Just Like Magic

Chapter 5 Goodbye Cruel World

Randalyn's POV

So, with the strong depressing feelings and thoughts in my heart and mind, completely taking over everything for me. I feel it's best to just give in to the darkness and free my soul from this overwhelming torment. I think that's the only reasonable solution for me since I have been backed into a corner. Because believe me, if there is another better solution that won't hurt me more than I have already been hurt... then I would do it, but I clearly don't see it.

I know that the people around here mean well when offering money for a meal or a place to stay for the night, but it only happens because they feel an obligation with their jobs or they pity me.. not because they actually care for me.. and that's ok... I get it... I'm a stranger to them. And who out there, in their right mind, would take in a complete stranger that probably has mental issues caused by the obvious trauma endured.. Not just helping them but bringing that disaster of a person into their house? That's dangerous for anyone involved and I don't blame anyone for not wanting to involve themselves like that into my world.

I am a single woman on my own who has been abused as well, so I don't think I could trust anyone wanting to help me out, especially for more than a night, because to me that would be suspicious.. What would be the true intentions behind their actions? It's a scary world out there for a girl like me. So why not just take care of this, the only way I see possible, that wouldn't burden anyone?

It doesn't take much convincing before I know that I'm on board with this idea. So I keep walking until I get to my targeted place, the lonely old bridge at the end of town that no one will look at or think twice about. I'm alone here because this bridge is right outside of this small town and is not used often at all. It's just a landmark everyone knows of but doesn't visit without a reason to do so.

So I know I won't be heard or disturbed during this, which is good and will make all of this much easier since there is no rush. I plant my hands to the railing as I stare up at the open sky. The sparkle of each individual star makes me crave to be up there. Anywhere has to be better than this. But everywhere better seems so far away and completely unreachable, which is depressing, to say the least. The clouds that are pushing across the sky quickly cover up the stars I was staring at, bringing me back to the harsh reality that is my life.

The chill in the air goes straight through my clothes and directly to the bone, causing me to shiver uncontrollably. But I don't try to warm up, I willingly let the cold come through to hopefully numb my body, because I feel that will also make this easier. So I won't feel a thing.

I stare down at the water that's mostly frozen on the edges with inches of snow covering everything. But with how deep and strong this river is, the rest of it can not seem to freeze no matter how cold it gets out here. A tinge of fear hits my heart at the distance between myself and the river below.

Surprisingly to me, the bridge seems so much higher up when you're looking at it from this angle, instead of when you're passing over it or passing it by. But I have never just stood on the edge and stared down like this before... I'm not afraid of heights, which helps, but I won't lie, this absolutely terrifies me.

But if I don't do this now, then someone else will do this to me later, and I won't have anyone taking over my life again... it's my way or nothing. This is what I feel is best to never be hurt by the sting of heartbreak while being let down once again... I can't get hurt if I'm not here opening my heart.

I nod to myself as I step closer to the edge, tapping my fingers on the railing before gripping it tight once more. The silence in this town is something I never expected at this moment, but it's soothing when all you want to do is clear your thoughts of anything negative.

I let out the deep breath I have been holding in for who knows how long... This is it... it's time. I prop my foot up on the railing as I hear a quick but loud zip and pop from behind me. I flip around quickly, and there is nothing in my vicinity. The loud pop is still echoing over the water as I continue to inspect this area, still seeing nothing.

My heart is pounding in my chest as my gaze bounces from one object to the next, trying to pinpoint where that sound came from, since I don't have an inkling in mind of what made that sound... but I do know that I have never heard it before, which freaks me out even more since I'm out here by myself and whoever or whatever that is, might know just that. I could be an easy target for a predator. I might be setting myself up to get hurt by being out here alone, but I don't have anywhere else to go.

"Hello?" I squeak out, cutting through the thick silence that consumes this area. While instantly feeling stupid for even saying anything.. if they wanted me to know they were here, they would've said something. I scoff while noticing that it's mostly muffled by the river and snow that surrounds this area.

This surprises me but I still silently wait to see if anyone responds, since I did already call out to whomever that is... I wait for some type of response, but there is nothing. I take a step forward until the tumbling of rocks can be heard, making it sound as if someone or something is coming right for me. I look all around, but I don't see anything. My heart is pounding as I keep looking everywhere, hoping to see some type of movement.

I notice a blur of a man in the distance who is looking around wearing all black and only being illuminated by the one street light beside him. Something on the ground is rolling away from him looking like a hat by the shape of it. Its speed is picking up as it races down the street as if it were caught in the wind. He flips around and looks like he thought about going for the hat that's tumbling away, but quickly changes his mind.

He keeps walking away, gaining more distance with each second, but the hat doesn't stop there... it continues to roll all the way down the street, across the darkened-covered sidewalk. I watch as it makes its way around the trash cans, weaving between park benches until it's right next to me as it bumps straight into my shoe. It's as if it was headed straight toward me. I don't know how that's even possible, but I just watched this happen.

It keeps hitting my feet as I step back and away from it, but it follows me. I go in a circle but it follows me around entirely like a puppy on a leash. I jump, since I wasn't expecting that result with all the obstacles in the way while trying to get away. I look down to see it's an old top hat. I slowly reach down to pick it up so it will leave my feet alone. My gaze keeps jumping from the hat, to straight in front of me, trying to figure out what to do with this.

I use it to try to wave and get his attention from afar. "Sir, you dropped your hat," I call out, and he looks back toward me but quickly turns away and keeps walking further from me until I can't see him any longer. Obviously, he was not caring for the hat he had dropped. Let alone wanting to retrieve it since it's bounced all over this wet muddy ground to get to me.

I look down at the hat in my hands, wiping off the dirt and rocks that are stuck to it. I see that it is a tattered and torn old top hat with multiple different colored patches for the holes it has received over the many years of its existence. I would assume that its condition is the reason the man wasn't coming back for it. He could easily buy or even make a better hat than this disintegratingly ancient-looking one.

But there seems to be something that is intriguing about it.. it looks like something from the old days, like the 1800s. I have seen tons of costumes like this in movies I have watched over the years, so maybe its just a costume that is supposed to look this beat up.. But either way it has my attention. Something about the fabric or maybe just the plain curiosity pulling me in. I move it around in my hands, but I can't seem to drop it. I let go, but it sticks to my hands as if it's glued.. But it's obviously not. Just like the same little game played on my feet a moment ago.

As I'm spinning it around trying to figure out what's so special or not about this hat, I notice a card on the inside of the brim. It is being held in by a red ribbon that's sewn into the silk on the inside. I flick at the card, trying to get it out, but it doesn't move.

So I bring the hat closer to my face, inspecting the card. It's an old frayed playing card, but I can see that it's the ace of hearts. I keep staring, feeling myself pulling the hat closer to my face, as if I'm in some sort of trance.

That is until I feel a pulling from the inside of the hat. I try to let it go, but it doesn't leave my hands. I try to tip my hands and pull them away, but the hat is stuck to them and following as if it's a magnet. I don't understand why I can't seem to let it go. It's as if it wants to be with me. But it's not mine.. so go away.

I shake my hands, trying to release myself from this pull that's getting stronger by the second. Until the hat starts to sink into itself and take my fingers with it, which is getting my undivided attention. What is happening? I have never seen such a thing. This is freaking me out, so I try to pull my hand out of it since the hat won't go on its own. But when I try, I notice my hand is really stuck in the hat, and I can't retrieve it.

I start to panic because I feel like my hand is going to be eaten at any moment by this hat. I have seen plenty of movies, showcasing loads of reasons why you shouldn't stick your hands in mysterious holes... I just didn't think this was one of them.

That's when I noticed that more of me was being pulled into the hat like quicksand... It's taking me in more and more, until I'm sucked in all the way down to my elbow. So I tug and pull my arm, trying to get it out as the other pushes the hat down, turning this into a game of tug-a-war, and I think I'm losing... horribly.

I grunt and squeal while pulling my whole arm as much as I can since I'm now stuck all the way up to my shoulder, but nothing is working to separate me from this thing. My heart is racing a million miles a minute as my mind is starting to panic... but it doesn't matter because there is no one here to help me. That's why I came here. I quickly reached into my pocket and pulled out my cell phone to call for help if anything.

Before I know it, my whole body is being pulled into the hat hole. I feel as if I'm being stretched thin like the stretch Armstrong toy. I imagine this is how I would feel being sucked into a vacuum. I keep trying to let go of the hat, while knowing it won't work, just trying anything I can... but it's as if it's attached to my limb, taking me to who knows where.

The suction quickly changes and makes me feel as if I'm in a balloon of sorts. I don't know how to describe what has encased me, but all I know is that I'm moving at full speed. I feel like I'm flying, maybe zooming through the sky or maybe space, even though I can't see anything around me at all because of how fast I'm moving. I feel like I'm stuck in a tube while being pulled to somewhere I never asked to go.

But the sensations I'm getting through every inch of my body in this transition doesn't seem to stop the overwhelming nausea taking over me. I have never been on a plane or boat, and this is making me never want to be on those ever in my life, since I feel as if I'm going to throw up at any moment. So I need to get off this ride before I do just that.. but the biggest issue is that I don't know where I'm going or what's happening, let alone how to get out of this thing.

My whole body feels like it's starting to catch up with me, as if I might be slowing down... one could only hope. The feeling of the momentum declining is causing the nauseating waves to run through me, hitting me way harder than before. I think this is what being seasick on a boat would feel like, but it hasn't felt like this the entire time, which makes me think that this ride might be coming to an end.

The loud zip and pop sound from before occurs as I'm dropped to the ground on my back. A burst of fresh air hits my face as I finally get back to land. I'm gasping for air as I lay flat on my back, just trying to enjoy the flat, non-moving earth below my body even if its soaking wet from the rain. I never thought I could miss land so much, but after that, I will never take it for granted again.

I keep sucking in sharp breaths, almost hyperventilating because I felt like I had the air sucked from my lungs when I was traveling with that hat. I never want to do that again. But now that I'm out of there, I can feel the waves of nausea hitting me tenfold, so I roll over and start heaving, trying to do whatever is needed to get my body calmed down. I don't know if throwing up will help at all, but all I can tell from the pain in my stomach and nothing coming out between my heaves is that my body is probably running on empty. I looked around for my phone that was in my hand but it's not there anymore. Great, that means I can't try to call someone to come get me when I figure out where I have gone.

"No way... uh, uh... I won't let Stevenson deceive me like that.. He only paid for a one-way trip... you tell him he owes me for the ride back!" Someone yells at me from behind as this person grabs my arm and flips me around on the ground. Causing a yelp to escape my lips, it hurt only slightly but scared me more than anything else.

I swipe my arm out of his grip just as fast before scooting back to put some space between us. I look up to notice the booming voice is coming from a huge man who looks at least 7 feet tall. He has to be hundreds of pounds, looking as stocky as a wall... With how big and brooding he is, the dark sky behind him makes him look as big as the sky.. He looks like the biggest shadow I have ever come into contact with. I'm petrified in place because I know if he were to try to solve this issue by attacking me in any way, then there is no way I could win a fight against him... let alone hold my own if he is going to attack.

I back away from him but he keeps following me as he continues to yell and wave his arms around about payment he didn't receive.. but I have no idea what he is talking about, and I definitely don't have the money to pay him. I'm terrified not knowing what to do.

"I'm sorry, sir... I don't have any money... I was in one place, and then this hat sucked me in and brought me here... I didn't mean to. I'm sorry." I try to explain, but he scoffs as if he doesn't believe me. "Sure.. no money... right.. how stupid do you think I am broad?! If you're not going to pay, then someone has to!" He yells down at me as I stay on the ground, not knowing what to do as my heart races trying to think of any way out of this.

"Steely... Calm down.. can't you see she is terrified of you... How daft are you? Calm the hell down you big bafoon. I will pay for her if that will shut ya up." someone says from behind me, but I don't have the guts to look back there with this threatening giant in front of me, ready to pummel me at any moment.