Skin flowers [reverse-harem]

Crocodile tears

"A heart has a soul, but a soul can have a hundred hearts as it can have none"

Today is the fourth day since then. I kept my promise and didn't cry, not even at night when I missed him the most. I buried his body outside the cave, at the very beginning of a clearing where it's neither sunny nor shady. I was afraid I'd kill him again. I've little knowledge in botany and didn't know what environment a skin flower would like. But Calysta is growing well. He has gotten a span taller since then and he seems healthy. His petals are a brighter color of pink now.

I train every morning and evening. I repeat his teaching and I enjoy the burning ache of my muscles. I barely manage to walk afterwards and my body is tense even when I'm sitting, but I deserve it. I'm actually happy like this.  At lunch and in the afternoons I talk to him in Kylkee, the alien language we were practicing together. I'm slowly improving, step by step. I'm not a complete disaster anymore.

I strictly follow our schedule and in the time we used to chit-chatting I go for fresh water and natural food for plants. Once, I climbed to the top of the mountain to check what happened with the towns below. The spaceship that was floating has disappeared and the sky is now free of planes, birds and clouds. It's empty and plain. The cities instead, the cities have turned to ash. They've burned down like candles. The land is empty and plain too. Earth has become a graveyard. I'm not sure if there's someone else left. Someone who is alive I mean. However I'm fine like this. Me and Calysta are both great. 

Two days ago I began planting vegetables. I hope I'll harvest my potatoes and onions soon and if they're good enough, I'm going to build a whole greenhouse. It'd have been incredible to do it with him. To build a future with him. But here we are and it all happened because... Because?

"You forgot to tell me what was the purpose for all this" I sigh and shake my head. "I wish we had more time. I wish we had met under different circumstances" I murmur and my heart swells. My mind keeps imagining different developments, a thousand different lives with him. 

I lay down beside him hugging my hard sword. I covered the blade with the fabric of his clothes and even after burning them, my metal stick has his smell on it. Calysta managed to change me without even trying. He changed me with his cheerful smile and playful personality. The eight days and a half that we've spent together as humans were the most enchanting of my life. But they were also the most radical and disturbing. They were the loveliest of all lies. He is going to be my beautiful trauma forever. 

"Vaselin ast blisco, Calysta. Ut khesta la. Zer uter viel eiht sigel iadozala, perfai dzima ast eighten gegon ferferita. Eiht eihten cesta mir"(Spring is coming, Calysta. You actually brought it. If you were another I'd have gotten angry, because winter is my favorite season. I don't like the others) I stutter shamelessly. I close my eyes and listen to the wind. The delicate and untidy melody reminds me of his whispers. I like thinking that the whiffs of air bring me his words. Maybe his soul is listening to me and complaining about my horrible accent. He smirked every time I talked in Kylkee. He really had fun watching me struggle, but not once did he discourage me. He gave me compliments in Calysta's style.

A powerful rumble shakes the trees and soon after the soil under me starts vibrating. An earthquake. It's an earthquake. I take deep breaths as I get up and look around to monitor the area. Trees shouldn't fall because of earthquakes, they've got roots that ramify underground and keep them up. But... You are never too cautious. The rumbling stops and the forest falls into its usual silence. That was scary. My eyes jump to Calysta and I see him fine and straight, as if he didn't feel the trembling. He shows off even now, what an idiot. 

I put on the hood and take out my favorite and only book. I move towards the nearest tree and lean against its trunk. I flip through the pages searching for the author's reflection about kindness. But then I hear it. I hear real voices. Deep and melodic voices as enchanting as his. They are near.