Curse of Loneliness

Back in Time

"You don't talk much do you?" He heard Mylo across him ask as Elias sat in the boat relaxed. Yet there was something that told him to fear for his life. For one moment he let that feeling take over. Letting the cold and the snow affect him and letting the fog of the endless sea help him realize that he was alone, that he will always be, that one day fate is coming to eat him alive and there will be no one to accompany him.

"Where are we going?" A shaky scared voice spoke, and he was snapped back into his senses. Though, he couldn't tell if it was his voice or somebody else's. He looked around searching for that scared voice, and beside him was a dark-skinned boy with white hair. He had his knees tight close to his chest and his arms around them, keeping them in the same position. Even though he didn't seem to feel the cold either, there was something making him tremble so violently. There were tears in his eyes, and Elias couldn't see the rest of his face very well, though he could notice dark spots around his body that were varied sizes.

"To another country, Asahi." Mylo answered the little boy, reaching his hand over to him. "Don't worry. I'll keep you safe." He said softly in affirmation. Though, the little boy flinched away as Mylo tried to place his hand on top of him. Mylo looked at him for a moment in guilt, and then sat back. "For this country, I will change both of your names. You should not tell anyone your identity." He began speaking. "Asahi, your name will be Mildred, is that okay?" He looked at the scared boy again. He did not respond. "Eun, your name will be Elias. Is that okay?" He turned to Elias. He gave a little nod.

He remembered those words as he looked out the window. His senses finally come back to his body, remembering he isn't in the boat anymore but the train. He began looking around as the train stopped and noticed that it was his stop already. Quickly, he stood up to walk out of the train and was met with multiple cars and buildings all around. A tiny feeling of nausea flew through his stomach, and something in him began squeezing his heart so tightly that he couldn't bear the pressure. It was as if all the buildings, all the infinity had been sitting on top of him.

"Elias, long time no see." He heard a voice from behind him. He quickly turned around to see who he believed to be the boy who he had been in the boat with. He had white hair that was put in a low, messy ponytail. The look on his face was relaxed, as if he had peace within his heart. And Elias noticed something that left him curious, he had white spots all around his skin. "What happened to your skin?" He didn't bother to ask right away. Mildred's eyes widened. "Vitiligo. But hey that's a strange thing to ask after like a decade?" He chuckled. Elias then looked up at Xavier. He remembers seeing him being introduced by Mylo with an empty look on his face. He didn't talk much until he got used to the rest, and now he had a distinctive look on his face, almost as if he wasn't the same kid who was scared to make mistakes and instead had something about his face that showed acceptance. How much things have changed ever since.

"It's been a while, Elias." Xavier gave Elias a smile and offered a handshake. Elias simply nodded and shook his hand while he examined both Xavier and Mildred's face and thinking of how much they had changed. "To think that we once were living in a single house with Mylo and now we have our own lives." Mildred giggled. "You haven't changed a bit, Elias." He said with a smile. "Well, we should get going. My house isn't too far from here." Xavier said, beginning to walk and Mildred walking beside him along with Elias.

Elias looked around the small city. Colorful buildings, clear sky and the warm sun shining over the grass that surrounded several streets. He was fascinated, almost even nauseous again at how many things he was seeing at once. It had been like what? A year that he hasn't seen an environment so crowded, even though it wasn't. He was just overwhelmed by the presence of so many things at once. But he didn't despise it, as the people walked by, and the cars zoomed through, all he saw was beauty. Smiles and intelligence. And beside him was his family.

And it was a new emotion all over again as he finally walked inside Xavier's house. It was cozy looking, yet cold. But it had a comforting smell coming from the kitchen. Elias could recognize something about it. It was sweet, but something else that smelled a lot different. It wasn't the strong smell of strawberry jam but something that smelled softer. Something that wasn't too strong. Elias stood in the living room trying to acknowledge what the smell was, until Xavier walked into the living room with fewer plates of cake. "I made it a few hours ago since I heard that you were coming to the city." He gave Mildred and Elias a plate. "Oh, thank you." Elias said, not expecting for the smell to turn out to be cake. He hadn't seen one in a while, it looked so perfectly detailed it was almost unreal. He then picked up the spoon and took a small piece. It looked so smooth, a part of him wished to start smudging the frosting but he placed the spoon on his mouth before he could do so. "So, do you like it? Xavier is amazing at baking, isn't he?" Millie asked as he looked at Elias. He simply nodded.

"So, how has your life been, Elias? Still living in the same old house?" Xavier asked as he sat down on the couch and ate a spoonful of cake. Elias turned his head to Xavier, struggling to make eye contact with him while he replied. "Yes." He looked around the room and its features. "How have you been?" He finally asked to make eye contact with Xavier, though it was just for several seconds. "I'm good. I work as a detective now. All this baking is just a side hobby I have, it's very enjoyable." He smiled. Elias then turned to Mildred and stared at him for several seconds until he noticed Elias was looking at him. Mildred then spoke. "I perform as an acrobat in a circus. How about you, Elias?" Mildred then continued to eat his second plate of cake. Elias thought about it for a moment, as if he had forgotten what he does for a living. Though, he didn't really believe he did that much rather than read and grow plants. So, that's exactly what he said. "I read and grow plants." At first, he thought he sounded a little stupid, though Mildred and Xavier supported it. Elias then began to feel more confident around him and felt as if time went back. When they would all hang out together in the living room and talk about the most random things. They were each other's only company and they didn't need to wish for anything else. And now they are the same again, talking about random things again, and rebuilding their friendship. Lastly, even after hours have passed, Mildred asks, "Do you all want to watch a movie? I know a good one."

The light of the city was shining brightly, and the stars were barely seen because of it. Though, Elias believed for it to have been a beautiful night of laughs and shares. A train stopped in front of Elias, and he walked inside to take a seat. When he first got onto the train on the way to Brixpock Creek, it felt cold and emotionless. But now it feels warm and comforting. Something had changed in his heart. Or something had revived. A lot of things were going on in his mind as he focused on the window. A lot of things that he wanted to do, possibly even move to Brixpock Creek.

But as he walked into his yard again to look at the cottage in front of him, something began to hurt his chest slightly. It was like a sudden thought that told him that it couldn't happen. It was like a sudden grave realization of who he was and what his motivations were. He doesn't really want to hurt anyone does he?

He lied in his bed, thinking of what he should do. Even though, he knew exactly what he had to do. But he didn't want to accept it. After he finally found some company, he doesn't want to let go. Not after years of isolation just to be selfless.

He didn't want to feel like that again. When he found out that for years, his parents had been feeding him blood and teaching him how to hunt for human blood. Those words repeat in his brain as he sank deeper into his mattress, "I did it because I care about you." "I did it because I love you."

But he wonders then, as he begins to calm down into what felt like was going to be an eternal slumber, "Would it be so bad to try?"