What If Our Life Threads Bind?

Chapter 54

I put both of my hands in my pockets and breathe out, a huff of mist coming out of my mouth as I walk wobbly towards the old tapestry workshop. My gait is slow and stiff because of the onset of winter, my legs hardly doing a good job to move me towards my destination.

My eyes squint through the smog towards the main entrance of the workshop hopelessly.

I have spent half of my life living and respecting the importance of this building and the secret it holds. But now I'll have to leave it. I would have to die because I am sure of it. Gods are not easy to please. I know they would kill me.

And I should be killed.

Because I am a sinner. I disobeyed the laws and risked a mortal's life.

I will die and then they would live happily. Everyone of them would be happy.

But for now, I need to get back to work. Give death to the dying and suffering with pain.

I kick the door and it gives way with a creaky sound. I pat my boots on the rug and entered one of my favorite places that I almost could call home. Suddenly, I felt really nostalgic, eyes watering.

My eyes landed on a huge pile of documentaries that I was yet to read. Probably Lila figured out that I would come here to find some peace, to complete my job. She knew I always respected my responsibilities even though sometimes I didn't like it. I pick up the bundle as I sit on a nearby chair, across the slab platform and withdrew my shears from my bag.

"This might even be the last time I am doing this. After this, my own life documentary would be kept bundled up here." I whisper to myself and open the first page of the first documentary.

#

Anger and sadness takes the best of me as soon as I finish reading all of the documentaries and cutting the tapestries. I recoil from the unscrewed threads and my shears. This is not me! Why am I the demigod of death? Why do I have to torture myself like that?

Death is the opposite of life but a part of life. Death is a cause of rebirth.

Your purpose is not to bring peace but to bring a sense of existence of void.

I tried to remember everything that Lila had kept telling me whenever I would get mad about being the cause of people's fear.

My breath felt hollow now and I don't know if this was because of the winter or because I just read a bunch of sad real stories of dying people. Its okay, its okay, its okay. I told myself as I gathered my things and myself, and started heading back to Austin's place.

Its okay, Martha. It'll all be over soon. For good. Don't lose hope.

Hope.

I remember the time when 'hope' was first invented. I invented it. Zeus was totally against it but I convinced him that we needed it. Pandora needed it.

Pandora was lying with shock and horror running through her veins, too afraid to look up to the box she had just opened.

I had come by her and sat next to her, as she shook with fear. I told her that it was going to be okay and then I closed my eyes, and opened them with a snap.

Everything had stopped. Every movement. Every sound. Time. I had succeeded in stopping time once again.

I had glanced back at Pandora who laid frozen to her position like a statue. I had grinned back at her as I stood up and looked at the opened box of sins.

I blinked, changing my color and threw my hands in a ball of closure, creating a blue network and named it 'Hope'. The world shone with its force when I kept it inside the box and closed the lid.

"Pandora." I shook her lightly, smiling down at her as the time returned returned to its normalcy. "Don't open the box." I grinned at her, compelling her to do the opposite of what I just told her and left.

As soon as I had left, the curious girl had opened the box again and the world shook and shone with a shimmer. It was hope, finally revealed to earth and all its live beings.

Don't lose hope. I told myself and continued walking until I reached the steps to Austin's door. I rang the bell and was greeted by Robbie.

He flustered under my gaze as I entered inside. "Hi. Where's Austin?"

"He'd be along." He said without looking at me.

Is he shy of me?

"Okay, I'll just go to his bedroom then. I am sort of tired and-"

"No!" He says all of a sudden, startling me and I look at him alarmed.

Something is off.

"Robbie? Is everything okay?" I ask him.

"They took him." He snaps back with a horrid expression on his face. My heart stops.

"What?!"

My head feels light, sweat pricking on my scalp as I continue to stare at him.

"They took him." He repeats to me solemnly and I shake my head.

No no no, this can't be happening.

"Who?"

"I don't know!" He says through his panic.

It is all my fault.

The door bell rings and before I know it, my feet are taking me to the door. I swing the door and I see no one outside. I willingly step outside, anger coursing over me.

"Come at me, you coward! I am not afraid of you!" I yell in anger.

As if in cue, something grabs my neck from behind, choking me and then the next thing I know is that my face is being covered by a thick black cloth.