Ashes of Vile

13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
She Who Seeks Death

The prolonging delight of doomed dune reeks of substance from such a highly sophisticated setting rooted from self hatred. It is a powerful tyranny that cages oneself in a history of truth and lies in a single lifetime. If the dawn sets and no longer are the whiskers of dust that settled from the burning of ashes from true identity, it is a worthless scenery.

The terrain is uncanny— he whom clenched his jaws not out of anger but in awe of an undiscovered yet known to be an existing sight hidden away from the rest of the world. Zakeen Nadir sat on the moist grass of residues of liquid originating from the rain of the previous day. The heights of an interlude beauty was a star struck emotion as he stared at the pink skies that greeted him in the morning. The universe and time of an essence has crept onto them as he recalled the numerous mind printing memories of their doings to reach to such a point. A chasm of void that filled not just the ground but the air wholly dedicated to pestering the people of Ashgrim, but it was different from afar yet to be so close and aware of the inner workings of mystery. Cassidy threw a small rock and it went tumbling down the greenery, the hill that perfectly shaped the topography she and Abourne sat. Her hands rested on her back, her upper body hoisted up, and her eyes nearly closed from the brightness of the upcoming sun.

Abourne perched up and walked over to Zakeen at the front and edge of the hill, and situated herself next to him. Zakeen looked at her smiling then looked back at the sky, "You'd think someone like me wouldn't care for the beauty of the world."

"You're one of a kind, you don't get to say that," Abourne scoffed. "I've killed— I don't think murderers should be allowed to enjoy the big picture." Silence settled and only the wind that punched through the leaves filled the air. "Maybe you can enjoy the small picture."

Abourne picked up a dandelion weed and positioned it right in front of her vision. It covered the sun and she adjusted her eyes to the gratifying sum of shadow that hid away the intensity of the light. She looked at Zakeen with a better perception and noticed his perfect side figure, his eyes fluttering with awe at such a simple thing that most took for granted. She blinked away the thoughts fast and looked back at the dandelion weed that no longer covered the sun as she shifted away from the constant steadiness she thought she had locked in. She sighed in frustration and blew the dandelion, its chalky fluff withering away and melting into the recurrent middling world. Zakeen accidentally inhaled bits of it and coughed out loudly while Abourne only laughed at him. He glared at her while coughing. She rapidly continued laughing and her body fell on the grass out of laughter. Now she saw the whole sky and nothing else, her laughter died out and took everything in.

Zakeen's smile made its way to the painting of greatness, an immense catharsis that regulates everywhere in her body. A lightning strike that stretched throughout her veins and threatening to break through the seclusion; Zakeen's wide grin and the sky that lit up that root of happiness in one scape. It fit perfectly. Abourne stood up in a rush and patted her clothes down, brushing away the bits of grass that clung onto her clothing. She cleared her throat, half smiled and said, "I just remembered I have something to do," then left.

Cassidy winced as a sharp burning sensation buried deep into her shoulder and crimson red fluid gushes out. The flowing blood ran down her shoulders and she swipes it up to refrain from falling which in return stained her hands and her shoulders. She looked up toward the manor entrance where Devin jogged down in panic, leaving a nonchalant girl behind whose eyes were trained at Cassidy. "Are you okay?" Devin asked, out of breath. Cassidy paid no attention to Devin, only challenging the unforgiving eyes of August who held a bow in her hand. "Did she shoot me? What problem does she have with me," Cassidy angrily stood up, clutching her right shoulder with her left hand. Devin chased behind yelling words that had drowned out from Casidy's ears.