Chapter Text
"Is it heaven up there?
'Cause it’s hell down here.
Yes, it’s hell down here."
Annalise scrambled to get out of her car as fast as she could. Her chest heaving and head spinning, she almost tripped on her feet. She tried to even out her breathing as she sat on the cold asphalt road. She closed her eyes and leaned against the trunk of her car—feeling like somebody’s clenching her heart so hard, it’s going to burst inside her chest. She frantically took off her blazer, then tossed it somewhere. Her eyes hurt so much for she could no longer shed any tears—even just a single bead. She tried to breathe again, deep; in through her nose, out through her mouth. Repetitive—until the fast pace of her world slows, until her senses become a little bit clearer—enough to hear the faint gushing of water through the ringing in her ears, until it becomes her brain’s main stimulus—grounding her back to the earth; almost tethering. That’s when she opened her eyes, that’s when the violent shaking of her body slowly subsided. She pushed aside the loose curls of her hair and tucked it behind her ear, then with her still trembling hands, pushed herself up from the ground. She looked around and tried to recognize where she was. She’d been driving aimlessly for hours, no destination in mind; taking turns after turns, then a long, unending road—swallowed by an enormous body of vibrant green and spreading shadows of the woods. Annalise followed where the gushing is coming from—a sound that’s been strangely calling her. She walked through the fallen twigs and leaves and whatever dirt that’s within the soil. Her legs, still wobbly as she tries very hard not to stumble. She then just cursed internally as she removed her heels and continued treading her path.
The harsh splashing of water against the sharp surface of the boulders became louder as she reached the riverside. Dirt replaced by gravel; her feet's starting to get pricked but she didn’t flinch, didn’t even feel any pain. She’s numb yet also so exhausted. Her soul— begging and aching for eternal slumber. Then she finally relaxed, when she’s standing on the top of a medium sized boulder, looking at the unchanging turbulent stream of the river, it’s water so clear it gleams like a magical mirror. She basked under the scorching sun, watch as the wind rattles every branches of the trees it passes through until it eventually blew against her, a balm, contrasting the tingling heat with it's cold caresses. Her shoulders sagged as a deep sigh escaped her mouth, ready to succumb into the intangible force that's been calling her, pulling her. Her skin's anticipating the freezing liquid that was about to enveloped her whole being. It's swift and rough touch will surely carry her, smashing her head against the large mass of stones. Until a part of the transparent body of water became vermillion— shade darker than vantablack, rather.
Will she finally be clean or will she just pollute the deity's tears?
“Careful there. The water's unforgiving today.” startled, she whipped her head towards to the owner of the voice. Her mind drifting— together with the current, she didn't noticed the woman just a few feet away from her. Her face hidden behind her black curls and her well-worn olive baseball cap, she spoke without even looking at her. Her eyes are just trained on the line of the fishing rod she’s holding, her lower body submerged in the water.
“You’re clothes aren’t event-appropriate, either.” she continued, this time, her warm brown eyes are looking right at her; a slight smile in the corner of her mouth. Making her point while she's dragging her eyes from her bare feet back to her face. One might think she took that as an opportunity to check Annalise out; who's in her white sleeveless fitted dress— toned arms out, sunlight bouncing from her deliciously dark skin, her black pumps still dangling from her fingertips.
"Excuse me?" Annalise finally said, giving the strange woman an incredulous look.
The other woman reeled the line back in then gracefully stepped out of the water. She's clad in a pair of hip waders— underneath it, a pair of light blue tight jeans, her red plaid shirt tucked inside it with a few unfastened buttons— her chest flushed from the heat. A landing net is clasped at the back of her dark beige fishing vest while the pairs of nippers and hemostats are clipped in front of it.
"You don't look like you're going fishing nor swimming, that is…" she trailed. Annalise would've been irritated, would've told the woman to shut the hell up and mind her own business. She would've— but she's tired.
The woman moved closer to the boulder that Annalise was standing, sunrays framing her; she squints, trying to see through Annalise's silhouette. Her hand stretched towards Annalise.
"I'm Tegan, I have a first aid kit in my camper. It's parked in the clearing close to the road... I think your feet are bleeding." she said, a hint of worry in her eyes.
She's been silent for quite some time now, still wary of the strange woman by the river. The woman's hand is still up in the air, enough to make the situation more awkward but she's still offering— then she took it at last. In a flash Annalise's face is inch close to the woman's— enough to notice the splatters of freckles on her nose, her lips lush and plump. Annalise is enamored much like she was with the river. She's drawn to the woman and she could also say the same to the other.
In her head, she tries to lift a finger, plucking something in the air; an invisible string.
She is— tethered.
A cold hand brushes off the hot fallen tear on her face, the woman— Tegan, did not take her hand back but kept it still— hovering then softly cupping her face.
So much for tears running dry, eh?
Annalise closed her eyes, head leaning in a little.
"It hurts, no? C'mon, let me patch you up..." she said just above a whisper.
Her hand slid down to hold hers again; her other hand placed firmly in her waist guiding her through the path opposite from where she came from. Like a balloon pumped with helium; floating and this woman holding the string, effortlessly dragging her along.
She's still drifting… and she let herself be swept away.