• For a moment, everything froze. There was her heart, in his hands where she had placed it. She had given him it not knowing why, only that it felt right. Her rational brain had known all along that it was a bad idea. He would hurt her, whether he meant to or not, just as all humans did. Even knowing this, she had given him the very thing that would destroy her. Perhaps foolishly, she had trusted him.

    Then time moved on.

    Her heart shattered.

    She watched in horror as all the little pieces feel to the floor. All the bottled up pain and sadness that she had been storing reached its capacity and continued to rise. When she looked once more into his eyes, it would be the last time. Her eyes lost their focus behind a wall of tears. Before they could spill down her cheeks, she turned and ran from the room. She left everything behind. Her coat. Her hat. Her scarf. Her shoes. Her happiness. Her lover. Her heart. She took everything with her. Her pain. Her tears. Her confusion. Her memories.

    Where was she going?

    Was her following her?

    Did anyone care?

    The cold night air did not faze her as she burst out the door. Her feet did not comprehend the pain of the rocks and the sticks as they cut through her socks and flesh. She did not watch her dark surroundings so that she could find her way back. There was nothing but the need to get away, to try to outrun what she was feeling. What she had always known would happen. What she had hoped would not happen.

    It had always been too good to be true, from the very start.

    She wanted it too bad for it to last long, she knew.

    Her life could never know such happiness.

    It was doomed from the beginning.

    But she had hoped.

    Her legs gave way. The air burned her lungs as she lay gasping on the ground. She could not feel her feet or hands or face. Even with her blood pumping so hard, the night had chilled her. She could not remember it being so cold. Blood had frozen to her cracked lips. The ice-covered ground cut her as she curled in on herself, but she did not feel it.

    Where was she?

    How far had she run?

    How long?

    It was starting to snow, but she felt warm. She did not find it so cold anymore. Her mind stopped going over all the painful last words and started remembering the times when he held her close. There was no cold when they embraced. She did not flinch when she reminded herself that they would never do such again. The warm memories spread over her body like a blanket. If she closed her eyes, she could dream that they had never ceased to be; they could go on holding each other forever.

    She heard him whisper her name in her ear.