Hope After Heartbreak, Ch 1

Chapter 1

Pain

Within its natural rhythm, night’s darkness came and stillness joined. On this night, twenty-five year old Danielle felt both within her heart, and upon her cheeks, dried tears left a passionate trail of sorrow.

An old 1987 Camaro below her window pulled her mind temporarily away from thoughts, as its engine rumbled and occupants’ laughter spilled out. The lightness of life met Danielle’s sadness, and part of her heart felt thankful someone enjoyed being alive. The sounds faded as the vehicle left the neighborhood. She pulled her sleeves lower to cover her hands and feel more protected against the cold.

An owl sounded. Its mysterious calling made Danielle think of flying away to flee from the earlier pain.

After all our words of love spoken to each other, we still broke up.

Danielle felt another pain…a different heartache. Does anything good last?

Silence met her thought.

I can’t stay here this time.

She lay in her twin bed and planned her move. It would be a move to get lost in and heal…or not. The pain felt too deep, and she felt dry and vulnerable.

Her small New Hampshire town held secrets for no one. All would look at her with pity once more. Being orphaned years ago taught her what having love and losing it felt like. Since then, loves of different kinds had been lost, yet somehow were sensed similar. And any love loss is heartache.

Danielle turned her focus from her felt-broken self, to one large, familiar suitcase. It had held all her possessions when she was nine years old. Now twenty-five, she was determined to shed her things to fit within it again, move out of her boarding room with a note, and leave tomorrow for New York City.

I’ll be like one stone in a mountain and blend in, or maybe get crushed...does it matter?

Immediately after this thought, a tender voice of hope sounded to her weeping heart. To find and love yourself again, Danielle.

Danielle didn’t know what to do with this time when she heard a voice from within. In other years, it had carried her into the positive. However, now, she didn’t know. This time felt different. She didn’t care. Something inside her was too numb.