Second Life

#5 Inches Apart

Dream sat on his bed with the journal in hand. The only other sound was the electrical hum of his computer and his own breathing.

He cracked open the book. The opening page was nothing but George's full name and a little note from Karl at the bottom. The next page was a drawing of someone.

Dream couldn't put his finger on it but she looked familiar. On the page next to that one there was some writing. Dream struggled to read it at first but adjusted to the curly letters eventually.

"I was appointed king today. I do not have a good feeling about this. Ninja is trying to marry me. He bores me terribly and has no real interesting characteristics. And he is rather homely and horribly blunt. Besides, I do not need a king. I'm doing well alone."

Dream flipped through a few more pages until he found another drawing. It was a man with a white veil across his head and a green cloak. He had six wings and two halos that intersected over his eyes. Dream recognized him from an old storybook. He was a god.

"XD has been strange lately. He and I are no longer as carefree as usual. He hardly removes his veil anymore. I miss his eyes.
We went to the old pond today. It was not like usual. I wonder if he's alright."

Dream's eyes widened slightly. He continued to read the next entry.

"Today XD said he was in love with me. I do not know if he was being serious. We were talking in jest and there was a silence. He looked at me for a long moment and then said it. I hope he was being genuine. He is so kind."

There was another drawing. This one was of a boy. At the bottom was written 'Karl'. Dream looked at it closely. He had never seen Karl Jacobs but knew he was heavily associated with George.

He flipped a few more pages.

"I would like to run into the woods and never come back out again after this day. I was tricked horribly. I write this in hopes that the historians will see my pain.
Ninja fooled me into marriage. It was a trick. A horrible trick. I cannot divorce, it is taboo. What will the people think? I must fake it. I will pretend. At least then I can share our wealth between us and help my people."

He examined the page closely. He could see tear stains on the bottom of the paper. His heart ached slightly inside his chest.

"I must admit, I have been unfaithful to my husband. XD and I have had frequent meetings. I do not feel guilty. Ninja has left me with every responsibility of running the kingdom and has not helped. I am terribly overworked. Not to mention this war on the horizon. Besides, it's not as if we're close.
XD has offered me a life as a god's lover. He has offered riches and status but I decline. It sounds enjoyable. However, my heart lies with my people. And with him."

Dream's eyes carried from page to page. Near the end of the book, George began to describe his death. The way he had explained it to Dream earlier had truly undermined the horrors.

He attached drawings of his skin, the spores causing mushrooms to sprout from it. Some patches were red and spotted along with full mushrooms. Flesh mushed against fungus in a gross and unnerving manner. George wrote that it hurt to touch them like they were a part of him.

Dream finished the journal on a rather depressing note. George had written that his life was not worth living anymore. He was bedridden and got worse every day. He could hardly muster the strength to write.

The last page of the book was written by Karl. Tear stains covered the words and made some of them hard to make out. Dream managed though.

'It is with a heavy heart that I relay George's death. He passed away from lung complications.
George was an exceptional friend, husband, and king. I will miss him eternally. If by chance he sees this from the afterlife, I love you. You continue to live in my mind as a talented and loving man, along with the minds and hearts of all your kingdom
George insisted in his dying letter to me that I wrote his death. He says he wants people to know his story. So please, read his story.
-K. Jacobs, friend of George'