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Day 1: The Bridge Before Them

The bridge stretched out ahead of them into the looming darkness, the wooden boards shinning beneath the lamp light that dotted the length of it. The rain, which had started earlier in the evening, continued to drizzle down, making the bridge glow with an eerie light that looked both enchanting and foreboding at the same time.

“A starless night is a bad omen.” Her voice was barely audible from behind the grey scarf she had wrapped about face as a defense against the cold. Her bright green eyes glanced up at her partner, the worry she felt evident in the round orbs. He briefly glanced down at her with his own dark eyes, a confidence she didn’t feel reflected in their depths.

“Don’t be so superstitious.” He replied with a small chuckle, squeezing her hand gently in hopes of lending her a little reassurance. He felt her squeeze back and he smiled down at her. “Besides, the less light there is the better our chance of making it across without being seen will be.” She nodded her head in agreement, her mess of damp red curls falling over her shoulders as she did so. “We can do this.” The determination was evident and once again she looked up into his face for her own reassurance. His black eyes shinned with their own fire and were, as usual, a stark contrast to his light skin and sandy blonde hair.

For the millionth time since she’d met him, she marveled at how handsome he was and for the millionth time, she wondered how she had ever caught his attention. He had told her long ago that she was the most beautiful girl he’d ever met, though she would disagree that that was true; she wasn’t ugly by any means, but she wasn’t anything special either. Shaking the thoughts from her head, she forced herself to focus on the task at hand. She had promised him she would leave those types of insecure thoughts behind her when they made their escape. Still, it was a hard habit to break when it was the way she had been taught to think since she’d been born.

As a collared, she was nothing more then the talent she possessed and the entertainment she provided for the Diamond Class. But then she’d met him, when his family had bought her as their personal singer, and a year later they had found themselves in love and willing to risk everything just to be together. That was why they were standing at the bridge now; staring at what could possibly be the path to their freedom. She took a deep breath and turned to him, pulling his attention from the bridge back to her.

“I will risk everything if it means we can have a chance at living our lives together. I want to be free.” She said to him, pulling her scarf down so he could hear her. She looked up at him, their eyes meeting in a fiery gaze before their lips sought each other. The kiss was short, rough and filled with longing; it was the same type of stolen kiss they had shared since they’d first confessed their love. It was a kiss that held hope that it would not be the last.

“We will make it together.” He whispered against her lips, their breath mingling in the cold air as they held each other close. “We will be free of the Caste system and then we can love without fear.” She smiled as he said that and stepped back, her hand seeking his as it always did when he was near. His big hand engulfed hers and he quickly twined their fingers together. “Are you ready?” She nodded her head vigorously and he chuckled again. “Let’s go.” Together they headed toward the long bridge hand in hand and when they took that first step onto the wooden planking, she was no longer afraid. Even if she couldn’t see anything in the darkness the bridge stretched into, she knew there would a guiding light of hope to get them to the other side. This bride was be their path to better life; to a new beginning.

Day 3: No Regret for Peace

They told me that it would be best if I were the one to apologize and make amends, that to be the bigger person for the greater good would show my maturity. They also told me that the longer I allowed this fight to drag on the more I would only stress myself out with negative emotion; to give in would be for my own ‘peace of mind.’ But I was a lot smarter than adults gave my thirteen-year-old brain self credit for and I knew that the only reason they were telling me this was for their own benefit and not mine. They didn’t care who was right or wrong and they certainly didn’t care who apologized for it; they simply thought I was easier to manipulate out of the two of us. They were wrong. I knew that if I ever wanted to have this ‘peace of mind’ I had to be strong and not back down from defending myself. Besides, I sure as hell wasn’t going to go apologizing for something I didn’t even start. What I would do, was hold my ground and keep my head held high, to show them I knew I wasn’t wrong and that I would deal with this how I saw fit. For me, that decision was my peace of mind and I never once regretted it.

Day 5: The City

The pulse of the city
beats within my soul.
The lights that fill the streets
blind my eyes
and my senses.
Nothing in this city is ever slow;
just like our love.
As fast as it begins
It just as quickly finds an end.
Life continues on,
without slowing,
Just like the city.
Look how beautiful it’s glowing,
never changing,
never fading.
The only constant
in the rush of life and love.