Heaven Gilded Zarcroft Hybrid

Two

I overlooked the floral garden. Rain drizzled from the silver sky and made the willow trees surrounding me look teal. A shadow fell over me from the side of the manor, like the sun moved. Even under the gloomy sky, the trimmed grass was a vibrant green. So vibrant, that it looked like an edited picture rather than nature, Creepy.

Then, someone ran past me. A tall guy in all black dashed down some steps and towards a fountain in the center of the garden. The fountain water faded to a harsh marine, iridescent with dust. He put a graceful hand into the water but pulled away like it was static.

I meandered down the steps. The floral fragrance dissipated into the strong rain, like it was only there it attract me and not from the flowers itself.

The guy didn't move. He didn't regard me at all. He had oak skin and big square glasses sitting on his sullen face that aged him a few years. Gold highlighted the ends of his black hair. It reminded me of someone, but my brain came up cold before I could think of a name.

"Were you able to get out of bed this morning?" he asked, staring into the water. His voice was soothing, with the rasp of a fire.

"I..." My breathing spiked. "I don't remember. I think so. I'm here now, right?"

"But did you have the will?"

"Maybe. Did I go to school this morning?"

"I don't think so. Does it feel like you did?"

I took in the environment: the darkening sky out west, the void fields in the distance, and the strangely clear air. I don't think there was even a school to go to. Or a home. In fact, the manor that used to be beside me was gone.

He pulled off a bookbag I didn't realize he had, setting in on the ridge of the fountain. After some empty rummaging, he pulled out a brown paper bag. Inside, a foam restaurant container.

"Is this for us?" my mouth watered. It smelled so good.

"It's for you," he said, "You didn't eat in, what, two days?"

"I guess."

Thunder roared in the distance. The clouds deepened, turning the horizon black. Like the world ended in just a mile. The green grass turned blue.

"What's going on?" I whispered to myself.

Before I could take a step, the guy grabbed my shoulder.

"I'll go," he groaned. "Just stay here. Wait. No. Go back to the manor."

"Why?"

"That's for me to worry about."

He pulled me into an embrace and looked back to the sky. He threw his bookbag over his shoulder and bolted across the garden. As he got closer to the horizon, he put his hand on his chest. In a flash of light appeared a golden dagger in his hand. He halted, raised the blade into the air...

And cut through the sky. The slash glew gold. My vision glazed. It looked so surreal, but deep in my body, it felt so normal. Like I'd seen it before.

A green cord flew out of the glowing wound, curling at the guy's feet. It tied his ankles together and dragged him into the air. The dagger fell to the ground.

I raced into the field. In a minute, the shadow of him fell over me. He struggled against the plant right above me. I grabbed the dagger off the ground and ran to the sky wound. It wasn't in the sky. It was in midair. I waved my hand behind it to make sure.

The stem was thicker than I thought it'd be. I secured my arm around it and met the skin with the blade. Weirdly, it didn't move. I tried sawing through the first layer, but it barely made a dent.