There was and never will be anyone like her. Not a day goes by that I don't think about her. I see her in everything beautiful—in the birds that fly gracefully through the sky, in the flowers that dazzlingly adorn the fields, and in the stars that shine in heaven above, in the place I most long to be, by her side again. Bright, clear, illustrious. Her name means all of these, but it meant so much more to me.

"It's not your usual style, but keep an open mind. After all, isn't that was a gentleman does?" She spoke gently as she always did, lighting up the room with her brilliant smile. If only I had known. I could have stopped her. Why didn't I make her stay? Why couldn't I have asked her sooner?

I had just been appointed Professor of archaeology at Gressenheller University. Everything was perfect. I had a wonderful girlfriend, a steady job, and, at last, I could fulfill my dreams. All the pieces were falling into place. Finally, after waiting for so long…

I walked over to the place where a small mirror hung on my wall, and stood face-to-face with my reflection. I gazed up at the hat she had just given me. It was very fine, but also very tall, and felt almost as awkward as I thought it looked, but I would wear it anyway. I would do anything for her. I let out a contented sigh, adjusted the hat, and headed out the door with a smile, slipping on my jacket as I left.

She had told me that they were performing an important experiment at the lab that day, and that I was thankful for. That would give me time before we met for dinner that evening. As I started to sit down in my automobile, my new hat banged against the roof, and I paused quickly and held on to keep it from falling. I stood and took in the situation for a moment, then came to the conclusion that the top hat simply would not fit. If this was to become my new style, I would be wise to invest in a taller vehicle. For the time being, however, she had told me not to remove the hat, and I couldn't simply ignore her words. I decided to walk. The exercise would do me good, anyway.

The London air was chilly that day, but I didn't notice at all. When your heart is warm, it's nearly impossible to feel cold anywhere else. I strode briskly down the sidewalk, passing dozens of locals, tourists, and shopkeepers, none of whom I was aware of. My mind drifted beyond the clouds, my eyes set on nothing but the bright future—the future I would spend with her.

I floated blissfully through the next hour, only a slight tinge of anxiety tainting my perfect joy. There was almost no doubt that things would turn out the way I planned. I was slightly nervous about how it would go, but that's only natural, I suppose. My heart beat quickly as I stared down at the delicate little box in my hand. Inside that box lay the key to the future.

I pondered the gravity of this, and my heart began to beat harder. My worriless bliss was now crowded with uncertainty as I slipped the small, black box into my pocket. My confidence melted with each heavy, rhythmical thump of my heart, and I felt as if all I could hear was the pounding inside my chest.

All of a sudden, the sound erupted and filled the streets, echoing off buildings with a loud "BOOM." My pounding heart stopped as I jumped and turned my eyes up towards the sound. A few blocks away, a fountain of smoke poured into the sky, hovering over frightened, panicking London. Sirens began to ring, intermingling with the alarmed cries of all who had heard the explosion. I held my breath in shock, a million thoughts running through my head. All at once, they came together at a single point, sending a chill down my spine. I released my breath, whispering within it a single word. "Claire…"

Within minutes, I was on the street from which the smoke came, running with every ounce of my strength. My heart fell as I took in the scene. Before my eyes, a building stood, the front wall crumbled by the explosion. It was Claire's lab. I came to a sudden halt as I saw it. Cries of fear and anguish surrounded me as people watched the grey pillar tower up into the clouds, not only from the single building in which the lab had been, but from the buildings surrounding it as well. The flames seemed to engulf the entire street, spreading constantly as crowds rushed for safety.

I didn't cry. I couldn't. I couldn't do anything in that moment. I was broken, confused. I didn't believe any of it was real. It was some sort of horrid dream. It had to be. It couldn't be true. I wouldn't accept it. It wasn't real. It wasn't real…

My thoughts were interrupted as I small, high-pitched scream rose from behind me, and I turned quickly to see a young boy running straight for the burning buildings. I couldn't let him go any further. I couldn't let him die. Without realizing what I was doing, I reached out and stopped the child, grabbing him by the shoulders as he squirmed to free himself.

"I need to go back! My parents are still inside!" I held the boy close as he shook with each broken sob. "Pull yourself together, boy! There's nothing to be done. Jump back in there, and you'll die too!" The words were only partially for the distraught child. They were, in part, to convince myself not to go in after Claire. If she were alive, the medics would find her. If she were still alive…

I probably would have run straight to my death if it hadn't been for that boy. We saved each other that day, I suppose. There we stood, helpless, weak, shattered. At last, after the fire had been extinguished and the smoke had faded away, I watched as a stretcher was carried from the crumbled walls. Upon it was laid a thin, white cloth, under which lay a small, delicate figure.

In that moment, my world fell apart. Everything I had ever hoped for was gone. Nothing mattered anymore. I had nothing of value. I had no value. I stood there, empty, with nothing but a hat, a ring, and a lost future.