently into his ears until a few stops later the conductor made an announcement.
"Attention passengers, due to a malfunction in the switching system, today's rail schedule has been greatly altered. We apologize to all passengers who are in a hurry. I repeat, today's rail schedule has been greatly altered. I apologize for the delay. Thank you."
Elijah sighed in indifference, slightly annoyed by the minor inconvenience that the delay posed. However, knowing there wasn't anything that could be done Elijah found solace in the idea that he'd just have that much more time to listen to his music. The thought itself brought a degree of comfort....
