ᏚᎪNᏩᏚᏌᎬ

Chapter 4

It was a full moon the night of Leonard's funeral, Edmund had gotten him a lovely and expensive coffin. Using Leonard's money of course. It's wood had been tinted to a dark brown, and was perfectly polished. It laid in his room, with him cleaned up and neatly dressed inside it. You couldn't even tell he was once a horrific crimson mess. Flowers surrounded it, all of them white roses. Leonard's favorite. He thought they were charming, and that red roses were too cliche.
Edmund made sure his friend got what he would have wanted. He stared down at Leonard's motionless body. It was weird. Seeing a dead body, its not like viewing a person. It isn't a person anymore. Just a shell that once held a person. A host body for the soul. Funny enough Leonard looked more beautiful then he ever had before, his features seemed refined, and gorgeous. Edmund gazed over his face, then his quartz lips. Edmund scowled. It felt like a cruel joke. "Was this my punishment for gambling...?" He whispered squeezing the side of the coffin. "Dear god Leonard... I'm so sorry..."
He shook his head and stood, looking out the window. Then at Leonard's coffin. The bitter pain couldn't leave him, he wanted to cry out. But he couldn't. He was too exhausted. "Men don't cry." Edmund muttered to himself as if Leonard said it himself. But it wasn't the same coming from his lips. Leonard's lips. Edmund's eyes returned to the soft pink. His lips didn't look the same. The sound of violins playing down stairs had a faint ghost like distance to it, but it was enough to snap him back to reality. He pressed his palm into his raw eyelid, and grunted. "No... No more crying..."
He made his way down the stairs into the ball room, and looked around at the unfamiliar faces the crowded around him. Everyone appeared to be old. An ironic twist. Leonard should be attendng their funerals, not them his. He was too young to die. His friend was however very mature for his age, and met a lot of people thanks to his business. 'But are they really his friends?' He thought to himself. Then doubted it.
No ones eyes burned like his did. No one seemed distraught, truly distraught. It made Edmund sick. And long for more booze.
He walked himself to the drinks, and looked over at the whining wolfhounds, sitting out side in front of the french doors. Their ears perked when he looked at them, eyes shining hopefully. He sighed, looking back at his drink. 'This is the 5th one this evening...' He sighed, then quickly dunked it back, and decided to say hello to the guests. Edmund stood up tall and began to walk- as best as he could on five drinks- viewing the regal rich white men and flamboyantly dressed women, who probably didn't really give a damn. He despised them all, scanning everyone of them in the ballroom. "Damn gold diggers. All the same..." He muttered.
They were all the same.
All accept one.
A beautiful woman, with hair as gold as sun rise. Skin almost white, large ocean blue eyes, and a face with features that matched the perfection of a porcelain doll. It was as though a mermaid was standing in the ball room. She didn't appear sad. No. She looked confused, she was even wearing a blue dress rather then black. Was she lost? Edmund then feared the worse, 'she was sleeping with Leonard wasn't she? No. Worse. She must be engaged to him. Or even worse... She bares his child' He cringed. 'She probably has no idea Leonard is dead.'
Edmund walked over to her "Is something the matter miss.." He faded out when her eyes met his, her beauty simply baffled him. His recent drink didn't really help his case either. He was feeling a bit frisky below despite his better judgement. "Whats going on here?" She asked "Has something happened? Where is Leonard? I need to speak with him." She insisted. "Leonard...? Ah.... I'm... So sorry miss but...." He slurred together his words, trying to make her calm herself. But he just sounded like a hammered idiot "Are you drunk?" She snapped. "I'm not hear to speak with you-you-you indecent pig!" Edmund blinked "Miss if you'd just hear me out-"
She narrowed her eyes and shoved past him, her bold behavior stunned Edmund. Leonard in love with such a woman? He didn't think he was the type. She was moving fast and all he could do was run after her. "Stop! Miss please!" Others were looking now, but she kept walking. Lifting her dress and going right up the stairs with Edmund on her tail. They were making quite the scene, and the guests muttered to each other in amusement. Edmund glanced back at them and began to sweat 'She's making a fool of me!' Edmund thought. He rushed after her, and his heart skipped a beat when she grabbed the door nob to Leonard's bedroom. "Wait!" He called but he was too late, she swung open the door to Leonard's bedroom. "Leonard what is the meaning of this-?!" She froze. Her eyes were fixed on the dark coffin. Edmund ran in "I'm so sorry I meant to-"
The woman slowly walked up to the coffin, and looked down in it. Then scoffed. She put her hand in the coffin and lifted up a dead bird. Its feathers had been tugged off, and its skin was leathery and shrunken in around the bones. "Is this some kind of joke?" She snapped at Edmund, dropping the bird back in with a loud THUNK. Edmund flinched at the sound.
He opened his mouth, not sure what to say. How did that bird get in there? He walked over to the coffin to see... it was empty. Except for the dead creature. He was caught speechless again. The floor boards in the entance of the room creaked to signify someone's arrival. He saw the woman turn in the corner of his eye to see who it was. He was about to politely tell them to leave- but she cut him off first. "Leonard! There you are!"
....
Leonard?
Edmund's eyes widened, and he slowly turned on the ball of his heel. There his eyes met Leonard's violet gaze. His jaw dropped only slightly, making a sharp inhale as he fell back against the coffin. Luckily not into it. The dead man's lips turned into a charming fond smile, and he turned his head to look at the woman. His skin was nearly as light as the white in his eyes, his lips a rose quartz, and his almost white blonde hair hung elegantly, as it always had, in his face. "Candace. So glad you could come to the funeral... Its good to know you cared." She smiled at this. She had no idea. "Unfortunately its been canceled." He stood so still in that door way, it was as if he still lay dead. But there he was, turning to look deep into Edmund's eyes. He still hadn't blinked. "Candace... Could you leave Edmund and I alone?" He asked her, keeping his calm tone. She huffed but walked out.
Leonard then smiled at Edmund. Neither of them had moved from where they stood for a good minute. Leonard was still and silent. As though he was a predator, waiting to strike his prey. Then a foot creaked forward on the carpeted flooring. Leonard advanced on Edmund in speed that was incomprehensible. He was in front of Edmund in the blink of an eye, and a small gust of cool wind. The curly haired man took a quick step back in fear, but lost his footing and fell back in the coffin. Butt first. Leonard seemed amused by his fear, awaiting a question he knew he would get. "H-How?" A disoriented Edmund exclaimed. His dark curly hair messily fell over his sweaty forehead, and his big eyes grew even larger. Like they'd pop out if he widened them further. Leonard stood above him, then finally spoke. "You are..." he faded out. His voice sounded so clear. As though it wasnt being just spoken aloud but in Edmund's mind too. "... So beautiful. I can see every little glimmering sweat drop, slowly pool and slip from your small pores... and your eyes practically shimmer..." Leonard spoke softly.
"W-what..." Edmund sputtered.
Leonard then smiled again "You stink of alcohol however. You'd be a man of the women if you weren't a babbling drunk." Edmund's fear increased. This creature was no longer Leonard. He spoke to him like he was. But at the same time. He didn't. This beast in man's skin continued to stare at him with this light elegant smile. A smile people make when they see a good old friend, or when dessert is on their plate.