part VI

There were things she told him that only he knew, but he couldn't comprehend the extent of information in his own right. Perhaps he would remember once she was gone. Perhaps he would not even know the things that were so deep and so personal as what she chose to share with him. Him alone. She wouldn't realize some of the things she had bestowed upon him in confidentiality or southern moments of inebriation. She had welcomed a comfort with him that was beyond what she was willing to accept. All in due time. But she was too young to understand the future effects they might have.

The aformentioned swim was more pleasant than she had expected. There were things to accompany her on her journey that were well past explanation. Beside the icy cold tormented stream, she found that there was a mere absence of the negativity. It was true freedom. Her body relaxed and took in the inevitable. There was no pain or displeasure. There was no regret or remorse. There was no one to remind her of the iniquities or transgressions of a life that never had the chance to begin with in the first place. There was no guilt.

Tattoos adorned her skin and tatters adorned her frame. Condemnation adorned her frail mind that fought to be hers alone. The only thing she left behind was a puppy she had not the chance to get close to. No loss. Someone would surely take the place in the heart of such a simple being at so young an age. As she rode the torrent and remembered when, she succumbed to the river's morbid effect and slipped lightly away to a far better place. It was only for the best.

Remember the last goodbye? Remember the kiss he laid on your cheek and lips and heart for eternity and memory? It will be all that remains. It will be enough.

part V

The young man ran as fast as he could. He had no idea where she was, but he let determination be his guide. He knew of places that she loved like the bookstore and the coffee shop and the rooftop of this abandoned building where the rats had even moved away. He knew not where to begin so he decided the logical choice was the coffee shop for it was the closest.

There were times when he traveled faster than the traffic beside him, but he took no notice to it. The rain had begun to fall and was getting heavier with each passing minute. He broke through the door of the coffee joint as if he were on fire. The hippies and internet junkies and businessmen were startled and upset by his entry. It seemed he had disturbed their plastic reality encased within the walls. She was not there. As quick as he came in, he left just the same and continued on his journey.

The next stop would have been the bookstore, but he was stopped by a crowd of people and police before he could turn the corner. Traffic was not moving. There was an accident that had put this tiny portion of the city at a standstill. He too was halted in his previous agenda. Curiosity got the best of him and he wound up becoming one of the strangers behind the taped up police line wondering who it was laying in the street. Nothing brings a group of strangers together like a tragedy. Little did he know of the tragedy that was waiting for him around the corner.

part IV

The river ran quickly and violently, but somehow she found the peace in its presence. Where did it go? Where would it end? She was tempted to find out. After all, choices needed to be made. Ducks and sticks seemed to fly by on the current. Water tumbled over the rocks that couldn't be seen. It would be so simple to disappear. She heard the church bells ring in the distance. She climbed the rocks and stood atop them. And then she chose to disappear.

The woman could not shake the girl from her memory. She wanted to go back and find her. Maybe, she thought, the moment just wasn't right. Besides, she had things to do. She continued to walk. Absent-mindedly she stepped off the sidewalk against the light. She never saw the truck coming. There was no time to react. She too was gone. She would only be a story on the evening news after this. And then everyone would forget her too.

The authorities phoned her next of kin, a husband who worked around the clock on the east side of town. He was unreachable for hours. Apparently business was pressing. Truth was he worked late entertaining his secretary more often than his clients. As he was far and away making love to another, the one he had chosen to love forever would never grace his arms again or feel his warmth again or be lied straight-faced to again. I wonder if he would really miss her even though he didn’t deserve to. He already had a replacement anyway.

part III

Downtown was quiet. The river was not. It ripped through the middle of downtown with such fury. It was not to be messed with. It was angry that day. Perhaps, she thought, it was a good day for a swim.

She was entirely too young for the choices to be made. She was sure she knew what love meant. He said he loved her, he even meant it, but it would never be possible for him to protect her the way he should have. He was the one who had planted the fatal seed to begin with. He was free to walk away unaware of the damage he had caused and oblivious to the wreckage he had left behind.

Words could not merit what he had done to her and so surely the guilt would plague him. One day when the grass is not so green and the trees a little less friendly, he would be forced to face the demons he believed to have cast aside. And on the up side, no one would ever have to hear about any of it again. It would be one of the many lost pieces of history. No one would remember a sad summer day when she disappeared.

Life does not always go on for us. He stood staring at the very same river as it rushed by at a frantic pace. Even a river has secrets. The clouds had grown darker and more abundant. He was lost in thoughts of what he had put her through and decided there was nothing he could do to make it right again.

Behind him stood a man of age. He wore broken clothes on a broken body and he stood there alone. Clearly he knew of a life that was much brighter than now. One could see it in his eyes. Maybe he had a partner in life, someone he could always count on. She wasn't there anymore. That was apparent.

He wandered up to the younger man and said nothing at first. His presence was ominous. So much so that it shook the young man from his previous thoughts. He turned to the old man and asked him how his day was. The old man smiled a youthful smile and laughed a bit. And he said, "I've seen finer days in worser weather, son."

The young man said nothing. Of course there was nothing he could have said. Church bells sounded hard on the other side of the river. He had always wondered what they meant. Nonetheless, it was time to find her and at least try to make things right again.