I knew that it was cold. Some part of my brain could still feel the chill sinking into my flesh. I could still tell that the rain was pouring down on me. It weighed down my body even as it soaked my sweater and jeans thoroughly. My bare feet were screaming silent cries from the cool metal below them. There was no doubt it was cold, yet I didn't feel like it was.

   My world felt as if it was encased in smooth glass. Can you imagine it? Couldn't anyone? Like the soft rolling of a marble across the tips of your fingers. Or like the smooth numbness against the palm of your hands when you touch a window. So soft, and so clear, and so utterly numb that you doubt whether or not that glass is actually cold. Everything felt that way for me.

  It wasn't always like that for me, though. I used to feel the heat sinking past my skin on a summer day and the light of the sun always reached me. I knew what it was like to feel alive, but ever since the accident that left me all alone in life, it's been getting colder. The sun has been shining paler and the heat of day grew dim with the changing season. Now, I have no one left to call family, and nothing left to truly call home.

   I stared up at the sky, staring unflinchingly as the rain continued to assault my face. I used to love the rain. The way that each drop tickled and made me want to smile and escape from the next one. Now, each drop simply rolled off my skin without causing the slightest sensation. "Water can't break through glass skin," I said to the clouds.

   The sound of an aggravated growl tapped against my senses from behind. "What the hell does that even mean? This isn't funny," he growled again, but I didn't turn to face him. I only lowered my gaze to see the clashing waves expanding out into the sea below me. Almost a hundred feet of open air filled the space between the violent waves and the cold slippery bridge below my feet.

   "I've become glass. The rain can't break through my skin anymore, so it just rolls off. I can barely tell if it's actually falling on me," I answered his question out of courtesy. My mother went to a lot of trouble to drill manners into my head. Even after being left alone, those lessons still came back to the surface.

    I had to shut my eyes hard to stop the memories from rising up and tormenting me. Every time I remembered what my life was like before the accident, those memories would burn a hole in my chest that just filled up with more numbness after it faded.

   I'd already made up my mind, however. There was one memory that burned hotter and deeper than any of the others. A boat trip up north with my sister and parents. A souvenir snow globe we'd all agreed to get from the gift shop. Standing out on the edge of the deck as the sun settled and hiding beneath the horizon just as it was now. My father's words, "This one is just the way it should be. Not a crack or imperfection anywhere on its surface. Yet, if you look at how fragile it is on the inside, it's obvious that it won't last too long like this. So kids, why don't you drop it into the sea to keep it safe forever?" when we questioned him, he told us how the water kept glass safe and clean even at the bottom of the sea. We dropped it almost immediately and imagined fishes carrying it to the bottom.

    I'd already decided, that my insides couldn't hold out for much longer. At least, this way I'd be safe from breaking.

   "You have got to be kidding me! look at where you are standing! Can't you see how far up you are? This is not some game, man. Come down from there," his anger almost made me turn, but I resisted. I barely knew him and he barely knew me. When a stroke of thunder snapped the clouds and lit up the world for just a moment, I could see just how high up I really was. The waves below were frantic and hungry. They thrashed and climbed over each other almost as if in a frenzy awaiting my fall. The sight sparked a fear in me and froze me from head to toe.

   "It doesn't matter," I muttered to myself. Maybe it was just the cold sinking into my head, but I could imagine things more easily. I could see myself standing on the thin railing atop the side of the bridge, body stiff, eyes closed, skin smooth as glass.

    The waves may have been wild, but it was water nonetheless. I dreamed of it opening up to catch me and take me safely below the surface where nothing could hurt me anymore. I'd be safe, so it didn't matter how much time passed or how frightening it looked.

   He started grumbling again behind me, but I ignored him entirely. The misty air around my head began to swirl magically as my mind was encompassed by dreams of snow globes and peaceful waves. Everything started to feel alright by the time I decided to take a step forward.

My eyes were closed, but my body was trusting. The air had just begun to whiz passed my ears when, SmaCK! My back was snatched and arms snagged by my shirt.

Two hands pulled up from above and behind my sweater effectively stopping my fall and stealing my breath. I opened my eyes just in time to see the clouds rushing closer as I was lifted up with one forceful tug. I heard that same frustrated growl below me and didn't have a second to process it before my back was literally slammed into the cold hard ground. The impact was so hard and surprising it might as well have shattered my spine and ruptured my heart all at once. "Agh!" I barely registered the puddle I was slammed into until the water splashed back down over my face.

   The pain shooting up my body made me want to sit up and clutch my sides, but before I could he was above me. His heavy left hand pinning down my chest while his gloved right hand clutched my left shoulder. "Enough!" he roared into my face.

   I had no choice but to truly look at him for the first time all day. The sheer ferocity in his eyes made me shudder in fright as they were only inches away from my own. He was so furious that he lifted my chest a few inches off the ground and slammed me once again forcing me to cry out. The trance-like dream that had welcomed me so peacefully was broken down and vaporized in a flash. Yet, the bright amber eyes continued to flare at me with stunning intensity.

   Everything came rushing up to the surface and spilling out of me in waves. Sobs began to rack my entire body more from sadness and grief than any sort of physical pain I was in. It had been months since the accident, but I hadn't felt so much sadness flood my being at any point before. All the effort I'd put in to bury it, to get over it, to let it pass on. Lying there I felt exposed and couldn't stop it.

   I never got the chance to tell my mom how sorry I was for being such a pain in the ass as a kid. I would never get to tell my dad about getting accepted to the university's dance program. My sister, freaking hell, my sneaky little baby sister was just about to graduate! I didn't get to see her graduate middle school! Everything in my life was taken away in one second! They all left to only god knows where, and they left me behind! With no one to care about, with nothing to live for.

   I screamed and tried to thrash off the ground, but his arms were too strong. Just as I managed to slip out from under his palms, he wrapped his damn arms around my ribs and held me so tightly I thought they'd crack.

    I would throw myself off the bridge and pray that the water would still take me. That there might still be a way to stop everything from pouring out of me. "Let m-Let Me Go! Let Me Go- Let Go, Let Go, Let Go!" I screamed, but he just continued to crush the fight out of me.

   Time passed. It could have been anywhere from ten seconds to ten hours and I wouldn't have known the difference. When I had no tears left to release, and no strength left to fight him, I just leaned back against him and started talking. I talked about my family. About how much we'd gone through together and how much they'd done for me. I told him about the new school I was supposed to start soon and how proud they would have been. He didn't say a word through it all which I was completely grateful for.

   It really must have taken hours because by the time I was done talking, the rain had already subsided. The full moon and stars were out and shone down without a single cloud left to block their light. It was actually startling and a bit terrifying. The moon looked so much brighter than I remembered that it made me drop my head in shame. I didn't believe that I should even see something so bright and beautiful after what just happened.

    Yet, I didn't actually have a choice. "Come on, don't look away yet," he grumbled, though his tone had softened remarkably. One of his arms released my body and traveled up to my chin. He casually lifted my head till I couldn't help but see the luminescent light streaming from a rare unclouded night sky. A few more tears fell down my face, but those weren't like the others. These felt like freedom and gentle warmth. Something I hadn't felt in months and didn't realize how much I missed it.

    I don't know how long it was before I sneezed and passed out. All I know is that he saved my life by shattering me.