the smell of your demise

part one

Jimmy was 16 when he was first given a pickaxe and he's been working in the mine since then. he never took any breaks, he barely even slept and he wins around 1 dollar per week. he was 18 when the accident happened. there were two paths to go, he had a bad feeling about going to either of them but he and 19 other people went down, 20 died that day, him included. he died but by some miracle got brought back, even the doctor looked confused when he woke up, he didn't even get a week to recover, 3 days later he was back in the mine but everything felt different..as if a sent unknown was there, at first he thought he got sick, but he quickly scratched the theory away has sick people usually only lives for at least 5 days, a week had passed and the sent was still here, it was stronger at some places and on some people, he figured it out a month later, the sent was stronger then ever on one of his coworker..and then he dropped on the floor. when he rushed toward him, blood was coming out his mouth and he wasn't breathing, he died..and the sent was gone as soon as he fell face first on the floor. it was then he understood what the scent was..it was the scent of death. he's 26 now, and he's tried using his ''gift'' to help others, when he's down in the mines he always helps others stay somewhat safe, taking the path that smells the less and telling someone when it grew stronger on him to maybe go check a doctor. he got thanked a lot because of it, he didn't do it for the praise tho. it was supposed to be a normal day in the mines again, clashing his pickaxe against the cold rock in the hope of finding coal, his blond hair turning slightly brown from the dust, same with his face. after a few hours, he was called by his superior to go up, he walked toward the mineshaft elevator, he hated that thing, for it was always dangerous to take it. the rusty platform took him up for at least five minutes before he arrived at the top and he got out to see people moving big carts of coal and pieces of rocks, his superiors pointed him outside and Jimmy nodded and walked out, the sun blinding him for a few seconds before they got used back to it, he took a few extra seconds to appreciate the warm of the sun before looking around for whoever called him during his work hours. he spotted a man, somewhat old, with short white hair wearing a fancy suit, the bourgeois walked toward him ''Are you the one they call Jimmy?'' he asked, staring at him with a bit of disgust and he seemed to be hesitating to extend his hand of a handshake, jimmy ignored it as he nod ''yeah? pardon me for my rudeness but why is someone like you 'round here?'' he asked and the man shot him an annoyed stare and sighed ''belive me if we had a choice i wouldn't be here, we need your help, are you the boy that can predict others death?'' he asked and now jimmy is the one too look annoyed ''i can't predict it, i smell it, and why would i do it for one of your kind?..'' he asked coldly and the man looked down ''listen, we'll pay you the amout of money you want, we just need your help.'' he said and jimmy hesitated, the man looked honest, and he did have the smell sent of death coming off his clothes, not from him tho ''alright..how about 100 bucks?'' he said and the man nodded ''we can cross this bridge when we get to it, sir.'' he said and reached in his pocket and handed him a piece of tissue with floral design on the corners ''here, whipped some of the dirt off your face..you wouldn't even be presentable to meet a dog..'' he said and walked out the mining site and jimmy scoffed but whipped some dirt off his face and followed the man. he spotted him standing beside a carriage ''come now, hurry up.'' he said as he stepped in and jimmy followed. it was the first time he even got near a carrige, eh had to admit it was fancy and fast, way faster than walking. he spotted some people he knew outside, looking confused as they saw him in something only rich people own. The man didn't bother to start a conversation so neither did he. After a few minutes, the houses became fancier as they reached the more rich part of the city, and as they stepped out of the vehicle he stood in front of a massive white house with at least a dozen gardeners taking care of the plants outside. the man walked passed him, not bothering to wait for him anymore and Jimmy hurried up to follow him, looking slightly more awkward now as he stood out more than a piece of coal in a pile of diamonds. when he stepped into the house he was met with two maids staring at him with no emotion visible on their faces. the sense of death was slightly stronger in the house, coming from everywhere ''please follow Maria and Katrine'' the man said as he pointed to the two maids ''they will bring you to a room where you will clean up and get changed into something more..proper..'' he said and when he finished the two maids walked off and he quickly followed them, leaving the man behind. they walked through multiple similar hallways, jimmy wondered how the maid didn't get lost in this maze of walls and fancy paintings. once they reached the room the maid pushed him into a bathroom, he took his time to make sure there was no dirt left on him as the water warmed his skin, making the wounds on his hands hurt as the blood and dirt wash away from them. once he stepped out of the shower he quickly dried up and wrapped the towel around his waist, when he opened the door, the maids were gone and some clothes were left on the bed, there was a white shirt with ruffled cuffs and collar and a blue sleeveless vest with a golden flower design on it and the same shade of blue pants and some black boots and a pair of underwears and socks, he quickly put everything on staring at himself in the mirror, he thought he looks stupid with that many fancy accessories but so many scars on his face and hands, it didn't fit him but he walked back to where he last saw the man anyway. The gettleman was waiting on the stairs and when he spotted Jimmy he clapped his hands together ''great! you're finished! right this way please!'' he said as he hurried up the stairs and he quickly followed, trying to match the pace of the man, the more he walked the more the sent of death followed and it all seemed to be coming from one room. the older man knocked slightly and a faint ''come in!'' could be heard from inside. the gentleman opened the door for Jimmy and he hesitantly stepped in and found out where the smell was coming from. it was a boy, fairly young, probably around the same age as him, the boy's pale teal hair was tied in a braid that fell on his back. he was wearing a similar suit to him only with more accessories and he had golden circular glasses that fit perfectly on his face. his blue eyes looked up from the book he was reading to stare right into Jimmys' eyes, the boy put a piece of paper to mark the page he was at and carefully put the book back in the bookshelf. the smell was so strong it was almost unbearable, it even seemed to creat an aura around the boy. the man placed a hand on Jimmy's shoulder ''So..can you smell it?..the smell of death?..'' the boy stared at him with a piercing eye and Jimmy nodded ''..how is this possible?'' he asked. the man was about to answer only to be interrupted by the boy laughing slightly ''We have no idea!'' he said with a perfect smile, clearly contradicting his sentence. Jimmy blinked slightly before looking at the man to see if the boy was joking but when he looked back at the boy he was right in front of his face ''my name is Scott.'' he said extending his hand for a handshake that Jimmy hesitantly shook ''i-i'm jimmy...'' he said and Scott nodded ''it's a pretty name..'' scott said looking right into jimmys' eyes ''i'm sure you have tones of question-'' before he could finish jimmy interrupted scott ''how are you not dead? smells like that only comes from dead body..no offense-'' he said and Scott laughed again and let go of his hand ''Well..we don't know actually..we only got a letter saying something like ''blablabla you're gonna die soon Scott and more blablabla.'' Scott said nonchalantly, waving his hand around. Jimmy just stared at him and sighed ''well can I see the note?'' he asked and Scott nodded ''yeah, of course.'' he said and walked toward his bedside table took out a paper, and handed it to Jimmy, the paper itself also had the scent of death, almost stronger than Scott but not quite. he examined it, trying to find any reason why this somehow would cause any harm but he found nothing he fully read the note and the message was way longer than what Scott interpreted it to be it read the following: ''Dear Scott Aspen, if your reading this, you'll feel what it's like to be dead, isn't that great! I overheard one of your conversations with a gardener, it was quite interesting, your curiosity to find what's on the other side and I have the ability to grant you this wish. for my own sake, I'll stay anonymous if you don't mind. hopefully, we'll talk again.'' As Jimmy reads it he shoots a glare at Scott ''what does it mean, your curiosity to find what's on the other side?'' he asked, a bit confused by the meaning of the sentence, he already didn't have a great education so somewhat complicated sentences aren't his strong suit. Scott looked at him as if thinking about telling him or not, he eventually took a deep breath and said ''well..I had a brother..and he's missing, but I'm just assuming he's dead now because well..he hasn't been seen for a long time..so I always wondered what was on the other side and if he was happy where he was. so I obviously just..talked to a gardener because they know how to keep secrets..at least some of them..but..I guess our conversation got overheard by someone.'' he said and Jimmy nodded ''I'm sorry for your loss.'' he simply said and Scott nodded back. the man that was standing quietly for now cleared his throat ''Isn't it..something you're forgetting, sir?..'' he said, keeping his tone somewhat low to make sure no one overheard them. Scott looked at the older man confused and after a few minutes, he snapped his fingers ''oh right! The dreams'' he said and looked at Jimmy ''I have like..dreams that I'm in a city..with people that all look either fully black..or a mix of black and white and.. they usually chase me down, and try to murder me I suppose and well when I get hurt in my dreams..'' he lifts his sleeves slightly to reveal one arm full of scars and burns, the other one covered in bandages ''it hurts me in real life.''

2002 words are the max I can't anymore.. I'll probably add some details along the way and all so don't be surprised if something changes..like the entire plot..IDK MAN.