"While existing, we're forced to becoming acquainted with sadness. There's no antibiotic for the riddling of distress, and no alleviation for these intervals of pain we must encounter. Behind our eyes, are all these things: our stories, our dreams, our deficiencies and our scars. Today would leave a scar."

- Crystal Woods, 2015

She hadn’t meant to see what she did, all dolled up in her finest frocks as she attempted to navigate the streets of Pasadena, only a few blocks from where her sisters apartment resides. She had just wanted to try leaving the house for one, the leave behind a comfort to try and find a new one with the faces on the street and the people she supposed she’d be able to meet- something she’d never be able to do with Marco. But alas, childish curiosity that she hadn’t allowed herself to express the last few months came to light as she stumbled down an off-branch path that led her to the riverbed, caked in mud and sprouting leaves.

The mud itself was not a rare sight for sore eyes, sure, but the river beyond that was something she had never seen before. A tender gasp escaped her lips as her hands clasped together at her chest. The sapphire hues of the ocean cascaded up to the riverbed, crashing with gentle sparkles of silver water with each pull of the current. It was something Aquila had seen in picture books as a child, whimsically and fantasy like. It was the kind of river Marco would describe when telling her about the latest body he’d submerged during his latest torture session.

He’d explain to the housewife in depth how he watched the light fade from their eyes along with their hope of survival but then would taunt the by yanking them up for a short, panicked breath, beg for answers, then shove them back under. He’d always follow up by demonstrating he could kill and injure Aquila just as easily, taunting her by whispering her name of ‘Aqua’ whilst gently brushing her hair from her face and lulling off how her name was just begging for him to slam her filthy body twenty feet under water and leave her to drown.

“Like those with a brain always do to unwanted mutts.” Aquila quoted her husband with sorrowful remorse, her gaze falling from the river with a soft sigh stretched out from her lips. She didn’t want to remember him and what he did, she’d come out here to discover new things, hadn’t she? Vela had taken her in thinking she’d get better, that she’d forget everything and put full blind trust in her, hadn’t she? So… Why was Aquila still like this? Aquila tugged on her skirts and let out a soft whimper, stumbling backwards. She had to get out, as pretty as the river was… it only reminded her of the past, no matter how hard she tried to escape it, it was always there, one step ahead and following her.

She had gone to run away, but perhaps she’d forgotten the ground under her was mud. Letting out a yell Aquila tripped through the mud and got tangled up in her skirts, sliding through the mud and into the coursing river of sapphire below. A call of help left her lips as she went plummeting into the waters lovely depths- until she realizes they weren’t lovely at all. Legs flying, skirts tangled around her body and gasping for air in the river that had taken her hostage Aquila was hopelessly reliving what her husband dreamed of. Perhaps it was her fault for being so reckless, for leaving comfort and trying to take on the new challenge of exploring the great beyond, her first visit to the streets hadn't been so bad, so why now, why today? She took one last gulping breathe before the rapids shoved her under the river, a breath that begged for help, for the gods to take it easier on her. Hadn't she been through enough?

Her helpless kicking of her legs, which were tangled up in miles of fabric, helped nobody, and weighed her down more. She felt herself leave the surface of the river and be pushed through the current, unable to raise her head. It surely was a shame little Aquila, who's nickname bore a striking resemblance to the liquid she was currently being held hostage by, couldn't swim for her life.

I enjoy stopping to look at the river on my way to my apartment each night. Reminds me of home in a way. The way the water flows, without end. The rapids churning and boiling the water was almost hypnotic. But tonight was different. As I looked upon the flowing mass of forgetfulness, I saw a woman walking down a muddy path towards it. Her footing became suddenly odd and without notice she fell in. I heard her yell for help.

I vaulted over the railing I was standing next to and half ran half slip into the monster. The shock of the coldness damn near took me out. I bobbed up to the surface and I swam as fast as I could to where I saw her fall in. I dived under feeling, looking. I knew it was a fifty/fifty chance of finding her, the water was quick. I surfaced, swam a bit and dived again. When I came up I saw her not more then twenty feet from me. In this river, might as well of been a mile away. I swam hard, got close and felt fabric for a fleeting second, "FUCK!" I screamed and dived again. This time I felt and grabbed a handful of cloth. I pulled hard, felt flesh, grabbed her around the chest and paddled hard for shore.

The current lessened for a bit and allowed me a chance to grab a outcropping of rock. I held fast and pulled with what strength I had left. The firmness of ground on my face was like an angel's kiss. I gasped for air. The woman I pulled out was limp. I checked her pulse to only find none. I pinched her nose shut, covered her mouth with mine and forced air into her. I did it twice then I placed both hands, one on top of each other, between her breasts and firmly pressed five times on her chest. I put my ear to her mouth, heard nothing and repeated the process. The second time did the trick. She coughed and spit water in my face, then rolled onto her side and expelled the water in her lungs.

I fell beside her, exhausted, coughing up my own collection of water. I regained my breath and thoughts. I heard her retching subside and slowly I turned towards her and asked, "Are you okay?"

The world came back into focus at a sudden pace, a rushed ringing infiltrated her ears first, causing the girl to jump back into whatever conscious state her body would allow her to enter. Next her lungs forced her to expel whatever water that was in her system, sending it out of her body through her airway and causing the weak-willed Aquila to hunch over into a stuttering mess. The next thing she heard was a voice, one her ears could some-what recognise as a gentle hum amidst the chilling ring that her threatened her eardrums. Clutching at her stoumach the girl let go of as much water as she could, coughing up her lungs capacity as she heaved in as much air as her system would allow. Aquila was terrified- it all happened so fast, but…

The girl turned her head, pushing a hand to her mouth as she choked out another breath. Besides her lay Jonny, who she recognised almost instantaneously through her foggy consciousness. Was he asking her something? She couldn’t hear past the ringing, and gently moved an aching arm to her ear, pushing at it until an excess of water dripped out- then she heard him. Asking about her wellfair.

Aquila let in a shutter breath and tried to push herself to her knees, in a manner that was more accessible, however her body refused to let her be in such a state, still recovering from the sudden dilemma. Instead she fell back limply on her back. This man had saved her, spotted her amidst the beautiful surface of the lake. And this man was not her husband, who would have left her thrail and surely would have taken advantage of Aquila in such a state-

No, that man was dead.

Aquila scrunched up her nose, still trying to place her own thoughts correctly, as she tried to answer Jonny, who was still besides her.

“I-I’m… Just p…eachy.”

Sarcasm dripped from Aquila’s lips, or maybe that was excess water. Whatever it was, it tainted the ground with what was left of Aquila’s adrenaline and will to explore her surroundings. Her sopping wet dress fabrics pooled around her, dresses that were both ruined and bleeding colour. Aquila was nothing short of a mess. She tried her luck at sitting up again, pulling at her sleeves as she urged herself to at least sit. She got half way there, propped on her elbows amidst the muddy riverbank until her arms decided they were too weak to hold her up and she went crashing helplessly back into the brown pit.

“…S-Sorry to… be impolite but c-could… You uh-“

She coughed once more, and shook her head.

“Ugh… Sorry… P-Possibly, help?”

I was relieved to hear her talk. She said she was cold, I took my jacket off and put it around her. "When your able, we need to get you up and get you someplace warm." I said and sat back a bit. It took me a second to recognize her, "AQUILA! OH MY GOD!" I took her hands and started rubbing with both of mine.

I could not help but wonder what was wrong that would make her be so careless as to walk down by the river on a muddy steep trail like this. If I had stayed for one more drink or decided not to look at the river, I stopped that train of thought. She was safe that is all that mattered.

Her shivers slowed down a bit and her eyes were more focused. I stood up, "Lets get you standing. There is a coffee shop just up the hill." I said as I leaned down to take hold of her arms. I lifted gently as she struggled to get her feet under herself. Her foot found purchase and she was able to stand. I put her arm around my neck and put my arm around her back and we slip stumbled our way to the top of the incline.

The coffee shop was only four buildings down from where we came up. I opened the door, "NEED SO HELP HERE!" I bellowed into the small room. The lady behind the counter jumped at the sound of my voice. She looked up, "Oh my gosh." she said as she hurried over to us. She took Aquila's other side and help me set in a near by chair, "I'll be right back." she stated and hurried into the back. I took the chair next to Aquila, "Hot coffee will warm you up." I said. The waitress came back with a blanket and two towels. I wrapped the blanket around Aquila and then we used the towels to dry our hair. "Thank you." I said the the waitress, "Could I get two coffees please ma'am?" The waitress nodded and went behind the counter.

We were both sipping coffee a moment later. The color was coming back into her cheeks and her hands were only slightly shaking, "So, whats new?" I asked Aquila, trying to lighten the situation. She gave me a half hearted smile. "Seriously, what were you doing down there?" I asked.