Sixteen Shadows

Still

I woke up with a headache. My brother was beside me. I cleared his hard face. He looks like our mother. Our parents died long time ago. Our neighbor hated them for no reason and my neighbor shot both of them. My life shattered from that very moment. I rarely talk. I have few friends. No one likes me. My brother was the outspoken one. He's the only thing left with me. I can't lose him this time. But we're in this world we were never meant to be. Or if we were meant to be here, it is something we need to discover. Every lock has a key and every problem  has a solution. If we're trapped here, there is a way we need to escape and we have to figure it out. Marky was sleeping on the ground. He's dead. He must be just between heaven and hell but why is he here? Maybe he can't let go of what happened to him. He lost Claire. Marky was not hard to love. He's very open. He's beautiful. If I ever escape in this world, can I invite him with me? No. He's a ghost. I can't have him. I can't have the guy who appreciates me. The guy who wants me by his side. But we are living in two different worlds.

 

"Good morning Elena" Marky smiled at me.

"Hello" I smiled back.

"early bird?"

"I just woke up early"

"want to go hunting with me?"

"Sure"

 

We walked through the forest. There were the purple flowers growing on the grass. The flowers he used to give to me. Marky seem so silent today. I don't know if he's mad or what. His arrow was ready. I saw a wild boar with it's young.

 

"Don't shoot that thing please!" I pulled his arm.

"You're like Claire" he smiled.

"Why?"

"She doesn't want the animals to be killed"

"So is she a vegan?"

"What's a vegan?"

"A person who eats organic vegetables like that. I don't even know what's that really"

 

We just laughed at it. Seriously, what's a vegan? I just hear that over magazines. I am not that updated to some diets. I eat both vegies and meat. Whatever, my diet's fine. I miss going to the gym. But i'll probably miss Marky if we escaped here. He just hunt a fish. We were both preparing to cook. I just want an ice breaker for us.

 

"So tell me Marcus your whole story" I smiled.

"Maybe you'll get bored because I live in your past" he smiled.

"I promise to listen"

"Okay"

 

He started a fire and he was cooking the huge fish he caught in the river. I like this world. That there were just few problems and the most perfect guy you can imagine is here. This is all just a dream. when i'm back to my body, i'm done. I'm back to my life. I am back to my loser life in school. I am back being bullied. I hate that.

 

"Okay pretty boy tell me your story" I smiled.

 

He just smiled and he was trying to remember all his past.

 

"I was born here. My parents died because of Claire's parents. My mom loves Claire's dad. Rivalries as usual. Claire's dad killed my parents out of jealousy. I am never born to be the finest guy. Before, this forest was the dating place of this town. There stood Claire's mansion. There were 16 men who liked her so much but she loves me. Those men who looked at her as if they wanted every piece of her flesh. They made a way to disgust of me. They overthrown me for no reason. I was sent in this forest. One night, Claire and I wanted to escape because she'll be marrying one of those guys. Her dad caught us. He got an axe and stabbed me. It was... " his eyes were glassy.

 

I felt jealous about Claire. He loves her so much. So I just looked down on the ground. 

 

"It was painful right?" I said.

"Of course it does. But what hurts is watching her in pain too. I am dying" he frowned.

"How old are you really? In her diary you were..."

"Twenty-one. I lied to her. I'm only 19."

"So be honest... All of your feelings for me are all lies too?"

 

I never expected that to slip from my mouth. My tears started to spill from my eyes. He just looked at me.

 

"No. i love you" he said flatly but with a caring voice.

"But it seems like you love her more" i replied

"Are you jealous? I mean she's gone. She left me... I.."

"I am just her replacement"

"No! I love you Elena. I am just afraid of losing you but you're alive and i'm dead"

 

 

He just hugged me tightly. His arms were tight on me. I felt his warmth. How could he be dead when his embrace feels so alive? My tears kept on spilling. I am still alive but my soul is here. He's dead and he doesn't know why he is here. My brother just busted out from the door and looked at us.