The Promise

 The sky was a vivid shade of indigo, the kind of hue that only came from being lit up by billions of stars, their twinkling lights painting the horizon like a watercolor painting. The air was crisp and cool, carrying with it the faint scent of sea salt and jasmine. A single, lone figure stood atop a cliff, their back turned towards the vast ocean below. Their shoulders were hunched, as if they were trying to make themselves smaller, less noticeable. The figure's long, raven-black hair whipped violently in the wind, its ends tickling their bare back. Their fingers, numb with cold, clutched tightly onto the smooth, jagged rocks that jutted out from the cliff face.

They had come to this place many times before, always under the guise of solitude and peace, but tonight was different. Tonight, they had come with a purpose, a promise they had made to themselves, and a weight that felt like it was crushing their very soul. They closed their eyes, taking a deep breath as they tried to steady their racing heart and quiet their frantic thoughts.

As if sensing their inner turmoil, the ocean below seemed to grow restless, its normally soothing waves becoming angry and violent, crashing against the jagged rocks with a ferocious roar. The figure remained still, their back to the churning sea, as if daring it to try and break them. In the distance, the faint glow of a city lit up the horizon, a testament to the world they had left behind, the life they had once lived, and the promises they had made to others. But tonight, they were only concerned with one promise, the one they had made to themselves.

The figure raised their arm, revealing a small, worn leather pouch hanging from their wrist. With trembling fingers, they untied the leather thong that held it shut and removed its contents: a single, smooth stone, polished to a high shine by countless hours of rubbing against their skin. Tears welled up in their eyes as they held the stone, feeling its weight and texture, the coldness of it contrasting sharply with the heat that seemed to emanate from their chest. They took a deep breath, steeling themselves for what they were about to do, and then, with a shaking hand, they flung the stone out into the darkness, watching as it arced through the air before disappearing into the churning sea below.

With a sigh of resignation, the figure turned around, facing the city once more. The weight they had felt before was gone, replaced by a strange mixture of relief and emptiness. They knew that they had made the right choice, that they had kept their promise, but now they felt lost, adrift in a sea of uncertainty. As they stood there, gazing out at the distant lights, they couldn't help but wonder what the future held for them, what promises they might make to others, and if they would ever be able to keep them.