Till the End of Time

Chapter 15 - Welcoming the Curtain Call

The sun had risen like the tides on a beach, a warming glow that had spread across the sunken hills. The dainty light filtered through the leaves, yet any image of the puffy clouds or ocean bright skies never once emerged from the canopy. Swirls of color decorated the almost painted like landscape with cries and laughter echoed all over the painting.

The candles from all those days before had just begun to reach the end of their wicks. The melted wax had long since pooled all over the willow bench. Yet none of the Grisha had yet to lift a finger in reheating or removing the sticky substance. Much like we had yet to move from our comfy cloud of pillows. A little rest before stretching our arms and continuing the days ahead.

Leila's arm had somehow, in the middle of the night, smacked me in the face and was yet to move as she snored away. Her arm very much blocking much of my view as she contently dreamed while I was tempted to just throw her arm at her. Unfortunately, Riley had rolled onto my arm during her sleep, and I remained trapped beneath the sheets.

I had no desire to leave, just to get LEILA'S SAINTS FORESAKEN ARM off my face. Maybe I should just scream, really loudly, like one of those birds that get up at the crack of dawn, just to get you up at the crack of dawn. They would get along lovely with Zoya and her dreadful meeting hours.

"Leilaaaaa, get your arm off meeeee," I whined, hoping I would have woken her up. Yet it remained unsuccessful as she just rolled over to face me and snored louder. I groaned and screamed this time, if it wouldn't wake Leila, it would wake Riley. The girl's got some superhuman ears. Though I might have to pray for her confused and mildly annoyed soul as she sat up and smacked me with her hand.

"Aithera! What are you doing! Oh saints, did I break your nose? Where are the tissues!" Riley began to shriek, as a deep carnelian dripped onto the sheets. Leila had now promptly woken up and just watched in horror as her girlfriends ran around with blood staining everything in sight.

At that moment one of the heart renders popped in and asked a question, "Which kind? The one used to catch germs. Or the one that organs are made of?" The heart render sat there as I laughed at the joke they had cleverly come up with while Riley began to tear apart her room. Leila just blinked slowly, still groggy from her sleep. Her stupid hand that had started this mess, wait no that was me, just started to collect some of the blood. Which to my complete shock, Leila had not yet done anything about.

"I swear every time I look away, one of you gets hurt or does something stupid!" Riley muttered under her breath as she kept looking for the tissues. Leila finally understanding had procured a bunch and began to stuff them up my nose. Riley just sighed like some children had done something completely idiotic.

"I don't know what you're talking about, we are perfectly sane and well behaving members of society," Leila chuckled, a sly grin formed on her face with one of her fingers pressed against it. I just looked at her with the most convincing and polite nod of my head. Very well-behaving members of society indeed.

After that the hours passed with a simple flick of time's wrists. Dawn to dusk with the darkening colors chasing away the last of the light. Yet there was plenty of it left to be banished and the play's end had begun to arrive so we must say our goodbyes. Soon what awaits us is the darkening unknown and a future filled with nothing but our choices. No more tools bent to fate or another scene just to make this whole show worth watching.

Zoya emerged from one of the meeting rooms with Nikolai in tow. Her kefta gently brushed the ground as she waltzed closer. Her mouth barely lifted into a smile, but it was something else other than her usual smirk. Or her death stare. Genya and David had not yet come by to say anything just yet but they would have to be leaving soon. And Genya would never leave without a proper goodbye.