Moments

Keeper : Nicomaine

photo used © yodabuda & sarahgenove on twitter

1.25.17 AMACon4 - Day 24 : English FF - She starts to breathe when he begins to die.

Keeper : Nicomaine

Who am I?

What am I?

Why am I here?

Those are questions people usually asked to me. Of course, I have an answer but words were rarely used around here. That is if ever I met another person. The last time I saw a human being is a lost lady trying to go home. But anyway, moving on, since it's another sunrise, I'll start the usual introductions.

I am Nicomaine Dei.

I am a Keeper.

I am here to guard my life...well, technically, my breath.

You see, I come from a curse bloodline. I was born link to a being that I like to call "My Breath"

I am not your "my breath"...How many times do I have to tell you that?!"

I will call you whatever. You're currently dead so you're opinions in my head don't matter.

I'll get you for that. Wait, 'til I wake up.

She snickered, as if his threat will ever happen. "Okay, whatever, Richard. Go now. Wherever you go when you are dead"

I'll be watching.

Empty words. Those are what your words mean to me, Richard. And stop reading my thoughts.

A couple of second passed, there was no answer. She smiled bitterly.

Well, where was I? Before I was interrupted...ah, my introductions.

To summarize, Richard and I shared the same breath. When I am breathing, he is dead. When he is living, I am dead. It's an everyday cycle that we both got tangled in.

Oh, I also have to add. Richard is dead during the day while I am awake. So, common folks like to call their kind "Vampires", just because he's dead during the day. But other than that, Richard has no other differences from being normal. But I like to call him, Thief, Mr. Know-it-all, my pain in the ass and I-am-your-master, but that just me.

So, let see, what do I have to tell you so that you'll understand our odd predicament?

Ahh, okay, let's start on the day I found out I am a keeper of breath to Richard.

"Nicomaine, this is Richard. He's a half-breather" her mother said one day, when they went to a family friend's mansion.

At that time, Nicomaine still has no idea, what the introduction means, all she cares about are how sweet Mrs. Faulkerson and Mr. Faulkerson to her. They kept telling her stories about Richard, his traits, his likes and dislikes and where he usually went to when happy or upset. She remembers wondering at that time, when she'll ever meet Richard in the flesh. She waited, and waited, but she never met him.

Once home, it was only then, that her mother explain why.

"Sweetie, Richard is your half-breather. You are his keeper"

"What does that mean, mother?"

"It means that one day, you and him will share the same breath"

"Like you and father?"

"Hhmm, no, you can see both your father and I together, right?"

She nodded.

"Well, you and Richard will never be able to see each other"

"Never?"

"Yes"

"Ever?"

"Yes, sweetie. When you are awake he sleeps and when he is awake you are asleep. It's what a Keeper and Half-breather have in connection."

Nicomaine remain silent after.

Her mother kissed her forehead and gives her a hug. Knowing that her daughter's life will be a hard one. She only hopes that Richard will be able to pass the test once the right time comes.

Years have passed and she gets to fully realized what her mother means.

At eighteen, her mother brought her to the Faulkerson mansion. The house was gloomy, unlike the first time she visited. Mr. Faulkerson was the only one that greeted them. His wife passed away just last year.

That day marked her first exchange of breath for Richard.

It was horrifying to say the least.

Well, enough of that. The past makes me gloomy, so let's move on.

We, of course, it means, Richard and I, live in a mansion at the top of a cliff. When I am awake, I do all my daily chores in the morning and do whatever I like the rest of the day.

Richard and I are both in our late twenties, when he is not dead; he's usually on his office, doing whatever that keeps us rich, such as buying stocks in the market which I don't understand. While I, on the other hand is a chef and a writer.

Most days, I like to think, that Richard is my roommate that was always asleep. And yes, we share the same room. He is now in our bed.

When I call him my roommate...That way... that way, it makes thing bearable. It makes me avoid the fear that I always have whenever the setting of the sun is near.

The fear that my breath will never be enough to awaken his dead heart... It's a fear I buried deep in my thoughts and only arises when I know he is out of my head.

He could always read my thoughts, alive or dead. It's part of our connection. At the start, we used it immensely. But when we longed for things we can never have...we decided to communicate only when necessary. Hence, I was always with my jumbles thoughts. He occasionally comes to my mind, every now and then as you notice. But other than that, we avoid each other's thoughts.

It is safest that way. Safe for our sanity. Safe for our hearts. Safe for the balance we tried so hard to maintain.

...

Oh, it was already getting dark. I have to get ready now.

[Entry: January 25, 2024]

Nicomaine stand up from her seat in the terrace. She walked back to the mansion, arranged her things to a separate room Richard has given her. She showered and changed to new dress before going to their room. She liked to look fresh whenever Richard awakened and she was already asleep by then.

She enters the master bedroom, their bedroom and saw his sleeping figure. Richard grew up more handsome that she has imagined. But she never says that out loud. He is already conceited enough.

"Here we go again" she slips under the blanket beside Richard. Looked beside him and take her last breath just when the sun sets and Richard took his first breath in shocked, as always.

_ _ _

A/N: Sabaw pa more...yan po ang recipe for this week, haha. *peace* Done this when I'm already too sleepy while being pressured by the deadline of A4. So, it's unedited and out of this world *again* 

Thank you for reading! ^_^