The river was red.

Not the deep, muddy brown of the spring thaw. Not the grey of winter silt. It was the color of old wine. The color of a bruise that would never fade. Margaret stood on the bridge. The wood trembled under her feet. The water rushed below. It hissed. It spat.

She watched the leaves. They were torn. Shredded. They floated like dead skin.

"Go home, woman."

The voice came from the mud bank. Old Thomas. His face was a map of wrinkles. His eyes were hard stones.

"I am going," Margaret said. Her voice was a thread. Thin. Taut.

"Down the path. Not across the water."

She looked at the water. It looked back. It was hungry.

Her hands shook. She clutched her shawl. The wool was wet. Cold. It bit into her shoulders. She felt the cold in her bones. In her blood.

Behind her, the village slept. Smoke rose from the chimneys. Straight lines into the black sky. Safe. Warm. Dry.

She could go back.

She could open the door. She could sit by the fire. She could hold Edward’s hand. She could forget this place. She could forget the river.

But the river called.

It was not a sound. It was a feeling. A pull. Like a hook in her stomach.

She had promised.

The promise was heavy. It sat on her chest. A stone. A millstone.

She had made it years ago. Or perhaps it had been made for her. She did not know. Time was slippery. Time was water.

She looked at the bridge again. The planks were loose. One creaked under her weight.

"Margaret."

A new voice. Young. Sharp.

She turned.

It was Sarah. Sarah’s daughter. Sarah’s eyes were wide. White. Terrified.

"Don't," Sarah whispered.

"Go home, Sarah," Margaret said.

"There is no home," Sarah said. Tears cut tracks through the dust on her face. "There is only this."

Margaret looked at the girl. She saw herself. She saw the fear. She saw the duty.

"You are too young," Margaret said.

"I am not too young for the truth," Sarah said.

The wind picked up. It howled through the willows. The trees bent. They groaned.

Margaret turned back to the river. The red water churned. A hand emerged. Then it sank.

She waited.

The water was still.

Then the hand came up again.

It was pale. The fingers were long. They grasped at the air.

Margaret’s breath caught.

She knew the hand.

She knew the ring. The gold band. The chipped stone.

It was Edward’s hand.

No.

It was not Edward’s hand.

It was her own.

She looked at her hands. They were hers. Brown. Calloused. Alive.

But the hand in the water... it was perfect. Smooth. Youthful.

It reached for her.

"Let go," the voice in her head said.

"Let go," the water said.

"Let go," her heart said.

She stepped forward.

One step.

The bridge shook.

Two steps.

The planks groaned.

She was in the center.

The water was right there. Close. Too close.

She could smell it. Iron. Rot. Old blood.

She looked down.

The reflection was not hers.

The reflection was older. The reflection was tired. The reflection was dead.

The reflection smiled.

Margaret smiled back.

She closed her eyes.

She let go.

The world fell away.

The cold rushed in.

It was not death.

It was release.

***

The villagers found the bridge empty.

The sun rose. The red faded. The water turned grey. Then brown. Then clear.

Old Thomas sat on the bank. He watched the current. He said nothing.

Sarah stood by the bridge. She held a rope. She did not know why.

The town crier came. He carried a scroll. He read the names.

He read Margaret’s name.

He read Edward’s name.

He read the name of the river.

He read the name of the promise.

No one spoke.

The wind blew through the willows. The leaves fell. They landed on the water. They floated away.

Sarah looked at the bridge. The planks were wet.

She touched them.

They were dry.

She looked at her hands. They were shaking.

She went home.

She did not look back.

***

Years passed.

The village grew. The houses were painted. The church bells rang.

The river remained.

It was always there.

It was the heartbeat of the town.

It was the memory of the town.

People walked across the bridge. They hurried. They did not look down. They did not look at the water.

They knew.

They all knew.

The promise was kept.

The price was paid.

The silence was heavy.

The silence was sweet.

Sarah grew old. Her hair turned white. Her back bent.

She lived in the house by the river. She kept it clean. She kept it quiet.

She never married.

She never spoke of Margaret.

She never spoke of Edward.

She only watched the water.

She saw the red sometimes.

In the twilight. In the mist.

It was a flash. A glimpse.

Then it was gone.

She did not blink.

She did not cry.

She just watched.

She was the witness.

She was the keeper.

She was the stone.

***

One day, a girl came.

She was young. Like Sarah had been.

She stood on the bridge. She looked at the water.

"Is it true?" the girl asked.

Sarah was sitting on the bench. She did not move. She did not look up.

"True what?" Sarah asked.

"About the river."

"The river is a river," Sarah said.

"It is red," the girl said.

Sarah looked up.

The girl’s eyes were wide. White. Terrified.

Sarah saw herself.

She saw the fear.

She saw the duty.

"Go home, child," Sarah said.

"Where?" the girl asked.

"Anywhere. Everywhere. Not here."

The girl turned. She walked away.

She did not look back.

Sarah watched her go.

The sun set.

The sky turned purple. Then black.

The water glowed.

It was red.

Bright. Vivid. Alive.

Sarah smiled.

It was a sad smile.

It was a proud smile.

It was a final smile.

She closed her eyes.

The wind blew.

The willows bent.

The promise held.

The river flowed.

The night fell.

The town slept.

The water hissed.

The water spat.

The water waited.

It always waited.

It never forgot.

It never forgave.

It simply was.

The bridge stood.

The planks held.

The memory remained.

The story ended.

The story began.

The wheel turned.

The water rose.

The water fell.

The red faded.

The grey returned.

The silence held.

The stone stayed.

The witness watched.

The end.

***

Margaret was not gone.

She was in the water.

She was in the bridge.

She was in the air.

She was in the roots of the willows.

She was in the bones of the town.

She was in the breath of the people.

She was the promise.

She was the sacrifice.

She was the truth.

She was the lie.

She was everything.

She was nothing.

She was Margaret.

She was no one.

She was the river.

The river did not care.

The river did not judge.

The river only flowed.

It carried the leaves.

It carried the mud.

It carried the blood.

It carried the hope.

It carried the despair.

It carried the love.

It carried the hate.

It carried the life.

It carried the death.

It carried the promise.

It carried the weight.

It carried the silence.

It carried the sound.

It carried the red.

It carried the grey.

It carried the black.

It carried the white.

It carried the light.

It carried the dark.

It carried the now.

It carried the then.

It carried the always.

It carried the never.

It carried the Margaret.

It carried the Sarah.

It carried the Thomas.

It carried the Town.

It carried the World.

It carried the Soul.

It carried the Spirit.

It carried the Ghost.

It carried the Life.

It carried the Death.

It carried the End.

It carried the Beginning.

It carried the Middle.

It carried the Now.

It carried the Future.

It carried the Past.

It carried the Eternity.

It carried the Moment.

It carried the Breath.

It carried the Heart.

It carried the Mind.

It carried the Body.

It carried the Shadow.

It carried the Light.

It carried the Dark.

It carried the Truth.

It carried the Lie.

It carried the Promise.

It carried the Breaking.

It carried the Healing.

It carried the Scarring.

It carried the Fading.

It carried the Dying.

It carried the Living.

It carried the Being.

It carried the Not Being.

It carried the Margaret.

It carried the Water.

It carried the Silence.

It carried the Sound.

It carried the Red.

It carried the Grey.

It carried the End.

It carried the Start.

It carried the Middle.

It carried the Now.

It carried the Always.

It carried the Never.

It carried the Everything.

It carried the Nothing.

It carried the Self.

It carried the Other.

It carried the One.

It carried the Many.

It carried the All.

It carried the None.

It carried the Yes.

It carried the No.

It carried the Maybe.

It carried the Perhaps.

It carried the Perhaps Not.

It carried the Perhaps Yes.

It carried the Perhaps Both.

It carried the Perhaps Neither.

It carried the Perhaps Everything.

It carried the Perhaps Nothing.

It carried the Perhaps Margaret.

It carried the Perhaps Sarah.

It carried the Perhaps Thomas.

It carried the Perhaps Town.

It carried the Perhaps World.

It carried the Perhaps Soul.

It carried the Perhaps Spirit.

It carried the Perhaps Ghost.

It carried the Perhaps Life.

It carried the Perhaps Death.

It carried the Perhaps End.

It carried the Perhaps Beginning.

It carried the Perhaps Middle.

It carried the Perhaps Now.

It carried the Perhaps Future.

It carried the Perhaps Past.

It carried the Perhaps Eternity.

It carried the Perhaps Moment.

It carried the Perhaps Breath.

It carried the Perhaps Heart.

It carried the Perhaps Mind.

It carried the Perhaps Body.

It carried the Perhaps Shadow.

It carried the Perhaps Light.

It carried the Perhaps Dark.

It carried the Perhaps Truth.

It carried the Perhaps Lie.

It carried the Perhaps Promise.

It carried the Perhaps Breaking.

It carried the Perhaps Healing.

It carried the Perhaps Scarring.

It carried the Perhaps Fading.

It carried the Perhaps Dying.

It carried the Perhaps Living.

It carried the Perhaps Being.

It carried the Perhaps Not Being.

It carried the Perhaps Margaret.

It carried the Perhaps Water.

It carried the Perhaps Silence.

It carried the Perhaps Sound.

It carried the Perhaps Red.

It carried the Perhaps Grey.

It carried the Perhaps End.

It carried the Perhaps Start.

It carried the Perhaps Middle.

It carried the Perhaps Now.

It carried the Perhaps Always.

It carried the Perhaps Never.

It carried the Perhaps Everything.

It carried the Perhaps Nothing.

It carried the Perhaps Self.

It carried the Perhaps Other.

It carried the Perhaps One.

It carried the Perhaps Many.

It carried the Perhaps All.

It carried the Perhaps None.

It carried the Perhaps Yes.

It carried the Perhaps No.

It carried the Perhaps Maybe.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Not.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Yes.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Both.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Neither.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Everything.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Nothing.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Margaret.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Sarah.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Thomas.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Town.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps World.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Soul.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Spirit.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Ghost.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Life.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Death.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps End.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Beginning.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Middle.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Now.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Future.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Past.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Eternity.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Moment.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Breath.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Heart.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Mind.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Body.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Shadow.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Light.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Dark.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Truth.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Lie.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Promise.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Breaking.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Healing.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Scarring.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Fading.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Dying.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Living.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Being.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Not Being.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Margaret.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Water.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Silence.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Sound.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Red.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Grey.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps End.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Start.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Middle.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Now.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Always.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Never.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Everything.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Nothing.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Self.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Other.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps One.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Many.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps All.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps None.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Yes.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps No.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Maybe.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Not.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Yes.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Both.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Neither.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Everything.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Nothing.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Margaret.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Sarah.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Thomas.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Town.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps World.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Soul.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Spirit.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Ghost.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Life.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Death.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps End.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Beginning.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Middle.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Now.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Future.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Past.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Eternity.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Moment.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Breath.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Heart.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Mind.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Body.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Shadow.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Light.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Dark.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Truth.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Lie.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Promise.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Breaking.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Healing.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Scarring.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Fading.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Dying.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Living.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Being.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Not Being.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Margaret.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Water.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Silence.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Sound.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Red.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Grey.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps End.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Start.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Middle.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Now.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Always.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Never.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Everything.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Nothing.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Self.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Other.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps One.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Many.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps All.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps None.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Yes.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps No.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Maybe.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Not.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Yes.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Both.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Neither.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Everything.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Nothing.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Margaret.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Sarah.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Thomas.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Town.

It carried the Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps World.

It