Submitting novel Chapter 35

Shattered.

Perhaps not physically, but it felt like every bone in my body had crumbled to jagged shards. Like huge pieces of gravel with sharp, pointed edges. No, it didn't hurt but felt immensely heavy instead. All this weight. This heaviness, that possessed me, left no room for breathing, let alone any movement. I wondered how I was alive at all.

Then perhaps I was in a nightmare. And that made me happy because this will be over soon.

"The weather today is nice." I closed my eyes, trying to shut the tears in. The slap of reality is never too kind.

Wind blew softly through the leaves when I opened my eyes again. While the dusky sky, a shade of faded pink, looked like dawn. Or was it dawn? Time had slipped away, just like everything else in my grasp.

"You have to be very lucky to have such pleasant weather."

The sun shined warmly, not the brightest, as the wisps of clouds lingered in the blue sky. Wind whispered through them, the barren branches and the strands of hair that escaped the woollen beanie.

"Here, have some coffee. It will help you keep warm."

I looked down at my gloved hands and found a mug with steam coming out of it in furious gushes. It must have been too cold, but honestly I couldn't tell for sure.

"So, how are you doing?" I turned my head and looked at him. I should have started crying. I couldn't.

"What do you think?" I didn't like this Dimitri. This caring, nurturing, playing dumb, Dimitri that .infuriated me more than before. His coy behaviour of oblivion to try and pull me into a meaningless conversation won't undo the wrong that has already happened. I would have loved to slap him if only I could have lift my arm at all. Breathing was hard already.

The wind whistled in his stead. It was getting cold as clouds appeared out of nowhere and masked the once bright sun, under its fog. Good things never do last. Fleeing away sooner than the bad things do. Their will weak like mine.

“Well, looks like that was all the warmth we will get for today. Let’s get inside and have some coffee. You must be getting cold.” He got up from his seat and came behind me to grab the handles of the wheelchair and push me inside.

****

“Hey there lazy head. How are you doing?” Why do people even bother to ask questions, the answer to which they won’t like at all? And why is it a compulsion to provide an answer that is acceptable to the person who asked the question. I am fine. That’s what they want to hear. Fine doesn’t have it’s original meaning any more.

“Giving me the silent treatment still, Rosie?” Liza sighed as she stopped wiping the counter and looked at me with tired eyes. She was angry at me still, I could feel it. Or maybe I was wrong. I didn’t know this Liza at all.