A Dance With Death

|| Chapter 32 - Trust ||

                       

The place is buzzing, strangers all around me. It seems to be the hospital's peak hour - if that's supposed to mean something. I feel sick from the sudden change around me, a strange feeling in my gut. I press my palm against my forehead, trying to adjust to the atmosphere. I look all around. The reapers are nowhere to be seen.

I enter the second hall of the waiting room, which is empty. It's not surprising considering the latest mishaps over here - nobody trusts this hospital with their health.

I have no idea where my body has been taken, of course. I decide to trust my instincts and head towards the stairs. My body and my ghost are connected, so I may end up finding my allocated room. My first option is to go towards my previous room. Maybe my body wasn't taken too far from there.

However, my mind still hasn't recovered from what Caius told me; from what he revealed to me. I am not sure of how I shall face Althea, or even the other two reapers. After all, Caius had told me that Ektor or Griffith may have something to do with Ava's death. I cannot trust anyone right now. I have to act carefully.

But it's not distrust that's troubling me. It's the truth about Althea that haunts each part of my being. The fact that they've kept all of this from me is in itself a major shock to me. Althea, the one who seemed to be one of the only hopes that I had, may have been pretending to be supportive. She kept this dark side of her from me. She wanted me to believe in her, so that she could crush my faith in the last moment.

But what if she really wants to help?

My sensitiveness tries to protect the Althea I thought I knew. I push the thought away. I cannot think like that. She got Niall killed.

But she didn't know her actions would lead to his death. Caius said so himself.

Doesn't matter anymore. She has killed before. She's killed innocent people for her own selfish needs. That makes her no different from Caius. She may not have killed hundreds of souls, but she did kill a few. It makes her harmful.

It was a long time ago. Maybe she changed. She's clearly guilty of what she's done.

Yet, she's created Caius. He's carrying her legacy forward. She started everything. If it weren't for her, he wouldn't even have started all of this. He wouldn't have got the idea of being rebellious. She's not who she says she is.

She's dangerous. I have to stay away from her. I can never trust her. Not anymore. For all I know, she may have been pretending to regret her actions.

Can I trust anyone? If the only three reapers who I'm acquainted with are not on my side, then who is? If taking away every chance I had against him was Caius' motive, then he has succeeded. Well played, Caius. Well played.

However, a part of me still hope that he was lying about everything.

"Zayn?" A feeble voice brings me away from my thoughts. I stop in my tracks. The hallway that I am in presently is almost empty, except for two janitors who are talking to each other in hushed murmurs in the corner.

"Althea," I say, not bothering to turn around.

"Oh my God, you're safe." She sounds relieved. I hear her footsteps as she hurries towards me. She reveals herself, her face masked with concern. "I looked everywhere for you. I was more than sure he was going to kill you."

Through the end of the corridor, I see Griffith emerging. His troubled face changes to surprise in an instant as he sees me.

"There you are!" he exclaims, jogging towards us. "And you're not dead." He sighs. "Right?"