Broken - Prologue

PROLOGUE - Balloon

She stood on cold stone. Her gaze sought something in the distance. Her gaunt, honey-coloured fingers clasped the leash. It was a normal balloon, held by a girl who could no longer relate to it. Spherical and smooth, a vibrant ruby shade. Imprisoning the helium with a strange, volatile power. It hovered in the choked air above, taunting her. It danced a forgotten waltz, floating half-heartedly.

What was I thinking?

She let out a breath; a slow one. It quavered. Her hand trembled.

She remembered what she had come here to forget. She shivered. The thin fabric of her dress wrinkled.

A breeze carried the distant laughter of children towards her, almost too quiet to hear. Her soft, brown hair danced in the wind; twisting and tangling as if were moving by no force other than its own.

Then she heard a voice rippling towards her over the solitude.

“Are you alright?”

Her throat closed up as her breathing cut short and her heart shattered. She stretched her lips, smearing an artificial smile over her face. She started shaking. Her hands and her lower lip trembled. Her own body was betraying her.

She wanted, ached to tell him. Please. It’s not like that. I’m...normal. Her own mouth deluded her. Had she spoken out loud?

His smile faded. He looked at her anxiously and backed away.

The stars chased him away.

She crushed a half-born sob, rocking backwards and forwards on the icy stone ledge. I am normal. I am normal. I am normal.

What is normal?

She let go of the balloon.