Genesis

Prologue New Beginnings

New Beginnings

I wake up in a hospital bed. I’m surrounded by whirring machines and constant beeps. I have no idea how I got here or why I’m here.

Why am I here?

The room is dark save for the soft glow of glistening snow outside. I’m mesmerized by the steady fall of the snowflakes coating the cars in the parking lot. I watch them fall to the earth one by one.

Mom used to tell me that snow is a sign of new beginnings. Only for me, it won’t be—it can’t. For me, this is the beginning of the end. Reality sets in as cold as the snow outside the window. I am here alone. There is nobody here to hold my hand and reassure me that everything will be alright. Because I’m not sure that’s the truth anymore. I’m not alright. The people I care about the most aren’t here, and it’s all my fault. I did this.

This was supposed to be the year that everything changed. Changed for the better. That I would be better. I’ve been working so hard to leave the broken pieces of me behind and face the future. But that’s a lot of pressure for one person to take on. I’m doing the best I can.

I suddenly remember the night before. The broken glass. My entire world going black. And here I am, alone in a hospital room. Some things can be fixed, but the mistakes I’ve made cannot.

I should just come out and say it, the real truth I’ve been running from. I’ve been running for so long, and I can’t do it anymore. I can’t outrun myself.

I have nowhere left to hide. Nowhere to run. I have to face this. I am through running. I don’t like making promises because they are often broken. But I’m promising myself something right now: No matter what life throws at me from here on, I won’t run away. I will choose to stay.

I’m not going anywhere. Not if I can help it.