The will to live (standard:other, 1003 words)
Author: valerian	Added: Aug 19 2003	Views/Reads: 3349/2120	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
In the middle of the night, a girl was standing on the railway tracks.

The will to live 

It was in the middle of the night. It wasn't completely dark, as
artificial lights from the city were visible and it was full moon. Dark 
clouds rushed over the dark blue sky. Her name was Annah and she was 
seventeen. The girl was walking towards the railway tracks, and zipped 
up her jacket as the raw night air made chills go down her spine and 
make her shiver. Why did she do that? It wouldn't matter soon anyway. 

Only a few steps away from the tracks now. Hesitating. Arms hanging down
her side. Annah looked down at the tracks, staring as if those tracks 
were the only thing that existed or the only thing that mattered. For 
her, that was somehow true. Another cold gust of wind ruffled her black 
hair and woke her from the trance, and then she blinked and looked up 
and around. Her eyes were icy blue in the right lightning, but right 
now they were much darker. 

--- 

I was staring at the tracks but didn't realize it first. I knew the
train was only minutes away now. 

It feels like it happened years ago but it was just this morning. The
day had started out better than usual, with the sun shining from a 
clear blue sky. Summer was almost here to free us all from school in 
another two weeks. Everyone had been so up about it, planning for 
parties and ceremonies when this school year was to come to an end. On 
the last day of school, we're all going to the church to have the final 
ceremony with singing and boring speeches. 

Last time it was beautiful as always. The girls in simple but classy
dresses with flowers in their hair, and the guys in suits, looking 
better than ever. We always felt so grown up during that day. The 
church itself was decorated inside and out with flowers and twigs of 
birch and our nation's flag. 

I couldn't concentrate very much in any of my classes today. All I could
think of was that day and all the things we were going to do during 
summer. 

--- 

She turned to look at her left when she thought she heard the train. On
her cheek, a tear glistened in the moonlight. She wiped it off. More 
came. 

--- 

Emily and my soulmate Kevin. We were going to travel around the
continent on our own. To see the great cities and experience 
everything. To get away from our parents. To grow up a little... 

I came up with the idea and they all loved it. They had nothing better
planned so it was a deal after our parents had promised to help us out 
with money. Paris, Rome, Athens. The many lunchbreaks and late nights 
we've spent planning and talking and dreaming and laughing... 

Oh god, so much happened today and it was such an emotionally exhaustive
day... it feels like a dream more than memories. In a way, it was so 
long ago. 

Forgot my watch. But it shouldn't be more than two, three minutes now.
Slowly I took the final few steps. I was there now. Right on the 
railway tracks. 

I'm so tired. Exhausted. Crying all day. I started to walk along the
tracks, knowing the train would come up behind me. Didn't want to see 
it I guess. 

--- 

The train should be here soon but the only thing that was there was
nothing but the night and the full moon and the girl on the track. 
Suddenly everything went quiet, the wind almost stopped. Somewhere far 
away in the background was the noise of the city. Annah suddenly spun 


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