Hollow Souls (the short story anthology)

Fake Smile

He stood there smiling. He looked at peace with the world. He said nice things and helped anyone. He loved all people and living beings; he treated everyone and everything with care. The people around him loved him and admired his attitude. Almost perfect is what people thought of him; they said his burning passion to help others almost had a sad feeling to it and his presence would sometimes send a shiver down their spine.

He lived alone in a plain, old brick house. No one had ever seen the inside. There was an odd feeling around the house. It was like it pushed people away. It was like a possessed doll; you would always have the feeling of being watched or followed. It was like a huge invisible force was standing over you like a mighty beast. The great, forceful, intimidating power driving everything away.  Everyone wondered why he would live in such a damned building surrounded by these terrible feelings. 

Every Friday, eleven in the evening, he would just disappear to return the following Sunday morning. No one knew where he would go. No one knew if it was to see anyone. He would just vanish into the deep blackness of the starry night, not to be seen by a single sleeping soul. While he was gone, people would seemingly forget he existed. It was like he stole the memories from them as he left. 

One night he ventured into the darkness, but was followed by a silent being. It could see his feelings. It could see his thoughts. It could see his soul. So damaged and broken were the things it saw. The twisted typhoons, those sadistic sights, all that could break a person down and make them numb from the inside. These saddening thoughts would make a normal human unstable and broken. Maybe to the point where the typhoons break them, and the sights blind them, and the numbness inside grows so big that they cant handle the feeling sending them into a state of isolation and loneliness. But the soul continued to follow, seemingly unaffected by the memory purloining.

The soul followed him for around an hour, hiding in the shadows, to a rather odd, rocky cliff top. A huge emerald like bush stood there against nature on top of the dusty rock. The light of the moon reflected off of it making it gleam and shimmer in the night. The broken figure walked up to the glowing emerald and opened up a little hidden entrance. He slowly made his way in gently moving the leaves and sticks. The undetected soul quickly slid into the gap before it closed up to see inside. It hid in the leaves and twigs to remain undetected and saw the glowing insides of the jewel. The light of the moon sparkled on the inside revealing the lush green walls and an open area in the centre. The floor was covered with short, verdant grass; swaying as the wind from the outside passed in through.

In the centre of this he stood looking down at a little picture on the ground. It was a picture of a beautiful lady. She wore a long black dress and had skin as pale as a summer cloud. She had fiery ginger hair that looked as if it gently waved with the wind and oddly coloured eyes. One was as green as the inside of this jewel of nature; the other a red-ish black that seemed to look unnerving if gazed upon too long.

It was made clear to the little soul hiding. The man had lost what was close, loved and dear to him. His one true love that made his world bright. He felt immense pain. There was a suffocating cloud where his heart shouldve been and dark lonesome matter where his soul shouldve rested. The light shone through in little beams which reflected off the tears that were running down his cheeks. They fell to the ground. The grass catching them and sparkling as the moonlight hit them. Liquefied crystals of sadness gleaming.

The soul hiding in the walls began to quiver. It was seeing why this man would come here. The body of his love was buried in the cliff. This was the area they had first met and also the last place they shared memories together. She wanted him to stay kind to all those around him after she had departed to another world. So thats what he did, he smiled to hide his despair that was unravelling within him. He continued on living.

A tear fell from the little souls eye and rolled down the leaves to hit the grass at the bottom. The man turned around and noticed the soul hiding. Realising it was spotted, it slowly stepped out onto the grass where the moon shone onto its face. It raised its hands to its face. A small child, with fiery ginger hair. The same as the lady in the picture.

The man stepped forward and knelt down towards her. He placed his hands on hers and slowly lowered her hand. She looked up at him with tears dripping down her pale cheeks. An emerald and a ruby. Her eyes were odd gems; jewels.

He wiped the tears from the little girls eyes as she pushed herself into his arms. Looking down, he gently placed his hand on her head holding her close. An aura began to illuminate around them as the moon light peaked over the herbaceous room. Moonlight permeating inside; lighting up all the leaves and plants within. A breeze entered blowing the glowing particles up to flow around them. Swirling typhoon of light, the beautiful sight, and the feeling of fullness inside. They both closed their eyes. The dazzling light engulfed them. Blinding light. Nothing was visible.

The clouds in the sky began to blacken out the rays from the moon. Inside the bush the gleaming lights dissipated. He was smiling. Lying on the floor. Motionless, happy and at rest. He held the picture of the lady close to his heart. He was finally with her, and that helped him feel joy in his final moment.