Tell No One

Chapter 31

Falling was a rush. Kiera watched in mild dismay as the sky grew further away from her, and more of the tower came into view. She was glad she was falling face up- this way, she could almost believe she wasn't falling. The sky stretched in expanse above her, the perfect backdrop to frame her untimely death. Her hair whipped about her head, flailing in the strong wind. Kiera could begin to see the tops of other buildings come into view, and continuing her rapid descent, Kiera though she must be-

And just like that.

One moment she was falling, then for a split second, Kiera felt the most agonising, gut wrenching pain until everything stopped. The world was silenced. It was sudden; gone was the roaring in her ears, the departure of sound submitted a hasty farewell as the world came to a standstill. Just like the first time, when Kiera sat up, her physical body did not follow. But unlike last time, it would never move again.

Being in that ethereal state, Kiera could not help but feel blissful. She felt her burdens lift from her shoulder, and although fearful as to what would come next, it was freeing to be shucked of the consequences her actions had in the surfacing world. Standing, she looked around her at the crowd of people who had gathered to watch her fall from the top. Many of them had their faces frozen in clear shock, their mouths agape. Scanning the front row of people, ignoring the various army officials that were dotted about, faces grim, Kiera's eye was caught by a peculiar looking pair standing right next to the hazard tapes. Kiera walked up to them, confusion evident on her face as she gazed upon the faces of none other that Alana and Chris. 
Alana's eyes were wild, face fixed in a maniacal grin, eyes bright as she stared emptily at her body on the floor. Looking further, Kiera was also surprised to find that under the sloppily thrown on hoodie- which was coming off at one shoulder- Alana was wearing a hospital gown. Directing her attention to Chris, Kiera could see that he's had a much more predictable reaction. His arm protectively on Alana's shoulder, his eyes were sorrowful, downcast. He looked on in pity. Kiera felt a pang in her chest. She.... actually missed them. And behind them, she could see Darren, pulling up the rear. If Shelia was there, that'd be the whole group.

Kiera instantly shoved that thought to the back of her mind. She didn't know where it'd come from, but she wasn't going to entertain it.

"Kiera Wilder," Kiera spun around, unsurprised to find Mera standing there. His smile was impish. "Died on the 6th of October, at 5:46 after falling 84 stories from a skyscraper." Kiera returned the smile. "She was a loving daughter, a good friend. All who knew her favoured her fondly." Kiera's smile broadened as she walked over to Mera. "She always had a smile on her face." Mera placed a hand on her back, keeping her pace with him as he walked with her. "Whether it was helping a friend-" Mera smiled down at her- "Or spilling someone's guts, Kiera will be remembered as a happy, optimistic girl. who touched many many souls in her lifetime." Kiera had to laugh at that and playfully pushed Mera away.

"Stop with the eulogy! No-one's going to miss me." Mera's smile didn't change in width, but it did somehow seem sadder. In death, he seemed more real. More solid. He wasn't a mirage on the edge of Kiera's thoughts, here it seemed they were on the same plane, the same space. "But hey, as long as you're by my side, who cares?" Kiera looked out onto the sea of people, halting their tracks. "Each one of them is going to die. But at least I-" Kiera turned to Mera, her eyes sparkling. "At least I went out with a bang. My life was a firework, as explosive and dangerous as it was brief and beautiful."

"That's a wonderful description, Kiera."

"I'm glad you think so." Kiera turned a furtive glance at her mangled body but didn't let her eyes linger too long. "The legacy I've left is heinous, but I can say I've had more impact in this world that most of these people before me." She paused briefly to consider what to say next. "So, Mera, what now? What happens next?"

"Now, we go onwards." As he spoke, Kiera watched in amazements as a set of double doors rose from the pavement just behind him. The wood was a dark, polished mahogany. Carved into it was a beautiful floral design that circled and curled around the frame. Most noticeable, however, and seeming to not quite fit in, was the ornate carving of a goat's skull that centred the uppermost part of the door. The wooden plants curled through its eye sockets, out its mouth, and the nose had crumbled because of the wooden vines. It was masterfully done, and in good condition too. Examining the door, there was not a scuff or a scratch on it. 

"Neat." Kiera's comment gleaned a slight laugh from Mera.

With one sweeping gesture from Mera, the doors opened. Kiera watched as the ram skull was split into 2 before the doors were swallowed by the thick darkness beyond. Kiera could see the gradient where the light cast by the autumn sun was swallowed by the blackness, beseeched from the air. With a glance over one shoulder and a cheeky wink, Mera walked through, disappearing into the darkness. 

"Mera?" For the first time in a while, Kiera felt uneasy- a little scared even. As she peered into the darkness, it only seemed to grow more intense. It crepitated with a kind of sluggish, intense energy that was foreign yet somehow familiar to Kiera.

But she trusted Mera.

Taking a deep breath to still her racing heart, Kiera walked into the darkness.