Pull my strings

Recalling the past

Ditzy wondered what had happened and while Tulio seemed preoccupied with a violin she slipped out to the back where Liam sat hunched over on a box holding his face in his hands, not noticing she had even come out until the door lightly clicked shut.

"What are you doing out here?"

She began to write and lowered her pad to him, "Making sure you're okay."

Liam almost scoffed and as a slow rage built inside as he looked at her soft, caring and naive face. Smacking the pad out of her hand and standing over Ditzy, who shrinked back at his next words.

"Why do you write in that stupid thing? Speak! What are you? A freak!?"

Regret soured his mouth as soon as the words filled the silent air, for a moment she stood frozen the only way to tell she was real was the rise and fall of her chest. Suddenly turning she bolted through the woods like there was a countdown to the end of the world, Liam shouted for her but it didn't slow her in the slightest.

Leaves crackled beneath her boots and while winter was long gone the nights were unbearably cold in the dampened forest, not that Ditzy cared.

Around her legs was a familiar sting as branches tore through her tights and ripped at her skin, no idea where she was going since Ditzy's eyes were clenched shut.

Butterflies filled her stomach when she felt weightless in an instant barely making out that she had tripped over a cliffside and was falling, the wind in her eyes made it hard to see how far the fall was.

A silent scream begged to be released but the forest was silent until her body slammed into what felt like ice.

"Ditzy!"

Although she heard his voice she couldn't move to it, her lungs had no air left and water threatened to flood them. The water was so cold that the slightest movement made her very bones ache, was that her blood she could feel slowing? No. It was her heart, she was dying.

Hands suddennly crashed into the water and grabbed her shoulders, it stung so bad she almost tried to pull away. Painful light filled her vision as Ditzy gasped and choked on water when breaking through the surface, the dirt felt good against her worn body.

"Ditzy! Ditzy! Are you okay!?"

Her mouth trembled as she opened it but no sound escaped, she nodded weakly before feeling herself being pulled into Liam's warm chest.

"You're freezing to death, just hold on. Tulio's getting help, Hold on."

Fear illuminated Liam's bright eyes that shone like sparkling silver, her voice in her mind questioned if it was fear for her death or the repercussions of her death. Does he blame himself? She questioned silently, focusing on everything she could to keep herself awake.

Liam was breathing raggedly, his clothes tickled her nose and smelt strongly of lavander. Ditzy couldn't feel anything below her chest now, it was numb and pale especially against Liam's tanned skin.

"Ditzy! Liam!"

She heard Tulio loud and clear, smiling softly and as Liam called out other voices followed, but exhaustion was winning, her eyes started to flutter to a close. The last she heard was Liam shouting.

"Ditzy? Ditzy! Stay awake! Ditzy stay awa-!!"

The light and sounds vanished.