Her POV

Albert's gaze tore through me like lightening, the brightness flashing at me like the streak of light before the roar of the impact. I couldn't stand the fact that he was so untouchable, so unreal.

His face was so... there. Yet, I swore I could see the faded edges of his oblivion-coloured hair and the dying radiance of his porcelain skin.

I wanted to feel him – I desperately ached to reach out and brush my fingers over his delicate cheek, to wipe away the crystal tears that slid from the void of his powerful stare. Where was my hero? My beloved Albert with the blinding smile and the beautiful words of wisdom, the words that played the lamps that lined my dark path, guiding me through unscathed. Where had he gone?

"Albert."

My hopeless whisper did nothing to halt his modest sobs.

Useless. That's what I was. I cared about no one other than myself and when it came to helping the one who helped me every moment of my life, I couldn't do a damn thing. God, say something, you idiot, I scolded in my head, but pity was something he did not need and coaxing was not honest if you didn't know what you were talking about.

How shameful I should be. Filth, that's what I was. Simply useless filth.

"Albert," I whispered again, my pathetic voice breaking at the pointlessness of my being there with him. I had nothing to give – all I had was my existence. I was a burden.

He said nothing. The gentle sniffling he made sounded so precious that it simply ripped my soul apart to hear it, and I couldn't. I couldn't bear the sound of it another second.

So I left.

I left him there on the lonely rock, surrounded by puddles of water that had collected after a heavy rain, only the twinkling strands of grass and the little birds to keep him company.

As I walked away with the most shameful ache I'd ever felt inside me, I noticed something absurd. The birds were quiet as he cried. I looked back and saw many of them perched atop numerous props of nature, silently mourning his sadness with emotionless eyes and innocent cocks of their heads.

Even they were more of a help than I could ever hope to be.

Albert's POV

I knew she'd left.

I didn't mind, however – I'd been wanting her to leave this whole time. It wasn't that I didn't appreciate her concern, I truly did, but I didn't want to upset her with my own selfish wailing. I was supposed to nurture her with happiness and joy, as much as I could possibly give her, but instead I was sitting here with a depressing face and selfish tears streaming down my cheeks.

However, I refused to pity myself. It was best that she learned to be alone once in a while, too, on the other hand.

Since I had the chance, I took a moment to embrace the calmness in the air. The world was quiet, for once. The sky was clear as the rain had cleaned it of its clouds. The smallest of smiles touched my lips when I realised the birds that crowded around me. How wonderful they were, like people, but kinder and so much more understanding.

They're eyes were alight while they observed me, each one of them hopping aimlessly about, but none of them abandoning me with that solitary rock.

There were so many of those winged creatures, relishing the mid-afternoon breeze and excitedly awaiting a splash of bright colour to leak over the blue of the sky and signal the closing of the day. As it seemed, so was I.

All of a sudden, a warm touch caressed my shoulder. Then, a moment later, the same warmth cupped my other shoulder. An unusual feeling it was, but I felt myself surrender under the palms of the unknown person's hands. I'd never been touched so boldly before – she only touched me shyly and momentously, since if she were to embrace me I'd disappear. Thankfully, however, this person's grip on my shoulders did nothing of the sort.

I remained existing, letting myself get lost in the absurdity of it all. How my being was able to withstand this person's tight hold was a mystery to me.

Succumbing to my delayed curiosity, I lifted my head and shifted my gaze to find out who had gifted me with an unusual sense of comfort and faint familiarity, things I'd never felt before.

But, as I darted my gaze in every way possible and even resorted to getting up and making a full 360° turn, I found no one in sight.

The warmth lingered at the skin of my shoulders and I wondered; how vivid an imagination I must have.

- end -

NOTE: 'Her' is unnamed intentionally because she is not a significant character. The idea is that Albert is her imaginary friend who happens to be very realistic and is the most significant character. Basically, this part is a weird thingy.

A/N: I apologise if there are any grammar/spelling mistakes. Thank you for reading! A vote would be highly appreciated, as always. ~ PBJ