This Sorrowful Life

Chapter 4 - Here, together again

A shadow dwells under its castor, following until its death, never parting, and only rotating within a cycle. I always lived in the shadows of my past, everyone had one, but only a few saw what they really meant. Only in the times of growing up did I realize that without light, there isn’t a shadow, a real balance between dimensions, creating true Excellency. I see the world with new eyes, with eyes that in dark moments can see light on the opposite side.

Hours passed since we got to the mess hall. The dead but newly reborn banged and growled at the doors without ever stopping. Big, steel doors locked us inside, but there was no hope for them to get in. The place was rather empty when we arrived, only book bags and school supplies laid in the corner. Half of the staff had fled, but the other half hung on the ceilings as the tight rope around their neck broke every bone in the area. The essence of the mess hall was rather dark, but cold, silence within and horrific groans outside. The lights didn’t seem to work, but that was a common thing for this place. The high glass windows reflected the shine of the afternoon sun in particular tables, even though it wasn’t enough to overpower the dark. The ceiling had in the middle an unfinished sun roof that was poorly covered in loosened wood. The smell of blood grueling deaths lingered from the walls, gathering around the dusty air. About twenty tables laid rather clean, which surprised me since everything outside looked like a bloodied horror film. A little radio stood on the cooking area of the mess hall, repeating a warning message, just before its battery burnt out. “The island is in a state of emergency, please evacuate immediately”, it said over and over again. I guessed that the staff heard the message and quickly decided what their fates would be. “This place was safe, but we couldn’t stay here long”, I thought to myself.

None of the cellphones worked, all had the same problem, burnt battery, but not much attention was paid for that particular situation. Everyone found their place once thing settled down. Rachel, Sammy and a surprisingly serious Gabriela sat somewhere in the middle, with Felix and Casty in the table next to them. I didn’t give much thought over Gabriela’s extreme mood change; no one could really blame her. I sat with Bryan close to the front door to decide our next move after taking the hanging bodies to the mess hall office and out of sight, while in the opposite side, in the farthest table, under the dim sunlight reflection sat Tanisha and Arej, sobbing in the distance. “I don’t know how much I can take this, my family, this place; can’t I just die in piece?” I heard Tanisha scream, with the additions of Arej’s useless attempts to comfort her.

“Don’t say those things; we are not alone, what about your Lord’s wishes?”

  “Oh… it’s still not fair, once we leave, I am done... I don’t want to live anymore”.

The conversation continued on as their voices got lower, it seemed that Tanisha was very affected, but that didn’t surprise me considering the circumstances. Her face darkened with all of her sadness aside from the scratches in her glasses that I didn’t realize before.

I was told that Casty was very calm ever since this started, but obviously her discussion with Felix proved otherwise.

“My sisters must be dead, all of this started ever since I met you, Felix”

“Casty, calm down, I’m sure that they are fine, I promise that I will take you to them. Don’t say things like that, because l love you with all of my manly heart and I would never do such thing to harm you” 

“Bastard! Only shit will love you back, it’s your fault for playing those psychotic games. You are the cause of… whatever this is!”

“Babe, don’t say that… I only played it once… nothing happened… I will prove my love to you soon enough”

Their conversation continued, but only memories remained. Even though Felix wasn’t really my ‘friend’, I knew most of his secrets from Bryan since they are pretty close. Felix tried too much for a girl that had no interest in him, beside her being a bitch, but he hasn’t given up to the day. Casty managed to develop some sort of connection with him, but it was easily broken apart after Felix was dared to play the spirit board game ‘Ouija’ which it is said that would let you communicate with spirits, even though to me, that was just bullshit. Casty found out and despised him even more, but that was only the start of their complicated life.