Pulse

beat twelve

"I can't say," he said.

"What?" she asked.

"I can not tell you, they said you needed to remember," Ace said, his fingers tangling in his hair, dread in his eyes.

"Remember what?"

"Who you were before you became who you are now. I need you to remember Eden, please," he begged, the blood tickling down his chin from his lip.

She stared at him, her jaw slack.

"I don't..."

"You know," he said, "You know that there is something kept for you and you know that you have many questions. Just ask them Eden. Go home, look around, open drawers. Ask question, but not me. Ask the girl in the mirror," he said.

Staring at him, she shook her head.

"It pains me to look at her," Eden said. "It pains me because I know that's not me. I know it isn't, with the scar on her face and dead eyes and pale skin. I know I'm not who I look at in the mirror. And I try. But I can't. I can't remember, because who you claim once existed now doesn't. And if I can't find that person,  and I don't know who I am now... I'm sorry Ace. But I don't know what I should remember."

He looked even more pained, his eyes now filling with tears, but she knew he wasn't letting them spill.

"Eden," he said, taking a step toward her. "It pains me to hear that. It pains me to look at you and know that you don't look at me like that. You don't remember Eden, but I do. And I can't tell you. You have to do it. And all this will be over," he said.

He took her hand, placing it on his heart, and her other hand over hers.

"Our pulses," he whispered. "They're the same. Our heart, it's the same," he said. She looked at him through her eyelashes. the blue on his face barely visible in the dark.

"The blood in my veins, it's yours. And your blood, it's mine. Just feel," he said, closing his eyes, and placing his hands over hers.

In a perfect rhythm, their pulses beating quickly, creating a melody, the same one that put her to sleep. His hands were warm and he smelled like home.

"You just need to remember, Eden. And everything will be put in place," he whispered, his forehead against hers. She breathed in and out through her nose, her eyes closed.

"I can't," she whispered. "I'm not anything anymore. I was something, and now I'm a shadow. A shadow you shouldn't spend your time chasing, because they disappear easily."

"You know what they say about shadows," he said. "Shadows cannot see themselves in the mirror of the sun."

"No," she said. "Don't do that."

"Why do you keep pushing me away?" he asked.

"Because I can't hold on," she whispered. "I need you to lie to me."

"What?" he asked.

"Tell me you love me," she said. "I haven't heard it in a long time."

He was silent.

"Lie to me, please," she whispered.

"I love you," he said. She smiled. Although not true, it sent her in a frenzy. She didn't remember what was the last time she heard it.

"And you lie to me too," he said. "Tell me you remember me."

"I remember you," she lied. "I remember all the little things."

They were bad; those lies. They were meant to hurt them. Designed to send them into depths of despair, praying that they were more than just that - lies. But they needed to hear it. They needed to know that, even inf they were lies, they were said. One day, nothing of it would matter.

The lies were going to become a void, their voices will fade, their hearts won't be beating. But now, the words hung in the air, a melody to their ears, exactly what they needed to mend the wounds. They were a temporary cure.

They might be even more broken afterwards, the blue and black boy and the destroyed girl, and there was no worse pain than the one after remedy. But it was what they needed; a break. A remedy. They would deal with the pain later.

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To; Eden Eeks

21st November

Dear Eden,

I hope you remember me; I had called a while ago. I was hoping we could meet up sometime in December, I should be in town then.

Now, I know that to you I am a complete stranger and that you probably aren't keen on seeing me, but I think I have some information you may need. I included a return address, so I hope you keep in touch.

I have all the information you need. You know you do.

Sincerely,

Seleen Nova.

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