Grim (Watty Awards 2012)

2: Requiem

 Chapter 2

Requiem

beautiful cover done by Cocolittle.

This Chapter was edited by the amazing, TakeMyBreathAway.

She is turly amazing, and really helped me out. Fan her!

Right as you walk through the door you enter the first main hallway. It stretches out for what you believe to be forever. Watch your every step, every move and don't move your eyes away for one second. This place can trick you so easily.

My first time coming down here I was walking through this pale red hallway and blinked for one millisecond and the hallway was suddenly blue and much longer. Death does it to play games with the minds of others, it gives him an advantage just in case someone comes here for other motives.

When he awarded me my five year deduction was my first encounter with him. During my First meeting he made it a habit to change his appearance to make me think Death was some sort of demon. He took the shape of a demonic animal with bright red eyes and sharp teeth that poked out.

That was over a hundred years ago, since than I've had many reoccurring appearances here.

The walls remind me of blood. It is completely dark, but as you move further down, torches light up on the wall to guide you. With each flickering of the flame I feel closer and closer. My mind ponders the thought of why Death requests my presence. The thought of that girl running off keeps popping in my mind. I'm almost certain it has something to do with her stupidity.

Spiderwebs swarm the ceiling, dust resides in the cracks of the floor and each step I take makes a creaking noise.

Further down the hall that same, demonic melody plays through my head. Each cord sends chills down your spine. It echoes through the halls, plays through your nonexistent soul and makes you think of only death. The door is inches away and I stretch out to grab the handle, but then the door suddenly flies open to reveal the back of a man.

Death sits playing the piano, his shoulders move with each drop of the finger. His head sways around with each beat and stroke of the keys.

The room is not much better than the ruins outside, it's actually far worse. All around is death, torn up furniture, old papers scattered throughout the room, drapes covering windows that aren't there and mold seeping in through the cracks.

The music doesn't stop, the melody plays in my head as I watch in despair. Death isn't a red looking devil man with horns, a cloak wearing, blue guy with flames on his head or anything out of the ordinary. I look normal and he looks normal.

My eyes don't remove their gaze from the Piano, though I have seen it many times, it's beauty still amazes me. Such a slick, glossy black colored object, so beautiful and pure. It reflects like a mirror and plays like a master piece. The flooring under it does not do this Piano justice, this room doesn't do it justice. The cords play majestically, the interior is so well made and it plays so well for being so old. If your eyes remain on it's beauty, you wouldn't even notice the morbid look to the room. This Piano brings this place life.

The music stops.

Ginn stands up and slowly turns towards me. His features are near flawless. Porcelin skin that has yet to age a day. His eyes create no real emotion, but his lips seem to give him away.

He seems scared.

"Florencia." He speaks with no accent. "In three days it will be my birth as this man." He pauses for a moment.

He stands not much taller than myself. Straight. With power. Ginn turns towards his piano and caresses the keys.

Much like Richmond, Ginn wears a fancy black suit. In my opinion, suits give off a bad ass look with this job.

"Just out of curiosity, when was this birth as you are?" Ginn has never muttered a word of his life, though, none of us really do.

Ginn chuckles. "If I told you-" he turns to me once again with a playful smirk. "I'd have to kill ya, again."

"Sir, so what is it?" Ginn has never been one easily to understand. He is always just so vague.

"Many many centuries ago I was given this." Ginn raises his hands and looks amongst his corridor. "A necessary evil."

He is very much scared. I can see it in the way he bites his upper lip after every other sentence. He is not obvious, but it's easy for me to read others. This man is on edge.

"Balance keeps everything in sync. Without evil, there could be no good." He looks up above, my eyes follow his; unknowingly. A chandelier nearly hangs off the torn ceiling. The wallpaper is clearly of age.

"Yes." I say.

"Balance needs to exist." He swallows. His eyes go back to me. We stare back. "Florencia, I need your help."

Now I fear. Help him? Help who? If I were to fail he could keep me here forever. I'd never be free. I'd never know who I was. But...

"You will be rewarded, of course." He stops. "In three days I will be at my weakest."

Why is he telling me this? And what does he mean by weakest? Could I like...kill his existence? But - I couldn't, he is right, balance exist for a reason.

He trusts me.

"Every 500 years the soul of an only child can be eaten by a force we did not create. A disrupted soul causes chaos, but it feeds the fallen angel."

"A fallen angel?" I ask.

"An angel fallen." Ginn laughs and heads for his entrance. "You need to grab this kids soul, before anyone has the chance to." He gives me a stern look. "Easy." He snaps his fingers. My eyes force closure.

When my eyes reopen, I am back at the ruins.

Typical.