descendant of death

Chapter 6

I had always thought I was prepared for eternity - well, obviously not. This lesson felt longer than the hundred years I had spent with my parents.

For the first time in my life, I understood why humans valued time so much.

The teacher explained boring basics that we were already aware of. We meditated and he taught us ways to accept our fate.

He also started talking about the psyche of an immortal, which was actually very interesting.

We differed from humans in particular in the function of long-term memory and the limbic system. But even though I liked this topic, I couldn't concentrate on it.

My senses became much more focused on what was behind me. My brain was confused, normally I had a solution for everything in a few seconds.

But the aura I was just perceiving radiated something unknown and dangerous that I didn't know how to deal with.

Tick-tock

I wished I could shoot the clock on the wall with my eraser.

It was ironic, I used to make fun of the way humans looked nervously at their watches.

In my opinion, there was no need to worry about their time when it was almost up anyway.

They couldn't change that. Not even I was able to shorten or lengthen a human's life...not yet.

I was just the bridge that took them to the underworld.

Rather, as long as my father existed, I was a helper, like the Grim Reaper.

Tick-tock.

Unlike humans, I wanted time to pass quickly. After all, I always had a lot of it.

Tick-tock.

Finally the bell rang and the lesson was over. Without turning around, I grabbed Fortuna's hand and pulled her out of the classroom with me.

I didn't want to turn around and stare into the eyes of the person who was watching me the whole time.

Somehow all the people scared me, it overwhelmed me.

Normally the dead souls in the underworld and my family were my only company.

"That was an instructive lesson!", Fortuna said and grinned at me.

I didn't answer her, I was too deep in my thoughts. Ever since I've been here, I've had this uneasy feeling all the time.

What or who triggered it?

I felt like I didn't know myself at all, it didn't make any sense. I even thought I was getting dizzy, but that was impossible.

I had to laugh briefly because of my senseless thought and shook my head.

We walked to the schoolyard and I was happy to finally be outside. The sky was purple and the sun shone in a greenish tone.

This school was built in a parallel universe where only immortal beings can be.

Humans would probably not figure out how to use the portals to the parallel universes for a few thousand years. Or who knows, maybe they would never find out.

This universe here was similar to the world humans live in, but the colors are not subject to any rules.

No object is defined with a clear color, we immortals are the only unchanging constants.

I ran a hand through my long hair and Fortuna looked at me critically.

She pursed her lips and asked, "Hey is everything-"

She didn't finish her sentence as a group of guys abruptly confronted us.
"Well, that wasn't luck," she murmured.

"Oh Fortuna, have you finally found a victim who can put up with you?"

One of the boys stood at the head of the group and eyed me.

He let his gaze glide over my body for too long for my taste and I crossed my arms in front of my chest in annoyance.

"This is my brother...The descendant of bad luck," Fortuna said, looking down.

I didn't like that she was suddenly so intimidated. I'd only known this girl a few hours and already felt the need to protect her.

I turned my gaze to the boy and gave him a disgusted look. He had his hands in his pockets and his weight on one leg.

I realized what kind of guy he was. In the dark corner of the underworld were many of his kind.

"And who are you? A descendant of the sun?", one of the boys from the group asked me, making an exaggerated movement.

Actually, it wasn't really an insult, but it bothered me that they were talking to me like that. Normally nobody dared to do that. Respect, courtesy, fear. That's what I was used to.

I tried to lock my anger in a place in my brain, but it threatened to erupt. I've never been particularly patient.

"Come on, let's go," I said to Fortuna through clenched teeth. I had to get out of here, right now. It was my first day here and I was already about to explode.

I was not only pissed, but I had that weird feeling of being watched again.

It was driving me crazy and I wanted to go somewhere where I could be alone again as soon as possible.

I turned and, luckily, walked away from the boys. I heard their smug laughter and clenched my hands into fists.

Why did they upset me so much anyway?

My anger suddenly squeezed out of the prison where I had locked it in and broke free.

I heard the laughter distort and grow into loud screams. I gasped and turned in shock to see what had happened.

Blood.

Bones.

What I saw, was a mass grave.