Tears streamed down the cheeks, the throat was quiet, and blood couldn’t return to the heart. There was no wailing at the end of the lives, I only appreciated the marks remaining after the blood flowing through.

The sound of the mockingbirds echoed in the woods, and I stood on the muddy shore, watching the lake fluctuate with the breeze. The sun shone on the shimmering lake, coating the water with a layer of shimmering shredded silver. Looking from a distance, I could only see the vast expanse of lake water and the sky combined into one, and I couldn’t tell which was the water and where the sky was.

The abundant lake water has been rippling to my feet. After washing my leather shoes, they slowly retreated. I shook my head, trying to get rid of a few strands of hair that were blocking my vision. But it didn’t work. From time to time, the breeze came, my hair and the corners of the clothes swayed with it. The yellowed collar with slight folds exuded a thick cologne smell. I was forced to tighten my neckline, and the scratches an inch or so below my collarbone were well covered. I walked forward, keeping the water at the height of my ankles. I vaguely saw my reflection on the lake, then closed my eyes. In the reflection, I was pale, with thin cheeks and high, bulging cheekbones. There was bloodshot in the eyes, and the lips were cracked due to long-term dryness. I leaned down again and soaked my hands in the near-transparent lake water, rubbing them. The tally marks on the inner side of the forearm don’t seem to be heavy anymore, and the seven interlaced scratches remind me of the past I’m trying to forget. The water washed away the stains and washed away the keratins between my fingers, but left me with unspeakable concerns.

“She’s gone…” I muttered. My lips parted a little, my pupils dilated. The words were broken by the wind, and the memories of the past drifted and withered in the air. I surrendered to the emotional side of my heart. Tears wetted the eyes, and the teardrops slid down the cheeks with the corners of the eyes, and each one was hot. The salty taste penetrated my lips and irritated my mouth.

A gust of wind blew, and the maple leaves on the side escaped the control of the branches and floated on the surface. The lake was still beautiful because our eyes could only see and remember the good side. The bottom of the lake was filled with rotting animal carcasses, and the remnants of connective tissue hovered in the water, emitting a foul smell.

I stood up and went back to the shore, picked up my coat on the ground, put my hand into its right pocket, and groped. The bright metal material reflected light under the sun, and the original blood stains disappeared in an instant. I rolled up my sleeves again and filled in another mark next to the two vertical lines. Blood flowed from the wound chasing the blade, soiling my cuff. The corners of my mouth twitched, filled with a rapacious grin.