Everything In My Wake

Skin

   Dallyce

   HE SLEEPS ALONE at the very far side of the beach I could barely see him. Turns out he wasn't so far away, for he buried himself under the damp sand for the night. I see that he'd rather suffer through the night of sleep just to keep me warm. Or he's stopping himself by doing something that can distract him from certain thoughts. Must be about yesterday's events.
   With all the truth I can hold on to, I strongly believe he'll someday, somehow, he'd plan his own demise. I just don't know how or when. Why barely now though? But I know I have to stop him from doing so. Or else, I'll lose the only light I have into finding my own place in the outside world.
   Without Adven, I'll lose half my perspective. I wouldn't know what it's like to break. Everything was so perfect. And with Adven by my side, I would finally see the true aspects of imperfection, because I don't think the world is complete without it.
   Adven is imperfect, and without him, the world is incomplete.
  

   Adven

   I AM FROZEN under the damp sand. I wasn't that far from Dallyce, just to make sure I'm incapable of breaking anything, or obliterating any innocent animal during my slumber.
   Five years ago in an old town, I slept in the forest and had to wake up in a puddle of squirrel's blood. I still get nightmares from the innocent animals I've killed in my sleep. Sometimes I don't even sleep. My longest time to stay awake was about two weeks. I've grown tall still despite the lack of sleep every year. Some days, I don't even need to try not falling asleep. I just happened to be very awake.
   Miraculously, I was able to sleep with Dallyce's companionship, knowing I can't destroy anything in my sleep. For the first time ever, I had a dream. I was in a different environment. And nothing ever made sense, more senseless than this world we live in. I was free to make or not make sense. Even that didn't make sense. Must've been an effect you have after a dream. I tasted the stars in my sleep.
   I was shook out of the dream world when she held my shoulder.
"No touching!" I whirled wide-awake like a hurricane and swatted her hand away. "I'm wary of what I might do to you, it's. . . I'm too scared to hurt another living creature. So please. . ."
"I understand." Dallyce takes a step back. "You hungry?"
   In front of her, she held a small amount of fruits and nuts.
"I just thought I'd be a resourceful companion if I gathered some food so you won't get dazed again."
"Keep it," I said. "It's all yours."
"What about you? What're you eating?" full of worry she asks.
"Nothing. I've gotten used to it."
"That's why you're hiding in this extremely thick sweater of yours. To hide all that skin and bones?"
"Yeah, I guess."
"You have to eat."
"I told you, I'm good."
"How am I supposed to keep up with a companion who just wants to disappear? Then where will I find another companion?"
"I thought I made myself clear; I gave you a chance to walk away because I know I can't help with anything. Look, I appreciate everything you've done, I really do, but I think it's just better if we separate ways now so it won't be so difficult when I disappear."
"I've had enough of this "disappearing", alright?" she stepped closer and looked up at me straight in the eye. "I need you, okay?!" She jabbed a finger at my chest.
"Need me for what? So that you can be balanced? Huh, is that what you want? You only want my presence but not me, huh? You don't want me, you only want my presence!" I shouted. "You know, I was right the whole time; all people are the same. They're always after that one thing they want and when they get tired of it, they just leave."
"Please don't say that. I know you don't mean it, Adven. I'm not like that. I've never done anything despicable that I'd get compared to those beings."
   I shake off the sand as I stood up.
"I told you to leave but you wouldn't listen. . . I am an abomination and I don't want anyone else to witness what I can do. I just want to be left alone. Tell your guards--army to just leave me alone from now on, alright?"
   I start by turning my back away from her and walking.
"They are not my army. They are my father's army but not mine. I escaped that castle because I was worried I'd end up just like them. I don't want to be, I want to be different. I don't want to be perfect. I just want to be me. I want liberty."
   I stop walking.
"And I want to disappear. Guess there's no life, huh? I'm done playing life's games."
   I stare at my hand as its first layer of skin slowly depleted.
"What are you doing?" she asked. "How are you doing that?"
   My heart's beating's gone fast. I can't breathe. Finally, I can feel myself disappearing. I've never been so happy in my life.
   Then it stopped. The depletion of my skin stops.