The morning was young and cold. An eerie mist hung over the marshes as a boy on a bike rode through the overgrown bike lanes to get to the same place he would every day before going to school. Oliver liked the peace and quiet of the early morning. On the loneliest days, it would seem he was the only person on the planet, a thought he always considered calming. With no one around, there would be no judgment, no hurting, no worrying about others. Oliver got stuck in his head like this on a regular basis. His thoughts just seemed to bubble up whether he wanted them to or not. It was almost as if someone or something in his head was forcing him to feel miserable all the time. Oliver let out a sigh. It wasn't that he disliked school, but like most other things, he felt indifferent.

His only close friend was a girl from a different school he had not seen in a while, and his girlfriend, Mary. Mary did go to the same school. She was often the reason he got out of bed in the first place and someone who kept him going. Even if it was far from a perfect relationship, it was enough to fill Oliver with at least a little bit of joy every time he saw her. The thought of how she would react to him not being there anymore was something that ate him up from the inside. Oliver lied every time someone asked him if he was doing fine, but Mary was the only person he could share his woes with. At times, she would wake up just as early to sit beside him, gazing into the waters of the river that flowed near the school. No words would be exchanged, but her mere presence was enough to ease the storm in his head.

Today wasn't one of those days. Mary, and by extent Oliver, since they were in the same class, had an important test today, and she had always been very serious about her education. So Oliver sat there by himself, his bike thrown into a bush nearby as he just stared blankly in front of him. He wondered about the meaning of it all, what the point was behind his life. These last few months had felt like an endless struggle just to get to the next day and do the same thing over and over again. He glanced at his watch. It was about time for him to set off to school. He crawled over to his bike, picked it up from the bush, and wiped off the twigs and dirt. He drove back onto the bike lane and rode to school.

The school halls were as dry and boring as Oliver remembered. He sat down on a bench next to the staircase, his usual spot. From here, he could see everyone pass by, rushing to were to needed to be. He liked to look at the worrying faces of others. It made Oliver feel a little less alone in the world. Oliver was just about to drift off when Mary walked in. She looked tired, as if she'd been studying all night. Because she probably did, Oliver thought. 

'Had a long night?', Oliver asked, trying his best to hide his own issues so he could be a good boyfriend for once.

'Yeah, got kinda lost in the books and forgot about the time', replied Mary. waving of the worry of her partner. They had been dating for a little over half a year now. Initially, Mary had fallen for Oliver's quiet nature and mature look on life. When she found out about his struggles, she had always been supportive of him. This in turn showed Oliver that she truly cared for him, and thus he mustered all of his courage and asked her out. They had been nearly inseparable  since. Oliver truly loved Mary with all his heart, and Mary was prepared to go to all lenghts for Oliver. 

'You seem a bit gloomy again today. Did you sit by the river again?' Mary asked. She saw clear trough the mask he put up for himself. 

'Yeah, I just needed some time to gather myself before school. I'm fine now though.'

'You know I never buy that when you say that. If I could I'd propose  we meet up after school to talk, but the student counsil has a meeting today. I'm really sorry'. Mary seemded truly sorry that she couldn't spend time with him. She put her head on his shoulder. For a moment, Oliver felt the weight of the world lifted from his shoulder. He took a deep breath. 

"It's okay, Mary. I understand," he said softly, appreciating her concern.

Mary gave him a gentle squeeze. "We'll find time, Oliver. We always do."

Oliver nodded, feeling a bit more at ease. As the bell rang, they both stood up and went their separate ways, ready to face another day. But knowing that he wasn't completely alone in his struggles made it just a bit easier for Oliver to keep moving forward.

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Oliver shuffled into the classroom, the dull hum of fluorescent lights adding to the morning's lethargy. He took his seat near the back, by the window, where he could occasionally glance outside and momentarily escape the confines of the room. The teacher, Mr. Caldwell, was already at the front, scribbling equations on the board, preparing for the day's lesson on trigonometry. Oliver had a strong dislike for maths, and trigonometry might very well be his least favourite part. As such his scores for the subject had plummeted in recent months as he struggled to find the energy to open his books to study

As students filed in, the noise level rose—a cacophony of greetings, gossip, and the occasional burst of laughter. Oliver kept to himself, pulling out his notebook and a pen, his mind still lingering on his morning ride through the misty marshes. He doodled absentmindedly on the margins, sketching out the twisted branches and eerie shapes that had caught his eye. Even if he wasn't a skilled artist, drawing often gave him a bit of comfort

The class settled down as the bell rang, and Mr. Caldwell turned to face them. "Alright, everyone, let's get started. Open your textbooks to page 142." The rustle of pages turning filled the room, and Oliver did the same, though his focus was elsewhere.

He glanced around the room. His classmates seemed engaged, or at least pretending to be. Sarah, the overachiever, was already jotting down notes. Jake, the class clown, was whispering something to his friend, earning a stern look from Mr. Caldwell. And then there was Mary, sitting two rows ahead, her brow furrowed in concentration. Even from this distance, Oliver could sense her determination, the same drive that had kept her up all night studying.

Mr. Caldwell's voice droned on about sine and cosine, but Oliver's thoughts were drifting. He wondered how long he could keep up this facade of normalcy. Every day felt like a repetition of the last, a cycle he couldn't break. The weight of his own thoughts bore down on him, making it hard to breathe.

"Oliver, could you solve this equation for us?" Mr. Caldwell's voice snapped him back to reality. All eyes turned to him, and he felt a flush of embarrassment.

He stood up slowly, walking to the board. The equation looked familiar, but the numbers blurred together. He took a deep breath and started writing, hoping his mind wouldn't betray him. After what felt like an eternity, he finished and stepped back.

"Okay, you missed a few things here and there but I can see that you really tried," Mr. Caldwell said with a nod. She had always been rather kind with him. "Well done, Oliver. Trying is the first step of achieving something"

Oliver returned to his seat, the momentary relief washing over him. Mary turned slightly and gave him a small, encouraging smile. It was a fleeting gesture, but it meant everything to him. For a second, the clouds in his mind parted, and he felt a glimmer of hope.

The class continued, but Oliver found it a bit easier to concentrate. With Mary's smile lingering in his thoughts, he managed to take notes and even answer a few more questions. The storm inside him was far from over, but for now, he had found a brief respite.

As the final bell rang, signaling the end of the period, Oliver packed up his things. Mary caught up with him at the door, her usual bright expression returning.

"See? You're doing great," she said, nudging him playfully.

"Thanks," Oliver replied, his voice soft but sincere. "Couldn't have done it without you."

They walked out of the classroom together, until they parted ways at the student counsil classroom. Oliver hugged Mary goodbye and made way to his bike.

By the time Oliver rode back home, the mist had settled in again. It was strangely thick this time almost as if it wasn't completely natural. He felt his breath shorten and he struggled to see where he was going. Panic seemed to take over. He nomally didn't fear for his life. But after what was admittingly a good day with Mary, Oliver felt a bit more eager to get home and let his girlfriend know he was safe and sound. 

The world around him blurred into indistinct shadows as the mist enveloped everything. Each pedal stroke seemed to take more effort, the damp air clinging to his skin. He could barely make out the road ahead, and the familiar landmarks he relied on for navigation were shrouded in the dense fog. His heart pounded, each beat echoing the urgency to reach home.

Suddenly, the silhouette of a tree appeared directly in front of him, emerging from the mist too late for him to react. He swerved instinctively, his bike skidding on the slick pavement. Oliver lost control, and the world spun around him. He crashed to the ground, the impact jolting through his body. Pain erupted in his side, and he struggled to catch his breath.

For a moment, everything was still. The silence of the night was broken only by his ragged breathing and the distant sound of a car passing by. He tried to move, wincing as pain shot through his leg. He felt disoriented, the mist making it difficult to gauge his surroundings. His bike lay a few feet away, its front wheel bent at an awkward angle. 

He tried with all his might to get back up, but as he tried to push himself on his feet, a sharp pain shot up his legs. As he looked down he saw a bit of bone stick out from where he ankles used to be. Now, it was just a bloody mess slightly resemble an ankle.Oliver laid his head down on the pavement and questioned if this was it. He had often wondered how he would die, but he never considered something like this. As the world around him seemed to fade away, he closed his eyes. He felt strangely peaceful for a moment. 

Little did he know, this was just the beginning