After what felt like hours, Sera found herself near the bridge at the edge of town that leads to the lumber mill. An old, iron truss bridge that has been standing since the late 1800s, a symbol of endurance after the fire that nearly destroyed the town. She was tired from walking and leaned against the outer railing, looking over the river and at the sunset. The sky glowed with colorful shades of orange, pink and red peaking around and through a few thin clouds. Sera was mesmerized by the beauty of it. She watched as the bright hues dimmed into purples and eventually to the black of night. Sera didn’t know how long she stood there watching, but it was the happiest, most peaceful she has felt in a long time.

“Fuck.” Sera whispered as she leaned back against a beam of the bridge. “Fuck!” It has only been a couple days since they moved away. It seemed so sudden. Why didn’t they tell her sooner? Was it really a last minute transfer? They had treated her as one of their own, as if she was part of their family, then they were gone. Sera had just started to let her guard down and think she’d be safe, that she couldn’t be hurt again, but then they left without notice, without saying goodbye. Tears streamed down her face, hidden only by the darkness of the night. Only a sliver of the moon was visible, its reflection barely seen in the river below. Waves of hurt and anger flooded over her, she felt betrayed. She thought she could trust them. “Fucking dammit!” Sera screamed, the echo of her obscenity carried on the wind through the near silence of the night.

A moment, a single moment is all it took for Sera to decide what to do. The thought has never occurred to her before, nothing even close to it has ever been in her mind, but all it took was a moment to decide when the thought came bursting into her mind. It was a thought that should never be taken lightly, yet she made it as easily and casually as if she was picking out clothes to wear to school. It was likely the easiest decision she has ever made. She didn’t care how it would affect anyone else, she had to do what she thought was best for herself. For the first time she put herself before anyone else. She was decided on what to do. A slight smile crossed her face as she watched over the river from her place on the old iron truss bridge, her dark red hair dancing in the breeze, her icy blue eyes glimmering in the moonlight. For the first time in 12 years, she felt the weight of the world lift off her shoulders. All it took was a moment to make her happy. To make her free.

It has been nearly a week since the betrayal when Sera was given her assignment for English class; write about a case where good and evil can exist in the same instance. She knew exactly what to write about. “Good and evil coexists within our daily lives” Sera typed. “Even those that we presume are good, such as friends, families, loved ones, can hold a dark evil within themselves. Someone that makes you feel safe, loved, wanted, someone that make you feel complete, who makes you feel you can face even the greatest of challenges, can do something so intensely evil that it shatters your entire view of the way the world works.” Sera paused for a moment to wipe tears from her eyes. The intensity of the hurt she felt flaming higher than before. “Someone who you thought would protect you from the horrors of the world can turn out to be a greater evil than what you previously feared. A sudden, intense betrayal or love, trust, respect can erase every act of good someone has done. It takes just one act of evil to undo hundreds of acts of good and kindness.” Sera had to stop, tears streaming down her face. This was simultaneously the easiest and hardest assignment she has ever done for any class. She saved her work and stood up from her desk. She needed to escape for a while. She grabbed her coat, an army surplus jacket, and left the house. She’d visit her dad’s grave briefly, hoping to regain some mental strength then head to the old iron truss bridge. There’s something about that bridge that brought her comfort, as if otherworldly beings watched over those who crossed it. “At least someone cares.” She thought as she started her trek. It wouldn’t be the last time she’d visit the bridge.

The light of the moon danced across the gentle waves of the river as Seth leaned against the railing of the old iron truss bridge at the edge of town. HER bridge. It’s been a year, almost to the hour now, and with each passing day, the guilt continues to grow. He tried begging for her forgiveness before she left, but she refused to listen, and rightfully so. What he did was inexcusable. Seth looked up at the darkening sky just in time to see a shooting star fly across the sky. “I wish she stayed back.” Seth whispered. “Even if I went in her place, I wish she had stayed.” He knew that no matter how hard he wished, no matter how many shooting stars he wished upon, his wish would never come true. The wind picked up and the temperature started to drop, but Seth didn’t try to shield himself from the cold. In his mind, he deserved to be exposed to the elements. He gazed across the Black River, at the dimmer of the moonlight then back up to the sky, almost hoping to see another shooting star. As futile as it was, Seth would wish upon every shooting star he saw, hoping the fates would be sympathetic to his sorrows, hoping that whatever divine entity that may be out there, that it grants his silent prayer. He knew he’d never redeem himself in his own eyes, but he hoped that maybe one day, he’d be redeemed in her eyes.