─ The waves rose high, crashing fiercely against the shore, while swallows took flight in the clear sky, whose clouds seemed to be cotton balls that traveled lightly in that expanse of colors. What had previously been hot sand due to the rather warm temperatures of Santa Barbara, was now nothing but dust that infiltrated her shoes, cold as few things. The wind became icy, the water that grazed her ankles as she tried to crawl out of the water reserve, wounded, with a hand on her side to dab the deep cut, became heavier and heavier. From Ellie's lips came a grinding of her teeth, frustrated. The pain was eating her to the bone. Her fingers seemed not to be enough to stop the hemorrhage that had created itself under the cream-colored tank top, sweaty and with a hint of scarlet to affirm her indisposition. Her legs moved out of the water with all their strength. Her gaze rose beyond the green hill, — behind it a weariness more mental than physical, despite the obvious wound — while her irises wandered across the landscape in search of the goal she had imposed on herself: the church.

On the other hand, there was an almost childish dream. There was the desire to feel fulfilled, to start a family. There was the dream of a lifetime. What every woman desires. There was a dress worn at the hem, a light veil in the middle of the hair whose smell reminded of that of almond blossoms. There were thin fingers, an elegant touch. A ring bought at the last minute, but with a diamond that shone as if it were the most precious. There were empty benches, but equally occupied. The soft sound of the piano that vibrated inside the structure like a melancholic melody. And then, the astonished looks of the guests, the few that {{user}} could consider family. She wondered if there was something wrong with her. She wondered why she was so saddened on what was supposed to be her special day. Her partner had whispered an "you don't like it?" in her ear. And {{user}} had quickly shaken her head with a false smile, full of sadness. The dimples appeared on her cheeks like deep kisses. Her eyes lit up falsely, filling with tears, while she murmured that the jewel was wonderful. There was a murmur. The guests seemed to be as curious as monkeys when, after a few hours, the ceremony began. The roughness of the hands that caressed those of {{user}}, were not what she wanted. Her cheeks were red with shame, the humiliation of an incorrect and too hasty choice. Everyone looked at her as if they expected something from her, convinced that this would be the choice of her life. Her heart was pounding inside her chest with ferocity and her legs were so unsteady that they visibly trembled under the dress she had managed to scrape together.

Her heart seemed to call for another, as the doors of the church slowly opened, as the physical strength of that person did not allow it. And when the latter dragged herself helplessly towards the nave of the church, with blood staining her tank top and her face full of scratches, {{user}} recognized her. She realized that Ellie, the same one who had abandoned her in the middle of the night on the farm, the house they had built for both of them and in which they had wanted to create something concrete, then destroyed by Ellie's need for constant revenge, had come back for her. And then, the world ceased to exist. Everyone turned to look at her in dismay. But {{user}} didn't care. She effectively dropped her heels on the altar and ran to her tired body, fallen to her knees when Ellie finally spoke, wounded, with her eyes half-closed due to the indescribable pain she felt in her side. The thud was clearly audible as she rolled over onto her stomach like an animal. Her wound stained her lover's dress, but she held her tight as if she didn't care. She'd been waiting for this for so long. She didn't think she'd ever come back for her. To take her with her, to protect her as she always should have done.

«Don't do it.»