Ray has always felt like he didn't belong; that he was out of sync with the world or the world was out of sync with him. He didn't feel pain or depression from it. No, he normally couldn't, didn't even feel it, but when he was alone with only his thoughts, the sense of wrongness pulsed like a throbbing heart. He distracted himself with books and stories and fantasies, anything at all that would stop it, but it never went away. The only time he could ever feel at home was when he was away from structure, society, rules, anything man-made.

He pointed out to the horizon, "If I ever to die. Promise me; promise me that I'll die there."

"Where?" She asked with a silly smile.

"In the ocean's embrace. Away from all that." He said, pointing to the smokestacks and large buildings covering the land and deforested lands devasted by man.

"If you ever die, it will be in my embrace. Fuck the ocean," She said angrily with puffed cheeks.

"Fine. Fine. I'll die in your embrace, my love," his voice doting and dripping with honey.

...

"I told you! You'll die in my embrace! And not a second sooner!" She screamed, blood running down her face as she dragged her whole soot-covered body with one hand toward him. Every inch she dragged herself on the ground brought her closer to death and left a deep red trail behind her like a red carpet welcoming her to her death.

At last, she reached him and cradled his head and best as she could.

She screamed and whaled and cried and pleaded, "You can't die! Not yet! You said you wanted to die in the ocean's embrace, right? You can't die until you're in the ocean!"

And as if by an angel's mercy, his eyes opened in his last moment to speak to his love.

Though his body must've reeked with pain, his face didn't show anything except love.

"Silly. You were always my ocean."

He passed away shortly after, his wish fulfilled, and his promise kept.