- 9 hours ago
Thirty Seconds Underwater HD
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00Today was supposed to be our deep dive mission with my boyfriend, Ethan.
00:05But at the last minute, he galled from Chloe and rushed off.
00:13He didn't notice I'd been caught in the undercurrent.
00:19In those 30 seconds, pinned against the reef with my breathing tube tangled in the rocks,
00:25the only running through my mind was,
00:28I wish he were here.
00:34The first thing I did after climbing ashore was reach up and touch my left ear.
00:39It was still bleeding.
00:41My eardrum had ruptured.
00:44Instinctively, I reached for my phone to text Ethan.
00:50A social media postist popped up on the screen.
00:53In the photo, Chloe Winters was in a swimsuit.
00:58Ethan the Waz was not alone behind hind her, his hands steady on her waist.
01:04The caption read,
01:06Thirteenth lesson.
01:08The little guy has mastered his second swimming stroke.
01:12It turned out that when I was on the verge of death,
01:18he was teaching another woman how to swimming.
01:21Droplets of water slid from the ends of my hair onto the screen,
01:25blurring the image.
01:29My phone rang.
01:31It was Ethan calling.
01:34Chloe swallowed some water during practice.
01:37You're such a good diver.
01:39You could have made the dive without me.
01:41But Chloe is so fragile.
01:43I had to teach her to swim first.
01:46You must understand, right?
01:50The ringing in my left ear kept going, steady and relentless.
01:56No need.
01:58I can't dive anymore.
01:59And I don't need a dive partner now, either.
02:06After getting my ear treated at the hospital,
02:09I made it back to the apartment.
02:11It was already 7.30 in the evening.
02:16Ethan had gotten home before me,
02:19fresh out of the shower,
02:20his hair still half damp.
02:26You're back.
02:28He didn't bother lifting his head,
02:31his fingers still tapping away at his phone.
02:36I'd sent him messages, too.
02:39A hundred and thirty-seven of them,
02:41all unread.
02:45The water temperature at the pool
02:47was way too low today.
02:49Chloe was in the water for two hours.
02:58Her legs were shaking by the time she got out.
03:01At a depth of a hundred and thirty feet,
03:04when the turbulence kicked up silt and sand,
03:07the water temperature was barely above freezing.
03:14My legs were shaking, too.
03:16So I grabbed that bottle of body lotion
03:19from your cabinet and gave it to Chloe.
03:24Her skin was so dry,
03:26it was driving her crazy.
03:27It's not like you were using it anyway.
03:31That was a limited edition
03:33I'd had a friend overseas stand in line
03:35for two weeks to get.
03:38My voice came out hoarse.
03:41I see.
03:44Have some water.
03:46Good for your throat.
03:48Ice-cold Chloe's cup.
03:50Pink cherry blossoms
03:51printed on the ceramic.
03:53A fuzzy little rabbit charm
03:55dangling from the handle.
03:58Don't overthink it.
03:59I broke your mug,
04:00so just make do with this one for now.
04:05Not thirsty?
04:07I didn't take it.
04:08My hands stayed buried in my pockets.
04:10My fingertips were numb with cold.
04:12On the shoe rack by the door,
04:14a pair of tiny white canvas sneakers had appeared.
04:18A pink cashmere cardigan
04:20was draped over the arm of the couch.
04:22This apartment, our home,
04:24was slowly being filled by someone else.
04:31Ethan's gaze finally drifted over to me.
04:36What happened to your ear?
04:38The blood-spotted gauze covering my left ear
04:41got hurt.
04:43How'd you manage to be so careless?
04:46Ear injuries are the number one thing
04:48divers are supposed to avoid.
04:52Well, be more careful next time.
04:55But with your skills,
04:57I'm sure you handled it fine.
05:02Not like Chloe,
05:04that little disaster.
05:06You've never need anyone to worry about you.
05:09It won't clear up.
05:21After my shower,
05:23I went back to my room
05:24and opened my laptop.
05:26I clicked into the transfer application portal.
05:31I uploaded the medical certificate
05:33confirming the eardrum rupture
05:35and my permanent disqualification from diving.
05:39Then I submitted my request for reassignment,
05:42coastal data recording,
05:44New Zealand.
05:47The next morning,
05:49I was jolted awake by a searing pain in my left ear.
05:54The complications from the perforation were starting to set in.
05:58The pain radiated through half my skull.
06:04I dry-swallowed to painkillers
06:06before it eased enough to function.
06:12Today I had to go to the East District Diving Base.
06:18The physical copy of my transfer request
06:21needed to be signed in person.
06:27I pushed open the bedroom door.
06:29Ethan was already at the dining table.
06:33Come have breakfast.
06:35Chloe went out of her way yesterday,
06:37stood in line at that trendy bakery.
06:42The sandwiches were packed thick
06:44with bacon and melted cheddar.
06:48I'm allergic to cheese.
06:50One bite and I break out in hives.
06:53He never remembered things like that.
06:59I didn't touch the food on the table
07:02and asked him.
07:07I need to go to the base medical office today.
07:10The doctor wants a follow-up.
07:11I can't drive with my ear like this.
07:15Can you give me a ride?
07:20He looked at my pale face and nodded.
07:27Fine.
07:28I'm heading that way anyway.
07:30Your stuff comes first.
07:31Dive Partners.
07:32That's what we're for, right?
07:34At nine, we headed out.
07:37His Maybach.
07:38The passenger seat was pushed all the way forward.
07:43A pink cartoon headrest was strapped to the backrest.
07:49Chloe was short.
07:51She liked the seat pulled up close to the dash.
07:56I didn't touch the adjustment button.
07:59I opened the rear door
08:00and climbed into the back seat.
08:03Halfway there,
08:04his phone rang.
08:10Ethan, where are you?
08:11My leg hurts so bad.
08:13Where I had that cramp last night,
08:15it's all swollen now.
08:16Ethan's face changed in an instant.
08:20Don't cry.
08:22Don't move around.
08:24He wrenched the steering wheel.
08:27The tires screeched against the wet pavement.
08:31I'm coming right now.
08:33A sharp pain inevitably shot through my ears.
08:41Before I could even speak,
08:43he hung up and glanced at me through the rearview mirror.
08:50Lana.
08:51Lie.
08:52Chloe's leg cramp got worse.
08:54I need to go check on her first.
08:59Your prescription isn't exactly an emergency anyway.
09:02I'll drop you off at the next intersection.
09:05Just grab a cab from there.
09:09My voice was filled with agony.
09:14We're on the overpass.
09:16You can't get a cab here.
09:18And my ear really hurts.
09:23He said impatiently.
09:28Lana, can you please not pick right now to be dramatic?
09:33You swam back from a hundred feet underwater all by yourself.
09:38What's a little walking?
09:40Chloe's timid.
09:41She's hurt.
09:44The car screeched to a stop at a desolate intersection.
09:50Get out.
09:51I'll call you once I'm done with Chloe.
09:54I got out of the car.
09:56Raindrops hit the open wound on my ear.
09:58The pain drove into my skull like needles.
10:03I walked the rest of the way along the highway in the rain.
10:07All the way to the base.
10:12Supervisor Grant took one look at my bedraggled state
10:15and his brow furrowed deep.
10:22Ethan didn't drive you?
10:25No.
10:26He had something else.
10:29Where's the transfer form?
10:32Supervisor Grant sighed and pulled a document out of his desk drawer.
10:41I've already signed it.
10:43Headquarters approved it too.
10:48I booked the flight for next Monday.
10:50Three more days.
10:52He looked at me, hesitating.
10:58Lana, does Ethan know you're leaving?
11:01I picked up the pen from his desk.
11:04On the final confirmation line, I pressed down hard and signed my name.
11:10No.
11:11He doesn't need to know.
11:15When I pushed open the apartment door, the living room TV was blaring some variety show.
11:24Ethan was half-kneeling beside the couch, holding an ice pack against Chloe's shin.
11:38I stood in the entryway, watching him keep his head down, fussing over a patch of redness no bigger than
11:49a coin.
11:54Lana, why is there a piece of wet tissue stuck to your ear?
12:00Before I could pull away, Chloe's fingernail had already hooked into the medical gauze, soaked through from the rain.
12:10I saw the smirk in her eyes, and the next second, she yanked hard.
12:15The freshly clotted scab tore open along with it.
12:19I let out a cry of pain.
12:25Chloe shrieked and recoiled.
12:28Her eyes instantly went red.
12:31Tears welled up.
12:33I'm so sorry.
12:35I thought it was just a scrape of tissue.
12:39Ethan immediately moved to soothe her.
12:42It's okay.
12:44It's okay.
12:45Don't be scared.
12:48You didn't do it on purpose.
12:51He grabbed a paper napkin and shoved them into my hand.
12:59You alright?
13:00Go put some icing on that.
13:03He didn't even stand up.
13:05His other hand was still holding the ice pack against Chloe's leg.
13:10I took those to dry, useless paper napkins and pressed them against the bleeding wound.
13:18When I came back from the bathroom, Chloe was eyeing the plastic bag I'd set on the table.
13:28Lana, were you at the deep-sea diving base just now?
13:36Ethan says the water temperature in the deep sea is freezing, and it's so dark and cold down there.
13:46That's why he only ever took me to the shallow end 13 times in a row.
13:52She tilted her face up toward Ethan.
13:55Then doesn't Lana get scared all alone down there in the deep sea?
14:00She's got great technique and nerves of steel.
14:04She made it back safe of 100 feet underwater without a scratch.
14:10You think everyone's like you, choking on water in the shallow end?
14:15Lana's a professional surveyor.
14:17She doesn't need anyone holding her hand.
14:20First rule of diving, never leave your dive partner 130 feet beneath the surface.
14:28The 30 seconds my breathing tube was caught on the reef.
14:35And my dive partner was in a temperature-controlled shallow pool,
14:39teaching another girl her second swimming stroke.
14:47Ethan, that little silver whistle around your neck is so cute.
14:52Chloe suddenly pointed at Ethan's chest.
14:55That was my rescue whistle.
14:58Ben, for my first deep-water dive tomorrow, can I borrow it?
15:06She tugged at the hem of Ethan's shirt.
15:12I'm scared.
15:14If I can't find you down there, I'll just blow this whistle, okay?
15:20Lana?
15:21This whistle.
15:23Chloe wants to borrow it for tomorrow.
15:25That's fine, right?
15:26Ethan turned toward me.
15:29That was the day we officially became dive partners.
15:32I was the one who hung it around his neck, with my own hands.
15:40I'm putting my life in your hands.
15:44When you hear's whistle, I will come for you.
15:50Those were his exact words to me that day.
15:58It's just a whistle.
15:59It's not like you don't have a spare.
16:01Chloe's going into deep water for the first time tomorrow.
16:04She needs, needs a little security.
16:07Don't be so stingy.
16:09Chloe's small voice drifted from the couch.
16:12Lana doesn't want to.
16:13It's okay.
16:18Of course she doesn't mind.
16:20Right.
16:22Okay.
16:24Ethan unhooked the metal clasp from around his neck.
16:28He bent down and slipped the rescue whistle over Chloe's head.
16:37There.
16:38If you get scared tomorrow, just blow.
16:41I promise I'll be right there the moment I hear it.
16:46I stood there.
16:48Rooted to the spot.
16:50The ringing in my left ear grew louder and louder.
16:56Take it.
17:00Things that are given away don't need to be returned.
17:03Less than 24 hours until my flight to New Zealand.
17:10The transfer order was already signed.
17:13Minimum three-year assignment.
17:15Maybe I'd never come back.
17:20In the morning, I stood at the stove, stirring a pot of seafood chowder, his favorite.
17:29The master bedroom door opened.
17:32Ethan emerged, twirling his car keys.
17:37The chowder just finished.
17:39Have a bowl before you go.
17:43No time.
17:44Chloe's waiting for me.
17:45It's her first time in the deep center day.
17:47She was so nervous she barely slept.
17:54My voice was tinged with sorrow.
17:59Ethan, do you remember how many times you've abandoned me?
18:04His tone was so casual that he didn't pick up on my sadness at all.
18:11Work stuff doesn't count as abandoning.
18:14I looked at him and said very seriously,
18:17Thirteen times.
18:19You abandoned me thirteen times.
18:22Why are you counting like that?
18:24You made it back safe every time, didn't you?
18:30And what if I almost didn't?
18:34Don't say things like that.
18:36You're standing right here, perfectly fine, aren't you?
18:43The ringing in my left ear kept going, steady and unbroken.
18:51Do you have to go?
18:54I asked him one last time.
18:58He was already at the door.
19:03If I'm one minute late, she'll be up on the shore crying her eyes out all day.
19:07The door opened.
19:09Then it slammed shut.
19:10I turned slowly and walked back to the dining table.
19:17I poured the bowl of seafood chowder down the kitchen sink.
19:27Back in the bedroom, I packed.
19:29There wasn't much that belonged to me.
19:31A few wetsuits.
19:32Some everyday clothes.
19:37A single 20-inch suitcase was enough to hold it all.
19:44Before I left, I looked back at this apartment one last time.
19:52His shirt from last night was draped over the back of the couch.
20:00The ice pack he'd used on Chloe's foot was still on the bathroom counter.
20:06Her cup sat on the coffee table.
20:08Right next to his.
20:10Mine was broken.
20:12I never bought a new one.
20:19Ethan had just climbed out of the water after Chloe's deep-end session.
20:27When he picked up his phone, my message was waiting on the screen.
20:32We're done.
20:39His grip on the phone tightened.
20:44April Fool's was weeks ago.
20:46Stop joking around.
20:48But he knew.
20:50Ten years of knowing each other.
20:51Seven years as dive partners.
20:53I had never, not once, played these kinds of games.
20:59Ethan!
21:00I almost sank again back there.
21:03Good thing you pulled me up so fast.
21:08Let's go get sushi for lunch.
21:10Ethan pulled the door open and walked out.
21:15Chloe had already changed.
21:17She was fiddling with the rescue whistle he'd given her.
21:21Sushi?
21:22Yeah.
21:23That new place?
21:24They have my favorite spicy tuna roll.
21:31He nodded on autopilot.
21:33Only then did it register.
21:35The one who loved sushi was Chloe.
21:38The restaurant was quiet.
21:41Chloe sat across from him, chattering non-stop about her experience in the water.
21:47He didn't touch his food.
21:50The chat window still held only that one lonely breakup message.
21:58No follow-ups.
22:01No.
22:02Where are you?
22:04No.
22:05Come home soon.
22:08He typed.
22:09Got sushi with Chloe, won't be doing dinner with you tonight.
22:13Let me know what you want.
22:17Half an hour.
22:19Still no reply.
22:21Ethan, let's go watch the fireworks by the river after this.
22:25Okay.
22:26No.
22:26I'm going home.
22:31The apartment door swung open.
22:33No lights had been left on.
22:35The row of black wetsuits.
22:37Empty.
22:40The photo of their first dive.
22:42Flipped face down.
22:44He pulled out his phone and dialed the number he knew by heart.
22:48No answer.
22:49There was still one place he could look.
22:52The East District deep diving base.
22:56Ethan didn't bother knocking.
22:58He shoved the door open.
23:01Grant.
23:03Where's Lana?
23:04Supervisor Grant was in his office.
23:07You didn't know she left for New Zealand?
23:12Our deep dive mead mission is supposed to start next month.
23:16Our dears, Warshili Branner.
23:18What's she doing in New Zealand?
23:20She applied for a coastal data recording position.
23:23Her flights this afternoon.
23:25Grant slapped a photocopy down on his desk.
23:29As for next month's mission,
23:31I've assigned you a new dive partner.
23:34I don't need a new partner.
23:36The only partner I recognize is Lana.
23:41Supervisor Grant's brow furrowed.
23:43He pulled out a medical report.
23:46You didn't know her eardrum was ruptured?
23:52That she's permanently disqualified from diving?
23:56How is she supposed to be your dive partner now?
24:00Ethan stood frozen, his pupils contracting sharply.
24:05What?
24:06Grant said in a cold voice.
24:08That was a hundred and thirty foot strong current zone.
24:15What's the first rule of deep diving?
24:18Your dive partner never leaves your line of sight.
24:22When the turbulence swept her into the reef, where were you?
24:27Ethan's throat was dry as sand.
24:30I thought that deep dive mission was a hundred feet.
24:37She's done solo dives at a hundred feet before.
24:39She can handle it alone.
24:44So, I went to the shallow end to teach Chloe how to swim.
24:48Supervisor Grant was so furious, he actually laughed.
24:52You didn't even read the mission brief?
24:55You left your dive partner alone in the deep sea
24:59to go play instructor for some woman who can't even swim!
25:04Due to gross negligence,
25:06the base has decided to revoke
25:07all your deep diving certifications for this year.
25:12Ethan didn't argue.
25:14He turned and walked out of the base.
25:19He sat in his car.
25:21He didn't even turn the headlights on.
25:26Lana.
25:29I didn't know you were hurt that badly.
25:34His hands trembling,
25:36he opened my chat window.
25:41Lana.
25:43I didn't know it was a hundred and thirty feet.
25:45I didn't read the mission brief carefully.
25:52I thought you could handle a hundred feet.
25:55Why didn't you tell me?
25:58Please, just send me one reply.
26:01Anything.
26:09This time, he got a response.
26:11He sat up straight.
26:13A single message appeared.
26:16If you had known it was a hundred and thirty feet,
26:19would you have chosen not to go to Chloe?
26:24Ethan stared at those words.
26:27Ethan stared at those words.
26:27He typed.
26:28I have stayed with you.
26:32But after typing it,
26:34he stopped.
26:35One by one,
26:36he deleted every letter.
26:38He couldn't lie to himself.
26:40Deep down,
26:41he had always been absolutely certain
26:43that my skills were good enough,
26:45that I wouldn't die.
26:47So he would always,
26:48every time,
26:49choose to answer Chloe's tears.
26:53In the end,
26:55the phone slipped from his palm
26:56and fell onto the floor mat.
27:09I sat in front of the data recorder,
27:12logging today's current readings
27:13into the system.
27:17No more diving,
27:18no more suffocation.
27:20No more waiting for someone
27:21to come save me.
27:25The ringing in my left ear
27:27still flared up sometimes,
27:28but I'd learned to coexist with it.
27:33A sharp metallic clink against the desk.
27:36A silver rescue whistle
27:37sat beside my keyboard.
27:40Around the mouthpiece,
27:42a faint ring of tiny teeth marks
27:44was still visible.
27:49Ollie pulled up the chair next to me.
27:54Lana,
27:55there's a guy downstairs
27:56looking for you.
27:57He's been standing out there
27:58for four hours.
28:00Says he's your dive partner.
28:06My fingers paused
28:07over the keyboard,
28:08dive partner.
28:10What a distant,
28:11ironic word.
28:15Don't know him.
28:17Not interested.
28:18Tell security to get rid of him.
28:21He stood up and pointed
28:23at the rescue whistle.
28:28What about this?
28:31The whistle I had hung
28:32around his neck
28:33with my own hands.
28:34The one that meant
28:35I was putting my life in his.
28:38The one Ethan had put
28:39around another woman's neck.
28:43Throw it in the trash.
28:45The next day,
28:47Ollie came to my desk again.
28:49This time,
28:51he set down a clear
28:52plastic zip bag.
28:53Inside was a ceramic mug,
28:56painstakingly glued back together.
29:01Lana,
29:03he's still downstairs.
29:04He made me bring this up,
29:06said he fixed it.
29:07I stared at the mug.
29:10He'd glued it back together,
29:12but a shattered cup,
29:14no matter how carefully
29:15you piece it,
29:16will always leak.
29:19I carried the bag
29:20to the trash.
29:21Just throw it away.
29:23Day three,
29:24a bottle of limited edition
29:26body lotion.
29:29Day four,
29:30a thick diving log book,
29:32chronicling every single dive
29:34from our seven years
29:35as partners.
29:36Day five,
29:37a pair of custom diving rings.
29:42A strange atmosphere
29:44settled over the office.
29:47What day is this now?
29:48Thirteen.
29:50I heard he and Lana
29:52used to be partners,
29:53coming all this way
29:55after her.
29:57Kind of heartbreaking.
29:59Heartbreaking?
30:00You all know what it means
30:02in coastal survey work,
30:03the weight of putting
30:04your back in someone else's hands.
30:09He's the one
30:10who did her wrong first.
30:12But he's burning up
30:13with a fever,
30:14can barely stand.
30:16He's still staring up
30:17at this building.
30:22I tapped the final data entry
30:24into the keyboard.
30:26I'm going downstairs.
30:28The automatic doors
30:30slid open.
30:31Cold wind mixed with rain
30:32and blew in.
30:34Ethan was leaning
30:35against the wall,
30:37his body trembling slightly.
30:39He'd lost a lot of weight.
30:40His eyes were sunken deep.
30:42The moment he saw me,
30:44a light sparked in his gaze.
30:49Lana.
30:50What do you want?
30:51He hesitated for a moment
30:53and asked.
30:54Your ear,
30:55is it any better?
30:57It won't get better.
30:59Come back with me.
31:00Please.
31:03I've found the best ear specialist.
31:06We can get it treated.
31:09There is no treatment.
31:14I'm sorry.
31:16If I had just checked
31:17the mission depth that day.
31:19Ethan,
31:20a hundred feet
31:20or a hundred and thirty,
31:22it doesn't matter.
31:22The point isn't the depth.
31:25I spoke coldly.
31:28The point is
31:30that you weren't there,
31:32his breath caught.
31:38Being your dive partner
31:39is exhausting.
31:41I put my life
31:43in your hands
31:43and you used it
31:45to make someone else
31:46feel special.
31:47I thought you could...
31:50He was cut off by me
31:51before he could finish speaking.
31:57You thought my skills
31:58were good enough.
31:59You thought I was independent.
32:08You thought nothing
32:09would ever happen to me.
32:17So every single time
32:19there was a choice,
32:21I was the one
32:22who got left behind.
32:23Ethan's voice spiked suddenly.
32:25So desperate
32:26his breathing came undone.
32:28I never meant
32:29to abandon you!
32:31I already gave you thirteen.
32:34His lips parted
32:35as though he wanted
32:36to speak.
32:37Just then,
32:38the sharp clatter
32:39of high heels
32:40echoed across the floor.
32:43Ethan!
32:44Chloe Winters
32:45came running over
32:46and seized Ethan
32:47by the arm,
32:48tears streaming
32:49down her face.
32:50I finally found you!
32:55Why didn't you
32:56answer my calls?
32:57Why did you disappear
32:58to New Zealand
32:59without saying
33:00a single word?
33:06Do you have any idea
33:07how worried I've been?
33:09Ethan's face
33:10went hard
33:11in an instant.
33:12He wrenched
33:13his arm free.
33:14Who told you
33:15to come here?
33:17Because I
33:18care about you!
33:21Chloe screamed
33:22through her tears.
33:27She won't even
33:28talk to you anymore!
33:30She got your
33:31diving
33:32cervix
33:32ernications
33:33revoked!
33:34Why are you
33:34still chasing
33:35after her?
33:38She spun around
33:39and glared
33:40at me.
33:41Lana Brooks,
33:43do you even
33:44have a heart?
33:45Ethan came
33:46all the way
33:47here for you,
33:48stood in the rain
33:49for hours
33:50and hours!
33:53How can you
33:54treat him
33:54like this?
33:56Shut your mouth!
33:57Ethan stepped
33:58between me
33:59and Chloe.
33:59My business
34:00is none
34:01of yours.
34:02How can you
34:03say there's
34:04nothing between
34:04us?
34:05Ethan,
34:06I love you!
34:09She lifted
34:10her chin.
34:12You love
34:13me too.
34:16Don't you?
34:17Ethan's face
34:18changed
34:19completely.
34:20What the hell
34:20are you saying?
34:21I don't love
34:22you!
34:23I have never
34:23loved you!
34:25Chloe let
34:26out a bitter,
34:26broken laugh.
34:29You don't
34:30love me?
34:32Then why,
34:33when my leg
34:34cramped up,
34:35did you abandon
34:36her under
34:37the overpass
34:38and drove
34:39through the
34:39rain to get
34:40to me?
34:41You don't
34:42love me?
34:43Then why
34:43did you take
34:44her rescue
34:44whistle off
34:45your own
34:45neck and
34:46put it
34:46around mine?
34:48You don't
34:49love me?
34:52Then why
34:53did you leave
34:53her alone
34:54in the deep
34:55sea 13
34:56times to
34:57come to
34:57the shallow
34:58end with
34:58me?
35:01With every
35:01word,
35:02Ethan's face
35:03went one
35:04shade paler,
35:05and my
35:06left ear.
35:07It felt
35:07like a
35:08steel needle
35:08had been
35:09driven in
35:09deep.
35:14I only
35:15helped you
35:15because you
35:16were so
35:16helpless.
35:18I pitied
35:19you.
35:20You gave
35:21me every
35:22bit of
35:22the devotion
35:23that belonged
35:24to your
35:24girlfriend,
35:25and now
35:26you're telling
35:27me it was
35:27just pity?
35:28Ethan
35:29stopped
35:29trying to
35:30reason with
35:30her.
35:31He turned
35:32to me,
35:33frantic.
35:33Lana,
35:34it wasn't
35:34like that.
35:36She's the
35:36one who
35:36got the
35:37wrong idea.
35:39You were
35:39the one
35:40who gave
35:41her room
35:41to get
35:42the wrong
35:42idea,
35:45and you
35:45crossed the
35:46line yourself.
35:47He had
35:48severed the
35:49oxygen line
35:49with his
35:50own hands,
35:50and now he
35:51was asking
35:52me if I
35:52needed help
35:53breathing.
35:56I don't
35:57care what
35:57you were
35:58thinking,
35:58and I
35:59don't care
35:59where your
36:00heart is.
36:01I won't
36:02interfere in
36:02your life.
36:03I looked
36:04him straight
36:05in the
36:05eyes.
36:06So please,
36:08stop interfering
36:09in mine.
36:10I turned
36:10around and
36:11walked back
36:11upstairs.
36:12I didn't
36:13look back.
36:16After that
36:17day, Chloe
36:18went back
36:19home, but
36:20Ethan didn't
36:20leave.
36:22He rented
36:22a ground
36:23floor apartment
36:24in the
36:24building
36:24across from
36:25mine.
36:29If he
36:29pushed open
36:30his window,
36:31he could
36:32see the
36:32light in
36:32my kitchen.
36:36He stopped
36:37standing outside
36:38the office
36:39building every
36:39day.
36:41Instead,
36:42every morning,
36:43a paper bag
36:44appeared hanging
36:45from the
36:46handle of
36:46my workstation
36:47door.
36:49A cup of
36:50hot americano
36:51to slices
36:52of whole
36:53wheat toast.
36:54No cheese.
36:57When I got
36:58off work,
36:59the sky was
37:00usually already
37:01dark.
37:02The survey
37:03station is at
37:04a remote port.
37:06The two-mile
37:06coastal road from
37:07the station to
37:08the bus stop
37:09has no street
37:10lights.
37:12Walking home
37:13after dark,
37:14I always heard
37:14it, a faint
37:15footstep,
37:16trailing 10 or
37:1715 yards behind
37:18me.
37:19When I
37:19stopped, the
37:21sound stopped.
37:22When I
37:22turned a
37:22corner, the
37:23sound followed.
37:24One night, a
37:26stray dog bolted
37:27out of nowhere
37:27and knocked
37:28on the trash
37:29can.
37:30The footsteps
37:31behind me
37:32scrambled out
37:32of rhythm.
37:33He ran
37:33forward a few
37:34steps, then
37:35stopped, five
37:36yards away.
37:38The dim glow of
37:39a street lamp fell
37:40across him.
37:41He was wearing a
37:42thin trench coat,
37:43clutching a long
37:44black umbrella.
37:45I looked at
37:47him.
37:47He took a
37:48step backward.
37:54I won't come
37:55close.
37:56His voice was
37:57shredded by the
37:58wind.
38:00The road's too
38:01dark.
38:02You can't see
38:04where you're
38:04stepping.
38:06I turned away
38:07and kept
38:07walking.
38:09December 24th,
38:10Christmas Eve.
38:12It doesn't
38:12really snow in
38:13New Zealand, but
38:14this year the
38:15temperature had
38:16dropped below
38:16freezing.
38:18I finished up
38:19at work, cleared
38:20my desk, and
38:22walked out of
38:22the station.
38:25I wrapped my
38:27scarf tighter
38:27and started down
38:28that pitch-black
38:29coastal road.
38:30The footsteps
38:31followed, as
38:32they always did.
38:37I reached my
38:38apartment building
38:39and pressed the
38:40buzzer.
38:45the footsteps
38:46behind me
38:46stopped at the
38:47edge of the
38:48streetlamps
38:48glow.
38:51He stood
38:52there, his
38:53shoulders soaked
38:54through from the
38:54rain.
38:57Ethan Pierce.
39:01Here.
39:04How long are you
39:05going to follow
39:06me?
39:06His voice was
39:07hoarse.
39:08I'm not
39:09trying to
39:09bother you.
39:10I just, I
39:12just want to
39:12make sure you
39:12get home safe.
39:17It's cold
39:17out.
39:20I looked at
39:21his lips,
39:22tinged blue
39:23from the
39:23freezing air.
39:25Come inside.
39:28The living room
39:29lights were off.
39:30Only a single
39:31floor lamp was
39:32on.
39:34I walked
39:35into the
39:35kitchen,
39:36turned on
39:36the stove.
39:37I filled a
39:38pot with
39:39water and
39:39added some
39:40more cocoa
39:41powder.
39:41He sat on
39:42the edge of
39:43the couch,
39:43body rigid,
39:45hands clasped
39:45together.
39:46He didn't
39:47even dare
39:47lean back.
39:50Do you
39:50remember one
39:52Christmas Eve
39:54years ago?
39:55His voice
39:56came from
39:56behind me.
39:58That year
39:59we were in
40:00Iceland.
40:01we'd just
40:02surfaced from
40:02a dive,
40:03freezing.
40:04You said
40:05you wanted
40:06some hot
40:06cocoa.
40:07I went to
40:08three different
40:08stores and
40:09finally found
40:10cocoa.
40:13That night,
40:14we used to
40:15be this warm
40:16and sweet
40:17too.
40:17That day,
40:18he really did
40:19go to three
40:20different stores,
40:21but after he
40:22came back,
40:23he got a call
40:23from Chloe.
40:25She said
40:25she'd broken
40:26her leg at
40:27a ski resort.
40:28There was no
40:29one to take
40:29her to the
40:30hospital.
40:31He sat
40:32in the living
40:33room for a
40:33full hour on
40:34that long
40:34distance call,
40:36arranging
40:36hospitals,
40:37contacting
40:38friends,
40:39finding
40:40doctors.
40:42I watched
40:43the hot
40:44cocoa by my
40:45hand grow
40:45cold until
40:46a layer of
40:47white froth
40:48finally floated
40:48on top,
40:49utterly
40:50disgusting.
40:50toasting.
40:55In the end,
40:56I threw away
40:57that cup of
40:57hot cocoa.
41:03He only
41:03remembered going
41:04to three shops
41:05for it,
41:06but never knew
41:07I hadn't taken
41:07a single sip.
41:11I turned off
41:11the heat and
41:12poured the hot
41:13cocoa into a
41:14cup.
41:16He stared at
41:17the cup of
41:17hot cocoa.
41:19The veins on
41:19the back of
41:20his hands
41:20stood out.
41:24And then,
41:25without warning,
41:26tears began
41:27falling from his
41:28eyes.
41:32Lana.
41:34Drink.
41:37And after
41:38you're done,
41:39don't come
41:40back.
41:41He didn't
41:42speak.
41:43He finally
41:43understood.
41:44This wasn't a
41:45dinner of
41:46forgiveness.
41:47This was the
41:47final send-off.
41:50He picked
41:51up the cup,
41:52his hands
41:53trembling
41:53violently.
41:54Hot cocoa
41:55spilled all
41:56over him,
41:57yet he didn't
41:57even seem to
41:58notice.
42:00Tears fell
42:01one after
42:02another into
42:02the hot
42:03cocoa onto
42:04the back
42:05of his
42:05hand.
42:09Everything
42:09you make,
42:10it's always
42:11been delicious.
42:13He coughing
42:14from the
42:14heat,
42:15tears and
42:15mucus running
42:16together.
42:18He was a
42:19complete,
42:20dignity-stripped
42:21wreck when
42:22he was done.
42:23He stood
42:23up.
42:26He pulled
42:27the door
42:27open.
42:28Cold wind
42:29gusted into
42:30the living
42:30room.
42:33I'm sorry.
42:35Those were
42:36his final
42:36three words.
42:37He pulled
42:38the door
42:38shut.
42:40Heavy
42:40footsteps
42:41echoed down
42:41the hallway,
42:42fading,
42:43growing distant,
42:44until they
42:45disappeared
42:45completely.
42:47Outside the
42:48window, the
42:49cold New Zealand
42:50rain kept
42:50falling.
42:51I picked
42:52up the
42:52empty cup
42:53and walked
42:53into the
42:53kitchen.
42:55the stream
42:56of water
42:57washed over
42:58the ceramic
42:58surface,
42:59erasing
43:00every trace.
43:03Deep
43:04inside my
43:04left ear,
43:05the buzzing
43:06slowly,
43:07quietly began
43:08to fade.
43:09It stopped.
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