Craig M. Dolan

Whispers From the Past

Dusk settled in as sounds echoed throughout the city, trying to move through the street towards the meeting point out beyond the city. It was an abandoned building that once was used as a workshop that everyone agreed to meet. Feeling the chilly winds creeping through and rustling newspapers moving them through the empty street. Grasping the locket tied around her being the last memory left behind before he went missing. Trying to hold back the tears remembering, the day she walked out the door not knowing it would be her last. They were arguing over the remark her father made towards him and how he felt he was going to be, no one, and she was wasting her time. Memories from back to a place she once called home and the words he said hurt so much she left crying. Opening her car door looking up once more towards his window, he was looking back, with hurt in his eyes as he stood there watching her drive off. Calling her father and yelling that this was his fault, and he caused this. Before hearing what he had to say, she hung up the phone before realizing one of the cars was speeding towards her. The front of the car crashed into her sending her car rolling into the building. Screams of people around as she lay covered in liquid, unable to feel her body. Lights, flashing in and out of focus as the thoughts of needing to get back to him and say she was sorry. Letting go of the locket as the sounds of glass shattering echoed throughout blocks down the road from her. Quickly getting under one of the stone slabs jutting out from the ground. Shadows playing tricks of images moving all around and screams of ferals as they were, communicating with one another. One of the larger ones was moving around smelling, the air searching and looking for prey. Seeing it inch closer towards her catching her breath and holding back the trembling sounds her hands were holding back. The face slowly moved in fighting, back the urge of reaching for her pistol. The noise would only cause them to swarm pressing, her back against the cold stone, trying to contain her fear. As her body started to tremble with them scrapping across the top of her cover and the other one starring her down without realizing she was here. Sinking into the ground when the sounds of the last one left, leaving the street barren once more. Opening the heart-shaped locket to see his face once more, holding it close to her heart, feeling the tears finally come. Feeling the ere breeze cut up her back, reminding her she was still standing alone in the middle of the street. Wiping the tears away, gathering herself, then heading back out, the others were waiting. There was still so much more out here, placing a hand against the wall whispering her goodbyes, and turning towards the inner part of the city. Whispers of places from old, stories of the past overtaken by shadows, and reclaimed by the earth, the remnants told a story. Placing a hand upon the brick wall feeling the chunks and pieces taken turned to dust. Walking down the street looking at the buckets of rust left behind that resembled a car before the outbreak. Running fingers along with the metal, feeling the memories flood back, to the day she left looking at the house, looking down with eyes filled with regret and recently dried tears. Stopping at the sight of the park, it was the place he proposed asking for her hand in marriage, the place her life stood still. Slowly heading towards the pond, he dropped to one knee, looking up at her with love and passion. Lowering to the ground, taking a deep breath, then letting it go. Why was this so difficult? Why was this so much harder than before? Questions that would eat at her mind felt heavy. Hearing one of the slowly approaching behind her smelling the air hearing her tears fall to the ground. Creeping in closer, brushing her hair aside, turning bloodshot eyes, creating contact feeling every part of her body sink. Heart skipping a beat as the feral just stood there, neither moving but just close to send shivers as the cold skin touched hers. The amount of pain her heart was feeling tightened in her chest, grasping the cloth of her shirt falling to the ground, face sinking into the dirt. Feeling the tears stream down her, face the feral slowly begun to turn away, leaving her to finally have that moment of peace, the place she always would return. Feeling his words whisper across the winds, his heart and soul touching her mind calling to her. As the moments brought her closer to him, the remnant of a photo of them locked away behind the gift. A locket shaped in the place of a heart as he said he was giving her his heart. Alongside, it was the ring that his grandmother gave him that same ring he slipped onto her finger. Each piece serving as a memento helped, to never forget the memories they shared. Dancing out in the light of the moon till seven in the morning, drinking the night away. Even the day they found their first place together and finding out she would be a mother. Every piece that bound her to this world keeping her heart going each day.