The Call (Fiction)

If you're here for something light and entertaining, I'm sorry to ruin it for you, but today's story is sad and happy ending is far from what you'll be reading here.

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^{Original image from: pexels}

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Put some music on first

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The sound of the engine was the only thing that reached his ears.
No music on this road.
He was alone, driving through the night to meet her.
He got her message this morning:
"Meet me at the glade, 9 o'clock."

He was worried about her all this time.
She had become distant, losing interest in almost everything. Easily irritated, she'd start a fight out of nowhere and for the silliest reason.
It was obvious.
She didn't love him anymore.
That night, all he expected to find was her, standing alone at the place where they first kissed, ready to hear her final decision:
"It's over."
And out of nowhere she'd be lost in the darkness alone or even worse, another man would appear to take her by the hand and watch them leave as the trees and bushes would swallow them into the heart of the woods.

"Get a grip!"
he thought to himself and stepped hard on the brake!

It was a deep bump on the road, he hadn't seen it early enough to avoid it and he drove over it.
He felt a strong shake and a thump came from the trunk, but he didn't bother think what it might have been.
He kept driving, more concentrated this time. Ten minutes later he was there.
He checked his phone and found another message from her, this time it was a voice recording. Although it seemed strange to him, he pressed 'Play' and listened in curiosity to what she had to say:

"I know this is not the right way to say it to you. Well... uhm, actually, I don't think there would ever be a right way to say this.... You see..."

Her voice was trembling, sobs mixed with her breaths and long pauses made it clear that he was not going to hear anything good tonight.

"It's been some time now that, er... that I haven't been feeling myself. Strangely, it's as if there is no point in my life. I wake up and drag around a body for fourteen to sixteen hours every day without a cause. I can't find a meaning in anything... I don't know why I do all these things I do every day, I guess... only because I have to, only because I used to do them and I need to keep doing them just to certify to others that I am still here."
"And you're wonderful, as always. And you come and touch me, kiss me, as if nothing has changed and... and I feel guilty, for not being able to feel the same. I feel guilty because I did love you in the past, I did feel the warmth in your kisses and I filled mine with the same love and passion! (sobs) And I can't find all that anymore, ah, and I... I try, but I can't. No... No... Not anymore. No!"
"Just, uhm, remember that I loved you... truly. I wish things were different, I wish I was different, but you see... it's nothing I can change apparently, no matter how hard I try and try. Therefore... (deep breath) I decided to leave, as sticking around seems too painful. So, uhm... uhm... (breathes out heavily) I'm doing something that most people won't understand, neither you I guess, but... (pause) I know you're gonna blame yourself for that and that was the only thing putting me off, but I can't... I can't wait any longer."
"What if I had told you earlier? Would you be able to change my mind? The answer is no! It's who I am, who I have been for years now. Sometimes I camouflaged it, others I was just stronger and managed to assert myself, but this time it feels as if it has beaten me... (sobs)"
"I'm sorry. This time it's stronger. That's why this time... I'm taking the pills you found in the bathroom the other day and I told you they were painkillers for my cramps... uhm (deep breath) I'm taking them and I'm curling up comfortably in your trunk, with that soft blanket of yours around me to keep me warm because... (sobs) because it feels so cold now. It feels really cold and I... (cries) I don't want to feel cold anymore. I 'm sorry, baby (cries)."

All this time he'd been listening to her message and thought it was a really bad joke.
He believed he would just get out of the car, open that trunk and find her there, wrapped inside his blanket, waiting for him to hold her again and make everything all right and take her back home.
He didn't want to accept that what he had just heard was true.
He just stayed on the driver seat motionless, with his eyes blank staring at the steering wheel in front of him.
His hand was still holding his phone by his ear, he could not put it down.

He was standing there for not even he knew how long, when the phone slipped off his hand and he tossed from his seat and out of the car like a spring.
With hasty steps he went to the trunk, he didn't want to open it, but he knew he had to.
Took one deep breath.
Placed his hand on the handle.
Pushed the button and opened it.
At the first sight of his blanket his stomach took a bullet of pain.
Once he saw her face with her eyes closed and her hair falling over her cheeks, tears started running down his face and his body went numb.
A loud scream and his fists were sinking deep into the cold car metal. He punched and kicked his car doors as if they had to pay for what she had done.
Moments later his explosion stopped and he returned to her.
He could do nothing but cry over her cold body, blaming himself for not being there for her early enough to warm her cold soul.

He stepped inside, took his place behind her and held her strong. Sniffed her hair that smelled of shampoo, the one he didn't like, but this time he didn't want to stop smelling it. He was kissing her head and holding her tight and in between his cries you'd hear him sing with his cracked voice:

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
you make me happy, when skies are grey
you never know dear how much I love you
So please don't take my sunshine away...
Please..."

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Original story by @ruth-girl - Steemit, 2018

I was at the gym a few days ago when this song (well, a remix actually) started playing on my earphones and suddenly all sorts of dark pictures started forming in my mind, pictures that would make another sad story. I was thinking and thinking about it for days and couldn't wait to steal myself some time and get to write it. Today I had a spare hour and a half when I could relax, take a couple of photos at the garden and then get comfortable in my room and start typing something guided by the atmosphere of this song. The sad version, the most depressing.

I finished my story and then I had to get to work. Tonight, as I was scrolling down my instagram feed, I saw that October 10^th is World Mental Health Day. What a coincidence to write a story like this on a day meant to bring awareness to the public on the issue of mental well-being.

This is today's article by WHO:
World Mental Health Day 2018

Mental illness should not be a taboo! Getting information and getting or giving help to people who need it can change and save lives.

It is nothing to be ashamed of.

It is not a big deal to seek help.

It is nothing you have to go through alone.

PS: Don't forget that @steemstem has now got a witness running, the @stem.witness! We would really appreciate your vote. And you can always check out our app, steemstem.io!

Thank you so much for your time!

Until my next post,
Steem on and keep smiling, people!