Courting Death | Book 3

T W O

T W O
Afterlife

I WAS LEFT in the cold dark silence, the temperature of the room always seemingly cold yet unaffecting as I sat on my bed. My shoulders were hunched over, palms pressing tightly against the mattress as my fingers gripped at the duvet. I was filled with a sudden tidal wave of guilt, a hurricane that swept through my emotions and quaked my mind. And all I could think to myself was 'why on earth had I said that all to them?'

The night had set in, the yolky sun disappearing from the edges of the mountains from what I could tell. There was a dark eery feel that tinted everything the world touched. And through this silence, my mind was allowed to think, to wander. The literal meaning of death had changed me. It threw my entire personality off axis and I felt as though there were multiple voices speaking in my head all at once. They screamed so loudly, some overpowering the other, but never coming out as a singular united voice. The voices demanded different things, wanted different choices to be made, and in turn, tore me into a whole different persona.

What I had just spoken of to Fabian would not be something in which the everyday me would say. My mind was playing tricks on me all around, and I'm not too sure if I like it or not.

There came a knock on the door, small, hesitant, and soft at first. After it paused for a second or two, it grew louder, knocking a loud resonating thud on the wood. "Come in," I said, peering curiously at who could possibly be at the door.

When a red head had popped in, I could feel my heart soar in relief as my muscles relaxed. She glanced around for a second, eyes assessing the dark room before they finally landed on me. For a second, a smile bloomed so very brightly across her face, displaying clear relief that reflected mine. However, the second in which her eyes had properly assessed my situation, that smile faltered.

"Addi, oh my goodness. Thank god you're okay!" Minnie squealed, sighing lightly as she dashed across the room.

I got up easily, feet lighter than ever before, and was barely even standing properly before Minnie jumped into my arms, her own pale limbs wrapping around me tightly. Immediately, a floral scented perfume filled the air around us, hinting at me of the rebirth as I closed my eyes. For a second, I allowed myself the selfish moment of just relaxing in the present without a single worry of the future.

How wonderful it was. If Dimitri was death, Minnie would be a pure persona of life. She had always be kind and positive, showing the world that everything could be better if kindness was brought forward. Represented by the sun in a glistening blue sky, she would always dazzle brighter than anyone in her path. Minnie was just made that way. She was born to bring happiness into the world, even though she was born a mortal and will most likely stay that way. And without a doubt, she had brought rays of luminous sunlight into my mortal lifespan.

"I was so worried, Addi!" She confessed when we had separated, her hands still gripping my shoulder tightly. It was as if she was worried that if she had let go, I would disappear in front of her very eyes. "I saw you dead! Sprawled across the ground in Dimitri's arms with blood all over your dress. And even at that moment, I think I saw Dimitri cry. Heck, even the other boys had tears rimming their eyes. We were all so scared that you would be gone."

"I'm alright, Minnie," I reassured. Gently removing her hands from my shoulders, I held them close to my heart as I smiled at her as best as I could. "Seriously. Dimitri and Fabian did a good job at patching me up."

"You're still..," she hesitated, "dead."

Her words could not be more true. When I looked down, I could see Minnie's pale freckled hands through my own color tinted ones. I was once again reminded that at that very moment, I was nothing more than a wisp of spiritual energy that had to be shipped away as soon as time catches up with me.