Dead Clouds

Chapter 7 (1/2): Regret of the Righteous

Since the Skeleton Man had no nose, it only lifted a gaping hole, where a nose should be, into the air. Darkness filled that gap in the skeletal figure's face. Staring deep into it revealed a dark mind rather than the inside of a skull.

The neighborhood stilled around the Skeleton Man. Crawling up the air as if it were a rock wall, the smell of charred flesh entered its noseless face. Inside, it blended with the darkness and remained in the mind.

Radius took in both the smell and the amazement. Despite lacking the small patches of tissue necessary for olfactory sensory neurons to operate, the Skeleton Man could still smell. The genius pondered the symbiosis of his and Gold's relationship to the Skeleton Man. Was this being only animate because of them? Was the use of its body in exchange for their brain and heart?

This thought nagged him. Radius initially understood the Skeleton Man as an armor that suited two individuals. But such an analogy was lazy. There was something animate about the Skeleton Man. It was a separate being outside of he and Gold. If it gave them power, what did they give it?

"It's done, Radius," said Gold, looking gray, "Let's release."

A sphere of golden light swallowed the Skeleton Man. It briefly floated in the air before splitting into two separate radiant spheres. When those two spheres dispersed, Radius and Gold emerged.

A cadaver greeted them.

Gold covered his mouth with a translucent hand. Although he recalled past moments of vomiting, his ghostly body was unable to perform the action. The sensation tormented him, nevertheless.

The ghost never imagined that he would take a life. He dedicated his entire life to supporting others and working towards a more peaceful society. Righteousness was his religion.

But as his eyes lingered on the sweaty clump of brown hair finally free of Mitch's skull cap, he realized that he sinned. The death of Mitch was the death of his righteousness. Taking a life, necessitated that he kill a part of himself.

The overwhelming realization crumpled his face as his hand moved to hide the shame.

"It's time for us to go," said Radius.

Gold's ear twitched in response to the evenness of his friend's tone. Between his fingers, he watched him gingerly walk away from the body. His gait was guiltless.

"What about the body? Should we wait for it to disappear?" asked Gold.

"Leave it," said Radius, without any hesitation, "Leave it like he left yours."

His response repeatedly rang in Gold's ear. Each echo was a jackknife chipping away at his sanity. Yes, he should have harbored disdain towards Mitch for taking his life. But he rejected the sentiment that revenge was the appropriate response. He believed that injuries needed medicine, and revenge was no medicine. It was just another knife.

Gold silenced his thoughts. The inside of his head no longer felt private. Directing his sights to the rooftop of a three-story home, he witnessed a pair of sharp eyes studying him.

At first, Gold figured that he was hallucinating. Humans were unable to see him. But the eyes never broke away. They belonged to a young-man who looked a few years his senior. He was lean and had straight dark-green hair that gently brushed the base of his neck. An olive green parka jacket hung over his shoulders. Gold blinked thinking the guy looked like he could be the lead singer of a rock band.

Questions crept into Gold's mind. How long had this stranger been on the roof? Was he watching them? Did he see them transform into the Skeleton Man? Could this human see a ghost?