Eyes Open [ c.l. ]

↦ chapter eight | under the oak tree

chapter eight -

DEATH
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    "I'm simply a patient with Foxglove Syndrome." She had grown sick and tired of those few words. They were on loop to every person she came in contact with, like a parrot she repeated those words much more than she would have preferred.

    As expected, Charles' eyebrows furrowed in confusion. As Ellie was sitting cross legged, perched on the swing, under the oak tree, looking down to her lap, twisting the numerous rings she displayed on her slender fingers, with Charles looking intently at her. He was observing her as if she were a piece of art in the Louvre. "Do you mean, like the flower?"

    "Yes, precisely. Poisonous to the touch, so run away while you still can." A humorous grin had placed itself on Ellie's face. "Or limp and hop, I suppose in your case." The young woman laughed as she glanced towards Charles' crutches which were still going to be in use for a few weeks.

    While Ellie laughed at her own joke, Charles didn't find it as amusing. He supposed dark humour was her way of coping with this so-called disease, everyone in the hospital had their own unique one. "So what exactly is 'fox-love syndrome'? If you don't mind me asking."

    Ellie smiled at Charles' Monegasque pronunciation of the two words which ruined her life. In some inconceivable way, it almost made it better.

    "Really? You haven't heard about it, it was all over the news this morning." The Spaniard spoke, sarcasm lacing her tongue. She knew that nobody truly cared about her condition. Ellie wasn't surprised that Charles hadn't heard of it, as only four other people had been diagnosed with the syndrome. Three of them had all died before the age of nineteen.

    However, the silence that hung over the pair, caused Ellie to tear her gaze from her lap, and the spark of recognition that appeared in Charles' eyes, paired with his furthered furrowed eyebrows caused a small pit of worry to churn in Ellie's stomach. Had she scared him off, like she always seemed to do? Had he realised that there was no point in pursuing any kind of relationship as she would just die off, and wilt like a rose.

    "I remember. It was on the news this morning. I know my Spanish isn't great, but it was just after Marcus' announcement on the news." The Monegasque uttered. He failed to notice how the young woman beside him had tensed at the name he mentioned. So she desperately tried to change the topic.

    "¿Hablas español?" Ellie questioned, curious and excited to hear his Monegasque accent speak Spanish.

    They were now gazing into each other's eyes. "Sí, un poco." He laughed, which then seemed to cause a chain reaction as Ellie began laughing.

    "Charles, come on. That was probably the most basic sentence you could have said." She laughed, and while Charles was well aware he was the bud of the joke, he knew it was harmless and he couldn't help but laugh along with her, it was infectious.

    "I'm sorry, as soon as you asked, it was like all the words left my mind. I couldn't think, I went mains blank." It was similar to the feeling of walking into an important exam, and all the cramming information from the previous late night study session leaving your brain as soon as you walk in. Not that I would know a lot about that, I had pretty much been in this industry for the last couple thousand years or so.

    Did I fail to remember to introduce myself? Oh I do truly apologise, how rude of me, where are my manners?

    I am Death. I will be narrating this story from this point onwards. How do I salvage this devastation of an introduction? How about a small fact: you are going to die.