Of Beer and Water

Down by the banks of the river was a small pub with an outdoor bar facing the hills. Dahli would sit there for hours and contemplate the state of life, staring at the water. Emmett would philosophize to all the local drunkards on their patio chairs. Sometimes Dahli would impulsively throw herself into the river and Emmett would have to round up the gang to get her back out again. Eventually, the bar owner decided it was far too dangerous to let her come around anymore. After all, these folks who were trying to save her life were usually drunk and therefore likely to drown as well. It seemed to her that everyone was being rather silly, so she decided to throw herself into the river somewhere else instead.

No one ever realized that Dahli didn’t want to die. She just wanted to feel the smooth stones on her feet, which didn’t actually happen until she decided to take her shoes off.