Heretics

Chapter 45: Death

      The skiff was huge. Not as small as the one we went on the first time through the fold but much bigger in size. This one fit about thirty different people plus the space under the deck.

     "Aleksander." I whispered to him as I passed him on the way onto the skiff. I nodded my head in a polite gesture before picking up the sides of my skirts and walking to the very front of it.

     I let the black dress I was wearing flow behind me as I walked. This was a special occasion after all. I had to dress the part. I watched as Alina joined Aleksander by his side.

      She looked scared and for a moment I felt bad for her but it lasted only a moment. I felt the smoke from my eyes cascade down my face. I went to wipe it away in a reaction. My hands were slowly turning to smoke as well.

     I quickly hid them behind my back as Aleksander joined me at the front of the skiff. I looked at him and smiled covering my hands with my dress. He commanded for the skiff to move and just like that we were inside the fold once again.

      I could feel the pain the volcra were in. I heard their screams which sounded like nails on a board to my ears. I fell to my knees and clasped my hands over my ears in an attempt to get it to stop.

      I felt Aleksander's hand on my shoulders and when I looked up at him he wasn't standing there with me instead, Death took his place.

     "They are going to die. The lot of them. Only a hand full of people here today will live." She spoke softly as she surveyed the crowd.

     "Undo what you've done to me." I spoke through my teeth the anger growing slowly inside of me for the woman standing in front of me.

     "The only way to undo it is to actually trade your life for Rose's. We both don't want that. Seeing as your child's future is beyond anything we can comprehend." She smirked down at me after she had finished speaking.

     She took my chin in her hand and knelt down beside me. "When I leave you for the last time today you will perish in his arms."

     "I will do no such thing. Take her life, I can have others. Spare me. Spare me for him. I don't want to take your place."

     I begged and pleaded for her to take me back. To take the child instead. The world knew I was never going to make a good mother and maybe if she saw that then she would stop.

     "Death!" Someone shouted. "Her mother ran to us and helped me to my feet while she let death get up on her own. "Time does not state she will give up her life. She lives a long full life and you will not be changing that because you are bored!"

     "No one asked for your input Time." Death brushed her off and tried to pull me from her grasp but instead I walked back and felt the wind against my back.

     I never heard the end of their argument. I never got to see what happened. I only felt myself hit something cold and hard then everything went black.

     The first thing I thought was that my time had come and maybe it had. I still don't know. Maybe death made good on her promise and I took her place. Maybe I was somewhere in between or maybe I was trapped in the fold.

     I wouldn't know. I wouldn't see what would happen next. I knew that the world around me would keep going. Some would mourn me and other would rejoice in my demise.

     Aleksander would never know that his daughter potentially lived or that in some ways I did too. In memory and in love. In Rose and in him.

     The blackness grew stronger around me and I felt myself being pulled towards the never ending pit. I closed my eyes and slowly walked towards it.

     "I love you Aleksander." I whispered to no one in particular before walking down the tunnel and to the end of the road.

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Ooooooooo
The end guys
We made it to the end

Maybe.......