Pushing the Limit -Book 2 - Prologue. Prologue

" I will always love you TC.”

Then their world stopped.

David turned away from TC and walked out the door. His brain forever seared with the image of the pain that was reflected in TC’s eyes and the tears that fell from them silently. As he strode toward his car his brain kicked into a protective mode. He entered into that frame of mind where he was aware of what was happening around him, but nothing registered, like when you’re driving a long stretch of road and can’t remember the last fifty miles. He was on autopilot and later on, when he tried to recall those details of what happened on the absolute worst day of his life he couldn’t, no matter how hard he tried.

David never remembered getting in his car and driving to his house. He didn’t remember packing a few changes of clothes and some toiletries into a bag and grabbing his passport. He never remembered calling an Uber to take him to the airport.

It was a broken man, a man whose heart was shredded within himself that arrived at the airport and went up to the first ticket counter that he came to that was open and bought a seat on the next flight to anywhere. Anywhere but here.

David sat back, barely aware of the fact that he had bought a seat in business class. After the initial exchange of pleasantries, the flight attendants left him alone. David stared out the window, unseeing as the plane gained speed down the runway, not registering that slight, stomach lurching sensation that always happened to him as the wheels left the ground. He didn’t blink when the plane touched down and he realized that he had to change planes. He thought he may have been in Atlanta, but he really didn’t care.

Still on autopilot he found his next gate and boarded another flight. Lather, rinse, repeat. He had flown often enough that logistics of changing planes was embedded into his brain. He just did it automatically, registering just enough pertinent information to get him from point A to point B. Once again he found himself staring aimlessly out the window as the plane ascended into the sky, carrying him further and further away from all that really mattered to him.

He watched, unseeing as the sun set, setting the sky ablaze with red and orange. He felt as if his heart was in the middle of those fiery colors, burning hotly until they became nothing but ash. He barely registered as the hours slipped by, never really falling asleep, just hovering in that barely conscious state, his mind nearly shut down completely, protecting itself. He jolted as the plane touched down with a thud, momentum throwing him forward slightly as the brakes worked furiously to slow the aircraft.

He grabbed his duffel bag from the overhead compartment and followed the herd of humanity exiting the plane. Still on autopilot he made his way through customs easily enough and figured out he was in London. He found his way to ground transportation and asked the first hotel shuttle driver that he saw if they had any availability. The driver nodded in the affirmative.

David couldn’t recall arriving at the hotel, which thankfully turned out to be a decent, moderate property. He somehow made his way to the check in desk and managed to secure a room for several nights. It was mid-morning and he was fortunate that they had a room available immediately. Check-in was usually after two’ o’clock.

He stood in front of the door to the room that matched the number on the key card envelope and held the card up to the sensor until the green light came on and he heard the click of the door unlocking. He pushed his way into the room and let the door shut soundly behind him. He dropped his bag on the floor next to the bed and as he did so, his brain finally kicked in and registered the crushing enormity of what he had just done. His legs gave out and he slid to the floor at the end of the bed, his back resting against the end of the duvet covered mattress.

Every emotion that he had been holding back since walking away from TC came crashing down over him. The shaking started in his hands and quickly spread, like wildfire, until his entire body was shaking uncontrollably. Hot tears streamed down his face.

Anguish.

Anger.

Regret.

Sorrow.

Hopelessness.

Fear.

Panic. Panic seemed to take control as he continued to shake and sob, an inhuman keening noise coming from deep within himself.

He was hurting.

He was lost.

He was spiraling into nothingness.

Shit. What was he going to do?

OH FUCK. WHAT HAS HE DONE?