Fiction logo

Horizon

Two lovers. Trapped in an inevitable, tragic cycle that only one of them can recall. Will the darkness swallow them before they can find the light?

By djfxrdPublished 2 years ago 6 min read
Like

"It happens every single time," said Dusk, the ominous tone of his voice a dark contrast to the neon lights of Polaris City, "and it never changes, no matter what I do."

"You know that's just the way of our world, right?" said a voice from behind him. "Fleeting as the wind, and us two trees, standing with branches intertwined as one."

Dusk had come to notice that her observations of the world always carried deeper truths. "But it isn't right, it's not the way it should be," he said with a sigh, turning to face her. Of all the things that changed here, she never did.

She stood five foot six, with a regal air of authority about her that made her appear taller. Her skin was a lighter shade of purple, like lavenders on a southern hillside. Her kindness was apparent when she spoke, her voice was soft and gentler than any he had ever heard. She spoke with love for the world around her. The color of leaves in summer, her long hair always flowed around her shoulders, as if being swayed by a gentle breeze.

On the outside, she and him were almost complete opposites. His skin was the color of freshly brewed espresso, he was six feet tall with the lean muscles of a life-long runner. Unlike hers, his hair was short, kinky, and dark. His demeanor was cold, and his hazel eyes were deeper than any well. They were of two different hues, but together they shone as one.

Her nimble, slender fingers interwove with his own, as her emerald eyes looked into his. Her name was Dawn. And soon, she would die.

...

How long would it last this time? Dusk thought to himself as he turned onto the street. He drove a black mustang convertible, same as last time, but this one was sleek and futuristic, matching the aesthetic of the city. It had the name Sirius engraved on the hood. It couldn't have been more than a week the last time Dusk was here. That made the average time he stayed about one month. A week had already passed since he was brought back to that awful window. He couldn't have much time left before–

"Out of your head Dusk," said Dawn from beside him, interrupting his inner monologue. She always knew when he had lost himself in thought. She always understood. But she never remembered.

He had tried explaining it to her once. She was the smartest person he knew, but for some inexplicable reason, she seemed to be unable to understand what he attempted to convey. He had even written it down in notebook, only to have her ask him why he had asked her to read blank pages. He couldn't make sense of it. At some point, he had stopped trying to. But he never forgot the pain. He glanced at his inner forearm, at the fifteen tallies, tattooed into the skin there. Painful reminders of the times he had been here. Of the times he had failed her.

He looked over at Dawn. She looked stunning tonight. The glow of the city lights danced on her skin, which was accented by an emerald evening dress that matched her eyes. Dusk had opted for a simple all-black ensemble, a nice dress shirt with emerald cufflinks, and fresh slacks and shoes. They were headed to dinner at their favorite steakhouse. Much like the car he drove, the restaurant's name never changed, only its appearance did. This time it was a glossy black, set aglow by the fluorescent lights that zig-zagged along its square roof. Above the front door, in elegant neon lettering, shone the name Osiris. As they walked into the steakhouse, Dusk made sure to take careful note of their surroundings. No shadows, he concluded. He relaxed his shoulders a little. They were safe.

At the time, he didn't know how wrong he was.

"What's wrong?" Dawn asked. She must have been able to tell that something was off. She had probably noticed his impatience, the faster-than-usual pace of his steps as they exited the restaurant, hand in hand. He had seen them as the waitress had handed them the bill. Shadows in the wrong places. He had felt those eyes of night watching them. He had tried to plead with them before, he had tried to fight, on many occasions he had even offered himself to them. It never worked. But this time would be different. This time, he and Dawn would escape. He tried his best to remain calm as they waited for the waitress to bring their receipt, not wanting Dawn to worry, but she knew him too well for that.

"We're alright," he said as they walked to the car, "we're gonna be okay." He glanced back over his shoulder, and saw the shadows slowly following. They liked to do that, to torture him by taking their time. He knew that they had a purpose, a duty, but they derived a sick pleasure from prolonging his suffering. He would use that against them now.

He started the car and headed out of the parking lot before Dawn could even put on her seatbelt. He sped away from the restaurant, down the road that would get them to the main part of the city quickly. The road was lined with woods, as it passed through one of the few parts of the city with any foliage. He gradually slowed to about forty miles-per-hour when he believed they had gained enough distance from the restaurant. Dawn was silent next to him, he knew that she trusted his judgement, and would ask him about it later. He turned his head briefly to check for the shadows. He thought he saw a flash of movement in one of the trees. Breathe, he told himself, we're gonna be–

"Dusk, watch out!" Dawn shrieked.

He swerved, narrowly avoiding a young doe. Phew, he thought, breathing a sigh of relief.

Then he felt them. The all too familiar eyes watching. Where had they come from? He looked into his rear-view mirror and saw nothing. He turned to his right and saw them. Hovering over her, a canopy of darkness. She didn't notice, she never could see them until it was too late. They surrounded the still moving car, throwing it into almost complete darkness. He looked into her eyes, saw the sudden terror, the hopelessness, the tear that flowed down the side of her face.

He heard a voice, scratchy like nails on a chalkboard. Felt a chill on his neck. Before it all went dark, it whispered into his ear.

"Sixteen."

Young Adult
Like

About the Creator

djfxrd

An eternal student of an infinite universe.

Click here for more work from me.

Follow my Instagram for daily art.

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.