Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Piece of Her Wings ❯ Not So Far Away ( Chapter 2 )

Something was calling her.

She could sense it. It wasn't like a calling, but rather a command. It wasn't so much a voice, either—it was a sensation. She couldn't only hear it, she could also feel it. Every fiber, every muscle of her entire body was trembling—aching to reach some incomprehensible destination. Like a weary bird traveling across a thousand oceans trying to find its nest. Like a lost soul forever searching for her eternal resting place.

She was exactly like that. Restless.

Marlene woke up with a start, breathing heavily and wiping the sweat trickling down her forehead. She had that dream again. A senseless dream about nothing, but felt like it was something, something of great importance. All she could see and remember was black, but her emotions—her senses—were so alive, so real, that she could almost reach out and touch and taste them.

She sat up on her bed with the same heavy feeling she had had when the dreams first started. Even though she had enough sleep, she was very tired. She stretched out her arms and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes which gave little help—she felt as sore and as heavy as the rocks on the harbor, pounded tirelessly by the lashing ocean waves. Marlene had a little difficulty moving herself along, but after a while she came out of her room and joined Millerna in their little dining room.

Millerna was softly humming to herself as Marlene plopped herself lazily on a chair before the table and sighed heavily. "What's wrong, dear?" Millerna asked, placing a plate of scrambled eggs and toast in front of her. "I've noticed that you've been always tired these days." She seated herself on a chair across Marlene. "Bad night?"

"No, I'm fine," Marlene answered, pressing her palms over her eyes. "It's just that I've been having these strange dreams. I always wake up feeling heavier than the night before." She sighed wearily.

"Oh?" Millerna asked, her blue eyes filled with concern. "What kind of dreams?"

"That's just the thing, Millerna, they didn't make any sense," Marlene replied. "I feel as if he's not showing me something, but making me feel something. I haven't had a peaceful night in weeks."

"'He'?" Millerna echoed.

"What?"

"You said 'he' that time. Who is this 'he' person? Do you know him?"

Marlene stared at Millerna for a moment before burrowing her fingers through her short, sandy-brown hair, scratching her head in thought. "Did I say 'he'? I couldn't imagine why. There wasn't anything coherent or familiar with the dream for me to make a connection." She suddenly broke off and laughed. "I'm sorry, Millerna, I'm making you worry. It's probably nothing." She looked at her and smiled encouragingly.

Millerna's body seemed to relax a bit, though her eyes and lips were still tight around the corners."How curious," Millerna murmured.

They ate breakfast like they always did, although this morning their first meal was not laden with a chorus of girlish chatter. Still concerned for her sister, Millerna insisted that Marlene stay home for the day and get more rest. But Marlene shrugged it off and told her sister that she just had menial tasks that morning, and that she was just going to pick some snails to feed Old Man Hathor's geese. Millerna still insisted, but Marlene quipped that her work wasn't strenuous at all anyway. Resigned to the fact that she could never win against her sister's stubbornness, Millerna sighed a deep sigh, shook her head, and extracted a promise from Marlene that she be back before dusk.

Millerna went off to the fields, wearing her work trousers, rubber boots and tattered woven hat to help the other women with the planting. Marlene waved to her as she left. She changed into her own set of work clothes—a short-sleeved cotton shirt, a pair of heavy sleeveless overalls, and rubber boots. She also took her bucket, grabbed herself a newer woven hat to shade her face from the sun, and went to the seashore to collect the snails.

She walked along the coastline, taking her time. Out of all her tasks in the village, feeding their neighbor's geese was the easiest. Old Man Hathor was a nosy old man, but he meant well for everyone. He was the first one to give her a job, although Marlene suspected that what he really wanted was someone to talk to. It wasn't something Marlene found tedious; in fact, she looked forward to her weekly chat with the dear old man. She smiled to herself as she thought of him. She could almost see his leathery, heavily-tanned and wrinkled face smiling impishly at her as she jogged with her bucketful of snails toward his hut.

A few hours later, Marlene grudgingly admitted to herself that she was having little luck with her catch as the tide was now high and had washed the slugs and snails away. After about an hour or so of picking, she glanced at her bucket and saw that she had barely covered the bottom, so she decided to go to the rocky part of the beach, thinking that there would still be snails clinging to them.

The rocks were slippery with moss and seaweed, so she had to be very careful and slowly edged her way along. She was right, though. Clinging in all those little nooks and crannies were plenty of snails and sea slugs to feed the geese. It was easy picking from that point on.

The sun was high above the horizon, proudly shining down upon the fertile earth and abundant sea, showering all the creatures that inhabited both worlds with its warmth. Marlene's bucket was nearly full, but there were plenty more snails farther down the rocky slope. Once again she moved slowly because the walkway was slippery, and the water beneath her was very deep. The rocky inlet that she was on was connected to a natural outcropping of rock formations that formed a sort of bridge that the fishermen and the villagers used as their wharf, proving just how deep the water around it really was.

Marlene stopped for a while to rest, taking off her hat to wipe her sweaty forehead and neck. The afternoon sun blazed intensely, and soon she was fanning her hat to cool her face. There was no question that summer was fast approaching, and the sun scorched her skin, feeling like being pricked with a thousand needles. "I think I'll go for a little swim to cool off, once my chores are over," she muttered to herself.

She let out a puff of air as she fanned her hat more vigorously, and absentmindedly stared at the water lapping up at the sides of the bridge. Suddenly, a kind of misty longing came over her. It was a really hot day, and she hadn't realized just how inviting the cool, refreshing water was. Wouldn't it feel absolutely wonderful to just let go and swim in the ocean? She bet she could even swim all the way across the other island. Why hadn't she thought of doing that before? Surely no one would miss her if she'd be gone for a day, or two. And surely Old Man Hathor wouldn't be angry if she didn't show up to feed his geese today.

She smiled to herself at having arrived at that brilliant, rational idea. Marlene slowly shifted her legs and sat at the edge of the rocky wharf, letting her toes touch the cool foamy sea spray lapping up the sides.

The water felt so amazing against the skin on her feet. Wouldn't it feel even more incredible against the skin on her whole body? She gazed as if mesmerized at the sparkling clear blue water underneath her. And before she knew it, she couldn't control herself anymore. Her mind became clouded as she heard the ocean's song. I can hear it... she thought. I can hear it calling me...

And then her hands slowly stretched before her. Unconsciously, she bent down dangerously low to try to touch the water, heeding its coaxing voice, not realizing she was going to plunge down to the rocky sea below. Somewhere deep inside her, her awareness was screaming out its warning. But she didn't hear it for she was too distracted by the aching melody of the sea that seemed to be lulling her awareness to sleep.

"Marlene!" greeted a familiar voice from somewhere in the middle of the ocean.

Quite suddenly, Marlene's mind suddenly snapped alive again, and realizing just how perilously close she really was to drowning herself, she quickly sat upright and grabbed hold of the boulders. She was shaking with fear, her eyes were wide with fright and her heart was thudding violently.

She had almost killed herself!

"Marlene!" shouted the familiar voice again. Marlene turned her head seaward and shadowed her eyes with one hand. She saw the dark shape of a tall, lean man with long golden hair waving at her. It was a shape she could recognize anywhere. "Good afternoon!"

Allen rowed in to shore and got off to the bridge. "Finished?" he smiled at Marlene.

"Y-yeah," she shyly replied, her heart hammering loudly, though for an entirely different reason. She was still quite shaken with what had just happened, but now she was more nervous than frightened because Allen was there. He saved her life again. "Any luck?" she asked, more to divert his attention than anything.

"Some," Allen replied, tying his boat so it wouldn't drift away, as the mound of silvery fish he had caught jumped and wriggled and splashed about at the damp bottom. "Maybe I'll go back later. Your sister and the womenfolk have the planting covered, so they don't really need my help out in the fields." He turned, smiled and took Marlene's bucket. "But first, I'm going to eat. I'm starving."

Marlene was about to explode, and blushed furiously. There she was, walking along the deserted beach beside the handsomest man on the entire planet. She couldn't help but to look at Allen's well-built physique. She was so close to him, she could actually see every drop of sweat that clung to his body, glittering in the afternoon sun, illuminating his perfection. He was wearing a loose-fitting cropped shirt and pants, but it didn't deceive Marlene of how his body really looked like. His sweat and the salty seawater had drenched his clothes, which now clung to him, conforming to every curve and every muscle, fitting him like a glove. And with his damp hair tossed wildly by the wind like that, Marlene couldn't help but to imagine the rumpled sheets of a bed in the morning, after a night of sleep—or something else. And she knew that beds and rumpled sheets weren't the sort of thing she should be thinking in such a compromised position. She could feel the blush rising from her neck to color her cheeks and ears, and soon she felt a surging heat inside of her, making her forget everything but the desire to kiss this deliciously sexy and fatally sensual creature that was walking beside her.

Marlene took the bucket from him, a slight shiver coursing through her body as her hand brushed against his. "I'll take that. I still have to feed the animals." She was thankful that the brim of her straw hat was wide, enough to cover her flaming face. "Why don't you have lunch with us, Allen? I'm sure Millerna's already done with the cooking now," she offered, the heat inside her almost burning her blood, ready to consume her in flames.

"No way," Allen said, shaking his head. "I made a solemn vow to never get myself seduced by your cooking again."

Seduce was a dangerous word she shouldn't be toying with. It must have been the intense heat, or her still-foggy mind, or Allen's intoxicating summer scent, or his sexily drenched body, or all of those combined that made the fire finally burst inside her and made her say, "I wouldn't mind seducing you, though."

Marlene blushed furiously and quickly clamped one hand over her mouth. Oh, God! She thought. What was I thinking? She mentally berated herself. What do I mean, 'what was I thinking'? I know exactly what I was thinking about! She ground her teeth and shut her eyes tight. It's my tongue I should be questioning. What am I saying?! Why am I saying things without even thinking? Stupid! She cursed herself silently, praying for the good graces and mercy of the God above that she be swallowed by the earth before she died of embarrassment.

Allen blinked with apparent surprise, a certain look which Marlene had never seen filling his eyes. Then he chuckled softly, bringing her back to her senses, somewhat.

Marlene bowed, muttered a few incomprehensible excuses, and practically flew towards the farm, away from Allen's sight.

She prudently kept the day's quite steamy events from her sister.

Marlene stayed home for the rest of the day, having dismissed her earlier plan to take a dip in the ocean. Millerna mentioned that she saw Allen going back fishing that afternoon, and Marlene was definitely sure that she needed to avoid him just now.

She also did a very fine job of avoiding him for the rest of the day.

Marlene was busy chopping some potatoes for the stew she was preparing for a late supper while Millerna was sprinkling sifted flour over her freshly-baked biscuits. Really, the smells from their kitchen almost made Marlene swoon, but she tried to steer clear of any swooning for the meantime, the events from early that morning still fresh.

Strangely, though, Marlene's fascination—and near-disastrous conversation—with Allen made her momentarily forget about the almost fatal lapse she had back in the ocean wharf. Now that she had had enough time to cool down and clear her senses, she wondered what exactly happened. She was clearly rational one moment, then the next minute she was about to plunge herself unknowingly towards the jutting rocks on that wharf. She had no clear recollection of that moment, except that she had felt that strong feeling of beckoning once more.

Like the one she had in her dreams.

Marlene's face creased in thought. What was going on with her? There were other times when she had felt that same compulsion and lapses, but never to the point of her ending up hurting herself. Was she going insane? She kept hearing voices—no, feeling voices within her—and she had this strange urge to wander that no matter how hard she tried to shake it off, would kept coming back stronger, more insistent, like an itch just begging to be scratched again and again. Why was she feeling restless, feeling as if she needed to search for something?

"Knock, knock," Allen said at the door. He was wearing fresh clothes, a scratchy gray shirt and loose brown cotton trousers.

Marlene was distracted from her deep thoughts and pretended to be thoroughly busy chopping onions so she could hide her now-returning embarrassment.

"Allen! Come in!" Millerna exclaimed, wiping her hands on her apron. "Are you joining us for dinner?"

If he said yes, Marlene was positively sure she would have a heart attack and die. Or if that didn't happen, the knife she was holding would somehow find its way to her gut.

"What's cooking?" Allen asked as he stepped inside. "Smells heavenly."

"Marlene's cooking stew and I made biscuits," Millerna replied, tucking a loose strand of wavy hair behind her ear as she placed the warm biscuits on the table.

Allen smiled at Millerna, but his eyes were on someone else. Marlene could feel his gaze fixed at her back. "No way." Allen said slowly, putting a little bit of emphasis in his words. "I made a solemn vow never to get myself... tricked by your cooking again."

Oh, Allen was merciless. Marlene closed her eyes in humiliation and wished she could stick her head inside the bubbling pot of stew before her. She felt as if Allen was deliberately teasing her! Still, she liked the idea, though.

Millerna had absolutely no idea about the secret banter going on. "Your vows are as dependable as the spring weather, Allen," she replied, her lips quirking up into an amused smile.

Allen grinned at her. "I grilled some fish and I brought you ladies some."

"Well, why don't you just join us, then? Marlene's almost finished and heaven knows we cook way too much for two people," she stubbornly insisted, taking off her apron and smoothing the front of her plain pink dress.

Allen shook his head. "You know I'd love to, but I really can't, Millerna." He paused. "But perhaps I could talk with Marlene for a while outside?"

It was a miracle that the knife missed her thumb and had sliced the basil leaves instead. Marlene could feel her heart crowding her throat.

Millerna mouthed a silent "Oh!" and giddily scooted beside her sister. "Go," she squeaked. "I'll take care of this." She took the knife and the chopping board from Marlene and pushed her aside with a bump of her bottom to hers. Then she gave her a blue-eyed wink and added loudly, "And make sure Allen doesn't escape dinner. Use all your charms to entrap him!"

Entrap. Of all the words to use. No power in the world could hide the embarrassment from showing on her face.

Allen looked at the pair and chuckled softly before going out. Marlene couldn't help blushing and pouting as she timidly followed him.

It was a beautiful night outside. The moon hovered low and large over the distant purple-stained mountains, giving the whole landscape a misty, ghostly look. The cool sea breeze whistled softly as it tossed Allen's long golden hair, and the crickets filled the air with their aching song. The midnight blue sky was heavily adorned with beautiful stars, like diamond dust scattered to form a glittering gateway to heaven. It was the most perfect of nights to be with the man she secretly loved all those years. Even though she was still embarrassed about the day's earlier events, the gentle and comforting darkness that crept upon them made her feel calm and the warm glow surged in her veins once more. She couldn't help it, she knew she couldn't. The aura that Allen had around him was such a powerful force to be reckoned with, and it left her defenseless, easy to surrender. And even though the thought of actually seducing him right then and there made her feel horrendously silly, she came pretty close to actually doing it.

But silence after silence came between them, and Marlene's calm began to be steadily replaced with increasing nervousness. Though the night was quite cool, she noticed that her palms and face were getting sweaty, and she couldn't quite feel her toes. Her stomach heaved and churned, and she resisted the impulse to clutch and twist the fabric of her brown peasant dress. She knew she didn't act well when she was nervous, and the thought made her more nervous still. Soon she couldn't contain her edginess any longer. "Allen, I'm sorry about this morning, I wasn't thinking rationally when I said that—" she blurted out in one breath.

"Marlene—" Allen tried to cut in.

"...in fact, I wasn't rational the whole morning and I almost fell off the wharf but then you called—"

"Y-you almost fell off the wharf?" he asked incredulously, eyes going wide.

"...and it was because of the heat that made me think stupid and improper things, and so maybe what I'm trying to say is," she finally stopped for a gulp of breath, bowed and said, "I'm sorry."

Allen blinked in silence then broke off in a soft laughter. Marlene felt so embarrassed, she could feel steam wafting off from the pores on her skin. "That's not what I want to talk to you about," Allen said.

Marlene's head shot up. "It's not?" she squeaked with some disbelief.

Allen smiled benevolently at her. "No."

Marlene heaved a vast sigh of relief. She could feel the hot flow draining from her cheeks. Since Allen had announced that that was not their topic of discussion, she felt more at ease now. Maybe Allen doesn't really mind what happened this morning, she thought. Maybe it doesn't bother him so much as it did to me.

Allen made a rueful face. "What you said this morning probably had a lot to do with it, though." He softly muttered before turning his body and advancing towards her.

Marlene didn't expect Allen's last statement. He said it so fast that she was totally unprepared when he steadily approached her. In her mind, she panicked; she felt like a cornered rabbit undecided whether to flee for her life or to cower in fear. Her head was awash with conflicting emotions that she could not decide of what to do. In the end, she just stood there, dumbfounded and looking like a fool, waiting for what would happen next.

The darkness around them was thick and it enveloped the two, embracing them, as if they really were all alone in that secluded little spot. Slowly, Marlene's mind started to dim as all her thoughts, senses and concentration became solely devoted to the man closing in on her. She didn't care what might happen next—even though her heart was beating loudly and the numbness of her feet was rapidly rising to the rest of her body. She became painfully aware of everything around and about Allen—how his glorious yellow mane danced in the wind, how his gentle blue eyes glinted in the moonlight, how his soft lips parted slightly, how his breath sounded rushing in and out of his body, and how the grace in his moves betrayed the firmness of his lithe form. She was excited—and yet, quite nervous—at the same time.

Now Allen stood within breathing space, and there was an oddly unfamiliar look in his eyes. It was a look she thought she recognized. Marlene couldn't read them; she was too blinded by the mist forming about her own eyes and by the fog that had started to cloud her mind. There was a cacophony of emotions inside her, pulling her at the seams, almost, and not even the cool night air could stop the heat that was flowing in her veins at that moment.

Allen slowly touched Marlene's cheek, and a tingling jolt of electricity went up and down her spine. She shivered, and Allen gently cupped her cheeks and tilted her head upwards. Oh, the feeling of his rough but strangely gentle hands. He was staring directly at her, boring his gaze into her jade eyes, almost communicating to her with unsaid words. Marlene could feel Allen's warm breath touching her face—it seemed to intensify her heat within. She was sure she was about to faint. Her knees started to tremble, threatening to give way and buckle under her weight. She knew she was totally helpless in his arms. How could she resist his charms? She knew that she was so vulnerable at that moment that Allen would succeed without even trying. And so, why would she even try? She just closed her eyes in sweet surrender, her slightly-parted lips moist and tingling as they anticipated Allen's sweet kiss.

But it never came. "Marlene," Allen said softly, and peculiarly, a bit sadly. "I'm sorry... but I'm in love with... with Millerna."

Marlene's eyes suddenly opened as Allen's confession echoed inside her head. She felt as if a bucket of ice-cold water had been dumped on her head. "Wha—what did you just say?" she mumbled.

Allen didn't answer, but just stared at her with an almost naked sorrow, and Marlene finally understood. That alien look in his eyes... It wasn't the look of love she was hoping she would find. Her realization hit her like a staggering blow to the face. She bowed down to disconnect her eyes from Allen's blue depths. Somehow, she couldn't bear to look at them anymore. She felt that she would burst into tears if she gazed into those melancholy eyes of his. She untangled herself from Allen's arms—a bit more awkwardly than what she had wanted, and tensed her body. She steeled herself. Allen would not have complete victory. She forced herself not to cry. "I see," she said flatly. "I'm sorry."

Allen glanced away with a pained look. The look in her eyes when he said those words... The gaze she gave him... He would never forget her pure, green eyes that moment—swimming with shock, disbelief, pain and humiliation. "Please don't say that," he began. "It just adds to my guilt."

So now I make you feel guilty, she thought bitterly. Dimly she became aware of her surroundings again and how dreadfully plain and insufferable the night really was. She stayed bowed like that, not trusting herself to face him as the tears started to gather up in her eyes. "That's why I'm sorry," she said emotionlessly. "For loving you." There. She said it. After years of silently admiring Allen, secretly pining for his affections, this was the only time that she had managed to say it. A huge knot in her chest was suddenly released, like a dam teetering on the edge of collapse, and that little outburst made the tears swell even more. It took her an almost inhuman self-control to hold back the tears that threatened to fall.

Allen started again. "You see, I've loved your sister even before—" he hesitated. "Even before you came here."

She felt a sharp pang deep inside her. Another blow to the face. Marlene clenched her fists and gritted her teeth as she felt the tears burning her eyes. She stayed silent like that for quite a while, taking deep breaths, calming herself, holding back the tears. And then, when she had succeeded in suppressing them, she steeled herself and lifted her head to face Allen again. Her expression was dull, flat, cold and emotionless—even uncaring—and it clearly pained Allen deeply to see her like that, for he had to look away once more.

"I'm sorry." Marlene repeated. "I should have consulted with Millerna first."

"Marlene..." Allen said.

"I should have asked her if you were eligible for my idiotic affections first," she grated on.

"Marlene, please..." he pleaded.

"It was stupid of me, to secretly admire someone I'm not worthy of," she said, her voice trembling as the tears welled up again. "I-I shouldn't have loved y-you. Please f-forgive me." She said, her bravado breaking, her voice finally cracking up.

"Marlene," Allen softly said, his voice also trembling and his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "It's not your fault... please don't blame yourself..." he slowly took a step closer and put his hands on her shoulders. "I've always loved your sister," he murmured. "But you make it so hard, Marlene... you make it so hard..."

"Damn you, Allen!" Marlene burst out as the tears she tried so hard to suppress finally spilled like rain. "I make it hard for you?" she hissed through gritted teeth. "I make it hard for you, Allen?" She was angry through and through, the tears flowing out of control. "All I did was love you, Allen, all I did was love you!" Her face twisted in a look of sheer hatred that made him wince. "All I e-ever did was love y-you," she cried, her defences having crumbled apart. She didn't care if she'd be defeated completely, now. She felt that she had lost everything, and she could cry her pathetic little heart out as much as she wanted. "You have been so g-good to me. Y-You saved my life twice, and for that I-I've s-secretly longed for you for all this t-time." She sobbed uncontrollably. "But then I make things hard for you?"

And then his arms were around her. Allen held her, stroking her hair and murmuring what comfort he could give. Marlene was so helpless. She had wanted to cry for so long but she tried to hold it back, thinking that she had to win by not letting Allen see her bleed openly. But all of that melted away as she stood there, hurt and hopelessly lost in Allen's arms, and so she wept.

After a while, Marlene gently brushed his arms away and stepped away from him. "No," she whispered. "Please don't make matters worse. I love you, but you love Millerna. Just leave it at that. Let's just hope that what I'm feeling is just a phase, and that it'll eventually pass."

Allen hesitated. "I just hope that you won't change the way you feel about Miller—"

Marlene cut him. "I won't hate her," she whispered, her head bowed once more. "Or you, for that matter. Both of you have been nothing short of wonderful to me. I have no right to hate you." She gathered enough courage to look him in the eyes. If only they weren't so blue... so very blue. Her eyes might have been puffy and red, but the sincerity and the harshness that was shown in them were real.

"I love you, Allen. I've loved you ever since that day I woke up and saw your blue eyes staring back at me," she paused. "I have no memories." She started. "I don't even have an identity. And even though I was content living here with all of you, I was trying hard not to admit that I was in fact very lonely..." she wiped a stray tear away. "You were my life, Allen," she whispered. "It was your tenderness that helped me survive until now. You never knew how much even a smile from you would take away my loneliness." She smiled sadly at him. "But I guess it's too much to ask for your love now, is it?" she asked a bit cynically. The tears started to fall once more, and they continued to fall. She didn't even try to hide it this time. Her tears were like a raging storm from her wounded, angry heart.

"I do love you, Marlene." Allen said awkwardly, holding her numb hand. "I love you like a... like a sister."

Marlene snorted bitterly. She realized just then how she hated the word. She wanted to attack Allen. She wanted to punch him square in the face. There was so much turmoil inside of her, a dangerous concoction of conflicting emotions that was ready to burst out all at once. With as much force as she could muster, she controlled herself and turned her back to him and started towards the door, her anger melting into indescribable pain and suffering as she finally decided to walk out of his life forever.

"Marlene," Allen called out tentatively to her, and she momentarily stopped. "I'm still here if you need me," he offered. "Just two houses down. Not so far away."

"Yes," Marlene answered, her voice growing thick. "I know."

She had trouble remembering what happened next. She could never remember what she answered when Millerna asked her what was what she thought she and Allen were arguing about, or how Millerna reacted when she locked herself in her room without dinner, or what Millerna and Allen talked about afterwards. She was too busy blaming herself to notice. He doesn't like you, Marlene! He likes Millerna! Well, what did you expect? You didn't actually think that he'd fall for a complete stranger now, did you? What were you thinking?

She cried, and cried, and cried. Her pillow was wet with her tears, but they didn't seem to end. The tears flowed endlessly like a river, as if her wounded heart gushed out a sadness that could not be healed. Marlene wanted to howl and scream. The grief and loss she felt tore at her heart, and simple crying seemed too unfit to help contain her sadness.

The next thing she knew, she had packed herself a few clothes and some traveling money in an old canvas bag and had silently sneaked out her bedroom window. One thing was for certain now: she had to get away from this place as far as she could. She knew that she was fooling herself when she said that her feelings for Allen were just a phase. She knew they weren't. She couldn't bear staying there anymore, surrounded by two people she thought she knew but realized she never really met. Marlene felt so terribly alone. She was sure that the sorrow and despair that she felt would be enough to kill her, and so she decided to run away.

She slipped past the houses and quietly headed down the thick forest that surrounded the village. She had no idea where she would go, for she had nowhere else to go. Maybe that had been the beauty of her decision. After all, what could someone who had nothing more left in life lose in such a gamble? She just wanted to get away from the place where she would remember everything that she didn't and couldn't have. She had a life there, an identity, even a family, but they were just an intricately-woven spider's web that would easily break the moment it was touched by reality. And she had been content in living with her delusions. Before, Allen had been her bind, her powerful chain which kept her from succumbing to the distant calling from beyond. But the chains had been broken, nothing was holding her back. Indeed, Marlene felt that everything else was pushing her to leave. Now she could go and search for her true self, for what lay before her beyond the stark purple mountains. And so Marlene left. She left her home, her life, and her heart behind as well.

As she entered the forest that would lead her out of the village, she looked back and saw Allen's hut in the distance, his lantern still glowing. Her beautiful Allen, her love and her life, stood alone in the doorway, looking disconsolately at the ocean. So near, and yet so far. Two houses down.

Just two houses down, and not so far away from Marlene's grasp.