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“He said to wait here.” A voice muttered to himself. Not like there was anyone around to listen to his words.
Fan watched as the water rose with each passing minute, the thrumming of rain drowning out everything else in the world.
“He will be back any moment now.”
“He will.”
Xie had told him to wait under the bridge- even though it was surely only a light shower- as he went to get an umbrella for the two of them to share. So thoughtful of him.
Being so caring like that…
“It is going to be the cause of your death”, Fan had scolded once.
Even so, he now found himself making an adoring sigh at being blessed with such a kindness.
He looked down curiously when he felt something odd lapping at his shoes.
Eh- The river had already risen this high?
An alarmed step backwards only landed him in another splash.
The underpass had become a shallow puddle. But it wouldn’t stay shallow for long.
… He will come back soon.
Fan knew he would.
What if he didn’t come back on time?
Fan knew he would.
He had to.
There was a thought, though, in the back of his head, that doubted his certainty.
Fan took that thought.
He shoved it as far down into the depths of his mind as he could.
If he could touch it he’d punch its stupid face for even daring to think of such a possibility.
“A-And even if he didn’t” Which he will, “It’ll be fine…” His voice was but a stubborn whisper against the growing torrent.
Go now! It only took a few minutes to fill this much.
Don’t stay- Not here.
“He said to stay under the bridge.”
It’s dangerous.
“I can swim.” He’s visited the lake with Xie often. “I know the road home.” They’ve walked that path together countless times.
“We’ll go back to one of our houses. And we’ll drink tea to warm up. And…”
Maybe he could finally tell him, too.
Wouldn’t that be the perfect time?
He’s waited so long. There were so many other “perfect times” before.. Too bad his cowardice won over him.
Not this time- definitely.
He’ll tell him as they huddle next to each other, chatting in front of the warm fireplace, drinking warm tea.
It would be even more perfect than all those other chances before.
He couldn’t wait for Xie to come back.
---
This wasn’t like the lake.
The lake was a gentle ripple on the worst of days. The lake didn’t have debris flowing along the waist-level water. The lake didn’t take every ounce of his strength to wade against-
And he was scared to let go of the wall.
He underestimated how heavy his clothes would feel, soaked from the flood below and the downpour above.
The stairs felt so far away.
Where is he?
He thought he would have been fine.
He thought Xie would have come back by now.
He thought- even if he hadn’t, that..
He should have gone earlier.
The current pushed his desperately searching body back and forth with each rising swell.
It didn’t take long at all before it covered his shoulders, freezing cold.
His chest felt like it was shrinking in on itself, his muscles ached as he tried to stay afloat.
Breaths had become gasps for air long ago.
Where is the bridge- Where are the stairs-
The storm silenced his screams for help, thunder and rain rumbling, the river a cobra coiling around him and squeezing his breath out of his lungs.
A tide washed over him, dousing his head in and throwing him off balance.
His head dipped under the water once. Twice.
The bitter taste of it forced its way into his mouth, turning his throat to ice, his ragged voice stolen from him.
…
Trembling lips, dark spots clouding his eyes, even the rain subsided as his ears fill with the sound of the river.
Were those bubbles in front of him? He wouldn’t know.
Now that his body couldn’t fight back the flood anymore, it almost felt serene.
But he couldn’t help cursing himself for his stubbornness.
He just hoped the other wouldn’t feel too sad over his stupidity.
Wo ai ni, Xie..