Fallen

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death.

In 1854 England, an artist sketches a portrait of a woman with black hair and striking eyes. Although he longs for this woman, he cannot have her, despite his suspicion that she longs for him too. The man plans to pack up and leave for another country to get away from her. The sketch will be all he takes of her.

The woman in the sketch appears behind the man, having snuck up on him. She hasn’t yet questioned the strange pull she feels toward him. He knows much more than her about the nature of their attraction, but he cannot reveal it to her.

The woman worries that the man is leaving. He avoids her questions until he breaks down and confesses that he is going away. He cannot risk her knowing his feelings. The woman pleads with him to stay and confesses her love for him. The man insists that his leaving will save her life and that she cannot know all the details. The man fears the past repeating itself over and over.

The woman reaches for his hand and holds it to her heart. The man gives in, longing for nothing more than her touch.