The Darkside

Rook

He was dead. He could tell.

And yet, it almost felt alive. Because he could see, and hear, and smell. He could almost taste the air, almost feel his heart beat.

Except it wasn't.

So, he let himself observe.

A girl in a blue dress. A white apron. Long blonde hair with a black bow. Black flats with white socks.

He watched as she gazed off into her own little world, sitting on a branch and leaning against a tree. He watched as her sister scolded her for not paying attention.

Strange. He hadn't noticed the sister before. She didn't seem so important though, so interesting, as the blonde girl.

Alice. 

The name appeared in his mind and he sounded it out on his tongue. It felt strange, like...

The correct name for the girl, but not the correct name for him to say.

Then what was he supposed to be saying?

Another name appeared in his mind. Cath.

He turned it over, feeling the right-ness of it and wondering. Wondering whose name it was. Wondering why he loved it so.

Because this tightening in his chest couldn't be anything else.

And if these people had names, did that mean he did as well? Or did it not matter, since he was dead?

He contemplated his thoughts for a couple minutes, idly watching the girl, Alice, as she chased a rabbit holding a clock.

He felt like his name did matter. Just a little bit. So what was his name?

Jest.

Jest. It had a comfortable feeling to it. Jest.

That name, his name, tickled his mind a little, and to his surprise, he remembered small fragments of life. Of his life.

A white rose on a windowsill.

A raven and a writing desk.

A wishing well with three girls.

A jabberwock.

A prophecy: Murderer, Martyr, Monarch, Mad.

But try as he might, he could not remember anything more than fragments.

He glanced back to the girl, Alice, wondering what she was doing now, and to his surprise, she was gone.

*grin* I didn't like the ending of Heartless, so I'm fixing it. Get ready for some wonder!