Snow

**This chapter depicts a scene of a suicide. If this topic triggers you in any way, please click off now.**

The lonely sky filled the sights of all those who mindlessly stared back at it. The frigid air expanded the lungs of the two lone girls who stood at the top. They held their hands together as they stared behind the sizeable foreboding fence.

"Are you ready?" One of the individuals asked, squeezing the other hand. "I'm not ready," they replied, shrinking and weaseling their hand from the other's grasp. They faced the girl leaning back into the fence as they calmly stated, "What is making you reconsider this decision? There's nothing here for me, for you, for us! I don't understand what happened."

" I agree with you. There's nothing here. This place has no color, no life; it's cold. I know I'm being a coward, but I'm scared. I don't know what happens next after this. So there has to be something here. I'm not ready!" She replied loudly as her face pale, afraid of the unknown. "I know we said we would do this! I know I said I was OK with this! I know I said I was ready! I lied!" She yelled, shaking as she walked back towards the door only a few feet away.

The other girl remained silent, her expression sad as she took a few steps toward the girl. " Lily. I don't want to do this alone. How am I supposed to do this without you? I am scared, too, but we both knew this would always happen. I won't be afraid if we do this together. Please." The girl reached out, no longer moving; she stared at Lily, who continued to step back. The silence was loud as neither said anything, nothing but the quiet wind.

The minutes grew longer, with neither one saying anything. Slowly the girl retrieved her hand, her expression grim. " go back. Go home. I'm not mad. I want to be alone for now." The girl mumbled quietly, just audible enough for the others to hear. She turned around sitting, admiring the empty view. The two girls stayed motionless, neither moving for several minutes. Lily stood away, biting her lower lip as she stared at the girl stationary back. She knew she had disappointed her friend. With nothing less than a superficial glance Lily left the roof returning home. The girl on the roof held her legs, soothing herself. "She left. Even knowing why we came here," she mumbled, tears misting her eyes.

The minutes turned into hours as the grey sky turned obsidian with sprinkles of gems. The girl stared through the fence at the void-like sky. ' I thought she would come back. I waited, but it's time; it's been time. Today has always been the day I just hoped to see a change. It's been today for a very long time.' The girl thought, climbing the fence as she stared at the town filled with lights. The glow illuminated her eyes as she held the fence, leaning off the edge. Her expression softened into a smile staring at the thousands of lights. " I suppose this place was beautiful," she mumbled, letting go of the fence as she fell, plummeting to the ground.

Soft snowflakes fell around her motionless body, covering her in a frigid blanket. The faint smile was still on her sunken face. Alone she lay there with her last memory of those bright lights.

...

"Is she dead?" A voice mumbled along with countless other voices singing like mosquitoes chaotically. "How could she- who is- we should get going-" the voices continued before melding together, no longer distinguishable from one voice to the other. 'Why is it so loud?' the girl thought, peaking her eyelids open, slightly blinded by the bright colors and lights. She looked around, confused, as many eyes stared back at her. A crowd surrounded her in traditional clothing—many wore loose or formal kimonos. There was a single man who sat upon a horse close to her but looking at her disdainfully.

"Were you just pretending to have fainted!?" he raised his voice slightly, obviously bothered by the sight of her. She did not recognize this man who spoke to her in such a tone. "Who are you?" She replied, slightly agitated. The man let out a long flabbergasted sigh as his eyes became even more frustrated.

"Hanae! Have you not embarrassed me enough today? Would you please stop with these desperate acts? Let's return to your estate now before you shame yourself further!" the man said with a slight growl, his anger apparent. "Hanae? Who is that? My name is Luna!" She replied, her brow furrowed together as she glared at the man. "Do you genuinely wish to take this charade so far as to change your name? Where did you come up with such an outlandish name anyway?" The man asked, completely exhausted by this event.

"Charade? Whoever you are, I don't know you or this, Hanae," she said, turning away. She walked through the crowd, gaining distance between herself and the man. The man stared quietly before sighing. He no longer wished to argue with the girl and instead commanded his horse to start moving. With a natural sweep of his arm, he swoops the girl into his embrace, dashing off with the girl in his arms.

"This is kidnap. Release me right this instant!" She screamed as she began to try and fight her way free. "Would you stop squirming? You're going to fall off the horse!" The man yelled back, getting more frustrated by the minute. He made the horse speed up, making the girl tense up in fear, never having been on a horse before. Her face paled as she stopped struggling, realizing if she fell off while trying to get away, she would end up injured.

"Why are you doing this!? Where are you taking me!?" she asked, no longer fighting to get off the moving horse. "Why do you keep insisting on pretending? That isn't going to stop me from leaving you. So would you please stop? I find it infuriating. I'm taking you back to the estate to discuss this with our elders. Pretending to have amnesia won't prevent this from happening!" He said, making the horse speed up and scaring the girl in his embrace more.