Chasing Death

Chapter 15

"It's not Death that you should fear. Fear that you've never tried to truly live your life. Death will come in his own time. But Life won't stay forever with you."

🖤🖤🖤

"Are you jealous of Mani?" I asked into the microphone, hugging the pillow closer.

"Why should I be jealous of him?" he asked slowly.

"Exactly my question," I rolled on the bed and propped myself up on my elbow, fluffing up the pillow and stuffing it under my chest.

"I'm not jealous," he hissed through his teeth.

"Fine, now what is the plan," I rolled my eyes at the empty room.

"Are you planning to meet Maya and tell her about the glitch?"

"How can you read my mind so perfectly?" I asked.

"Well...I can't picture how you'd pull that off. You'd have to do much more than use stealth there. Maya is the mistress of illusions. She can see through lies better than anyone else."

"Are you giving me strength or making me afraid?" I asked, sinking into the pillow.

"I'm scared myself," he admitted. "I'm not even sure if my illusion will stay if you come face to face with Maya. She can easily look through such slight magical tricks."

"What?" I sat up straight. "And you didn't think it was important to give this little piece of information to me?"

"I didn't know she is coming to visit." He sounded exasperated.

"What do I do now?" I bit my lips in nervousness.

"You need to get the password and escape from there before Maya finds out. I can access the system from my secret cyberspace."

"But, what about destroying the machine, and getting back your job?" I wailed.

"Bringing you out of there as fast as possible matters more at this point. I know you won't come back until you enter yourself into the system. So, learn the password and get back here."

For a brief second, I paused. It amazed me how selfless Mrithun could be. All he was worried about was me, though I am nothing but another mortal for him. How could he be concerned about someone as insignificant?

For the first time in my life, I felt desired, really needed for something more than just my body. Nikhit's face flashed in my mind like a fused bulb going out. Resolution coursed through me. I couldn't afford to get sidetracked. I came to Pataal Lok with a mission.

"I have other plans too, besides entering myself in the system," I mumbled.

"Yes, bringing back your boyfriend, right? That will happen too. You just know the password and come back," he snapped impatiently.

"Do you think bringing back Nikhit is a good idea?" I asked him, unsure about why his judgment mattered at all.

"It's your life, your choice, and the price you will pay for resurrecting him. I shouldn't have a say in that," he said crisply, stressing each word.

"But I need your point of view," I whined.

"Why?" his voice was grave.

"Because..." I paused. Why did his opinion matter? I didn't have an answer. I kept quiet.

"I knew it. Goodnight Tora."

He went silent abruptly. Unbidden tears sprang up in my eyes. He was surely thinking I was hung up on my deceased lover. Only if he knew the truth.

My fingers moved unmindfully to the thin line encircling my wrist. They were almost fading — the scars — but they still stayed, reminding me of things I had tried to leave behind long ago. I climbed down from the bed and padded softly to the window. My faint reflection was falling on the glass. My hands reached for my neck. The marks were almost gone, but the memories weren't. Someone seemed to be pressing down on my throat. I took a step back and turned away from my own reflection.

I lay awake for a long time, tossing and turning. My thoughts itched in my brain as they whirled on and on. For a moment, I even contemplated meeting Maya or grilling Lachesis about her decisions. I wanted the answer to a lot of questions. How would it matter if I was condemned to the depths of hell for trespassing onto their lands? I wouldn't want to return to the world above, anyway. Earlier I was ready to embrace death, why should I be worried now? It'd be a relief if I ceased to exist.

But the destructive thoughts disappeared as soon as they had come. I wasn't here for myself. I had promised something to Mrithun. Besides, I could hurt myself with my impulsiveness, but my wrong decisions would cause further harm to him and I couldn't forgive myself if I ever did that.

I laughed by myself, my voice echoing through the empty room. I had gotten myself into a soup because of a man, yet again. Unknowingly, I had fallen for the least liked male of all ages.

When I finally got someone to go on existing for, that someone happened to be Death himself.

What a calamity!

🖤🖤🖤

A/N  Will Tora stay and risk getting discovered or will she escape at the slightest chance? Also what do you think are those scars that Tora can't seem to forget?