One Time Deal

Death Alone - Part 2

I get out of the bathroom with my old clothes folded. The clothes Mark lent me are obviously too big, but I will not complain. I walk into the kitchen and see that Mark is taking out some dishes.

He does not seem to know that I am here, "Thank you for lending me your bathroom."

He looks at me a little surprised, but fortunately, he did not drop the dishes. "You're welcome. If you like I can wash your clothes, just put it on the small box there," he points near another door.

"There's no need for that, you already did so much for me!" I refuse, I do not want to bother him anymore.

"Don't worry about it, just let me do it," Mark insists making me nod in defeat. When I come back with my hands-free of clothes, he smiles at me with two plates of piping hot food. "Let's eat."

I sit on the high chair and look at the food. It's red and white? Was this it? But the smell was delicious. I look at the fork and knife and then at Mark. I see him cut through it, so I do the same. I take out a piece which has several layers to it. I can't wait anymore, so I directly put it in my mouth and burn my tongue. I wince and take it out. Why is it so hot?

"Are you okay?" he asks worriedly.

"I'm sorry," I apologize not knowing why, but it feels right to.

"Don't. You did nothing wrong. Here, let me help you," he takes my fork with the piece of food on it and blows on it. Then he put it in front of my mouth. "Go ahead, try again," he smiles, but I look at the piece of food worriedly. But I trust Mark, so I open my mouth and let him feed me. This time it doesn't burn me and I can taste it. It is so good! What is it? "I can suppose you like the lasagna?" he chuckles as he feeds me another bite.

"What about you?" I ask between the spoonful of food seeing that he didn't touch at his.

"I am not that hungry, don't worry about it," he answers before giving me another bite.

I just nod even though I'm worried about him as I continue to eat. At the end of it, I never felt this full in my entire life. I'll have to do something to thank him. Anything he wants.

"Umm," I start unsure what to say as he put the dishes into what I think is a dishwasher. "I think you already know, b-but I have nothing of value on me... But if I can do anything, I'll do it!"

"Anything?" he asks back a little unsure as I nod. I'll do it to thank him and then maybe, maybe I can still see him. "Let me tell you a story then."

A story? Only that? "A story?" I ask to be sure that I heard the right thing, and he nods. But if that's what he wants then okay. I nod, and he asks me to sit next to him on the sofa. I sit next to him eager to hear his story.

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there was a beautiful house in the countryside. Inside of it, a happy couple was living in there and they recently had two children. They were twins, one boy, and one girl. Like many other kids, their parents gave them anything they wanted, toys, candies, friends, love... The twins did everything together. They were never apart for long. They were in their own little world.

They made a promise, a promise to always stay together even when they grow up.

But in one ordinary day, as the family was sitting in the car going to the city, they saw a child walking all alone near the road. The child didn't have a family, he may have been lost or abandoned. So the parents took him into their car. The boy only wore an old shirt and pants too big for him. He had black hair and black eyes.

The family gave him food and water. Everyone liked him. The mother helped him change, the father ruffled his hair and the young girl fed him. Only the other twin sat in the car without a word. It wasn't because he didn't like him, but because the black haired boy didn't stop looking at him.

They asked for his name, but he didn't have one. They asked if he knew his parents, but he didn't. He didn't remember anything except the fact that he was always alone.

A little before they reached the city, the twins and the new boy were friends. They talked as if they knew each other forever.

Suddenly, a car hit into theirs. The shock was so violent that the parents, they were the first to die. The car hit them directly. As for the black-haired child, he wasn't wearing his seatbelt, so he was propelled out of the car. The twin girl was crushed on the ground. As for the twin boy... He was the only survivor. He never knew why, in his head. He should have been dead with his family, but he survived.

As the help came and took the now orphan boy in the hospital, he saw people covering their parents, his sister and his new friend under a white cover. He didn't want to be alone. He felt left out. So, multiple times in the hospital, he tried to commit suicide, but every time, he failed. It was either the doctor or a nurse that came to stop or save him.

As the child slowly becomes a teenager and then an adult. Over the years, he learned to accept that everything was an accident. That he had to continue to live for his parents, his friend, and his sister. In time, he got a prestigious job and went to all the places the twins once promised to go together.

For once, he started to live a normal life happily. Then one day, as he walked in a park, he saw a dark-haired boy looking at the kids play. At first, he only saw him because he was thinking about his old friend, but the more he looked at him, the more he realized they both looked alike.

He returned home confused. He remembered that the doctor said he was the only survivor. So how?

In the following days, he followed the black haired boy into the woods. He did notice one thing mostly when he went to take a bath in the river. His was leaving black footsteps on the grass when he didn't have his socks or shoes on. When the boy walked away, the older man went to look closer and discovered that the grass was black it died.

Another day, the teenager accidentally touched a little boy because he took away his gloves, hours later, that little boy died.

Another time, the older man saw him silently follow after a deer. He didn't have any weapon on him. He only took off his gloves and touched the back of the deer for a few seconds. But it was enough for the animal to lay down and never wake up again.

"P-please stop..." I whimper with my gloved hands on my ears.

Mark looks at the boy who has tears in his eyes. "So you know what I'm talking about," I nod. He sighs and looks at me as I look at him in fear. What is he going to do now? "Do you remember me? My sister?"

I shake my head, "I know that each time I die, I am reborn somewhere else, but... I don't always keep any memories of my precious lives..."

"What is this power exactly," he asks even though I know he knows the answer already.

"It's more like a curse than anything else. No matter where I touch or where I am touched... I-I can kill any living thing. I don't really know what I really am or what I should do with this power." I pause, "I'm sorry about your parents and sister. It's my fault, what can I do to apologize?"

"Touch me," he answers without hesitation making me look at him in horror.

"What?"

"Raven, hug me and let me join my family," tears start to fall on my cheeks. I clench my hands and violently shake my head. I will not do it! He is the first one... I have promised myself...

I will not be able to do it. It will hurt too much. If I do, I will be all alone over again. "Please."

Through my teary eyes, I look at Mark in the eyes. I can see hope and sorrow in it. I cry harder. It makes me realize that he is already set on this for a long time.

"Is that why you were so kind to me?" I ask weakly.

"For a part of it. The other part is because this will be your new house. The money I accumulated would be given to you. Everything I own would be yours. It's to thank you for letting me join my family."

"B-but I wanted to stay with you. I am not alone anymore, I have you. Please don't make me do it..." I plead, but I already know he will refuse.

"I know I sound selfish, but you'll be able to meet new people and make friends. You will not live in the streets anymore. You'll have a comfortable bed to sleep in. You'll have hot water, food, money."

"Y-you really want it?"

"Yes."

I nod in defeat and slowly take off my gloves hating myself. I look at Mark, "Thank you," I say making him look at me a little confused, "Thank you, you made my dreams come true, even it was for a few hours," I smile with teary eyes as I touch his cheeks. Then I trail my hand until we are in a hug. I don't let go of him. I just hold him tight because he will be gone soon. And I don't want that, even if it is too late.

"Thank you..." whispers Mark as he breathes his last breath. His body goes limp and heavier. I still don't let go of him, but we... I just sit there with him in my arms.

I hate myself. I hate this curse! Why do I have this deadly power?! If only I can kill myself by touching a part of my body. If I commit suicide or die of an accident or get killed by someone else, I will only be reborn.

It always ends up this way.

No matter who I meet, where we meet, they always leave me behind.

I always end up all alone.

Some give me everything they leave behind while others give me nothing, but it is not what I really desired.

I want Mark and Marie to always talk to me, to play with me, to tell me stories.

I want those children in the park to play with me every day. I want to see their smiles, their laughs.

But I can't do any of that.

I can't hear them.

I can't see them.

I can't touch them.

I am an outsider. People only get close to me when it is time. Only when Death comes to claim them.

But what if Death doesn't want to be Death anymore?