Running Through the Canvas (Alternate Ending)

My name is Kusuo. I'm an artist I'm not that special, but the people in the town say I make pieces that are oddly eye catching and draws them into the art. I like to take my canvas and tools around town and paint out the different events and scenery of day-to-day life. I like to mix the tools I use and merge methods into different personally unique works.

I was painting a field scenery when I noticed someone standing a distance behind me, observing.

I continued swiping the brush gently across the canvas with oils and paint and pulled out the charcoal pen to put in details on the metallic benches in the field. With all the might of colours and technique, I completed the work. Turning to see who was watching, I see a woman who looked absorbed in the painting, only to look away jog with their head kept down.

I allow my painting to dry as I ready the wrap to pack it up. I think about the girl, she had a strange look in her eyes. I decided where I would set up for tomorrow, hoping to bump into her again. Hopefully she'll accept the offer. The day ended with the sun setting, consuming the horizon in an orange glow.

The next day rolled in and I set out to a flower field in the direction that the jogger went yesterday.

I set up my canvas and I felt someone watching again. I turned to see her, making eye-contact she froze. Before she turned away, I called out to her. She looked back at me. "Will you let me paint you in the field?" She walked over to the field and looked into the distance as if she was unaware of her beauty. I readied my brush and dipped the paint to make the background of the midday sky and open bright, fresh field dotted all over with white flowers. I observed her to create an outline, her hair swaying as the breeze blew through her. Her eyes were void of emotion, trapped almost. Creating an image in my head, she resonated with a blue aura. I took my brush and intricately blended colours and brushed the canvas with precision like a fencer targeting an open point of their opponent whilst keeping their guard. As time passed, she stood there patiently waiting for me to finish my creation. Sweat dripping as I detailed the work with an oil stencil making the fine details to bring the piece to life.

Finished.

I revealed it to her. Her eyes had been shadowed out by her hair flowing in the wind, I couldn't bring myself to show the pain that mirrored in her eyes, I instead blended a faint blue colour into her and her shadow. She fell in love with the painting in which I let dry and handed to her as a gift. She accepted the gift and invited me to join her tomorrow. Join her on her daily jog and run through the town to the fields.

I gladly accepted the offer. I had made a new friend through the love of art. The sun set once again where the orange consumed the sky allowing the night to come in and lead to a new day. The view of her eyes stuck with me through the night., a grey-ish blue, void of feelings.

I went out the next day wearing joggers and a t-shirt with my old trainers. I went into the town where I met her in front of a café. She wore a sports jacket, shirt, and jogging shorts. She waved as I approached and started lightly jogging on the spot.

"Are you ready?" she said knowing this would knock the air out of the unathletic artist that was me. "We'll go slow, we should be at the fields before sunset."

She quickly turned, avoiding making too much eye contact with me. We jogged through the town, I barely kept up with her. She kept looking back to check on me, only to see me look like I was breaking more with every glance she took.

We stopped near the exit to the town,

"We'll take a little break" she said with a smile, a smile that felt genuine but had no sense of happiness.

We continued; she began to take a lead as we got closer to the end.

"Final sprint!" she yelled before taking off at speed. I, already knackered, put all my effort into my already aching legs to sprint to the end.

I reached the field where the sun had begun to set. She looked out to the sunset, I noticed tears on her face as she looked back and smiled at me. Her eyes had colour in the, a small glimmer in the dull and pain. A light was ignited within me as she thanked me for joining her.

Before she continued, I spluttered words.

"Can you meet me at the misty bridge before sunset in 7 days' time?"

She looked confused at me and agreed.

She continued off down the path. I headed home with heavy legs but a big motivation.

Her eyes had a glimmer, and her smile had a sense of warmth. I wanted to paint it before we meet.

The orange turned black in the sky as I set up a canvas in my basement ready for the next few days.

I woke in the morning heading down to the basement. The image of her at sunset imprinted into my mind. I grabbed my oil, water, and paints as well as my stencils. What was this I was feeling? Her eyes, I made details even with pencil. The sunset: I blended into the background as a multitoned orange and yellow glowing and reflecting on her. The sweat ran down my forehead down my cheek as I hyper fixated on the painting and image in my head. Days passed and I focussed on the details and feelings within me. The image still glued to my sights as I swiped the brush on the canvas like a knight slashing down. Her skin a glowing pale coloured by the glowing lights of the setting sun. Her blue aura mixing into the sky behind her. Making it feel more alive. The days passed quickly. One day until I meet her again. I grabbed some food a slept the day away until the day we were to meet.

The day came and I had wrapped the art piece I made to show her. I also readied a new canvas with the stand to take with me. I set out in the afternoon to make my way to the bridge. Walking along, the image of the small glimmer and warm smile stuck with me, warming me from the inside. I approached the entrance to the bridge. It was empty as usual. Then I saw her.

She climbed onto the ledge of the bridge. I froze in my tracks. What was she doing? As she got up top, I threw all I had to the ground and ran. I ran faster than I had leading up to this moment. The sky began to turn orange as she stepped forward. As she began to fall I grabbed her arm. She was hanging off. She looked up at me with tears running down her face. A deep blue colour in her eyes.

"Why?" I yelled. I tried pulling her up, but with no support from her, I was stuck clinging to her with both hands holding one of her arms.

She told me a story. As she was telling I repetitively told her to grab onto the bridge and help pull herself up. She told me how she was falling apart in her field running, how she was losing hope in following her dreams. How she no longer felt apart of this world. I kept hold of her with all I had, I told her to pull herself up. My mind raced as tugged her arm.

"You can't just die on me now. Who am I supposed to marvel? Who will I run with? I fell in love with you, you idiot. I love you."

She stopped crying looking up me, her eyes glowing a sparkling blue.

"I love you. I want you to do art too. I wanted you to draw your feelings and show them to me. I want you to be happy and live in a world that you can paint on the canvas. Won't you live and make me some art? Won't you show me your world?"

She smiled and gripped the ledge. With all my might I tried to pull her up, as I pulled, I felt my feet leave the ground. Before it was too late, I pulled her over and descended myself. But I smiled. She watched as I descended, I smiled and put one hand on my chest and pointed to her with the other.

Live on.

I saved her life. I hope she continues forward. I don't feel any regrets. I'm just a simple artist, I loved to paint everything. Now as my canvas dries on the finishing rack, I have helped someone start their own canvas. Time for a new set of colours, I'm happy to have helped her.