Finding Life | ✓

Chapter Ten

Finding Life

Part 11 • Death

"Perhaps all the souls were going to the gate?"

-Ana, Lady in Waiting

••••••••••••

After a long day of work, I come home, excited to spend the rest of the day with Lily. As I enter the living room, Arachne, whom I thought had long gone, stands up from her seat on the couch.

"Hello, Death," she says in her scratchy voice-the one that I've become accustomed to over the years.

I reply, still quite excited, "Hello."

"I just wanted to let you know something," Arachne says, "When I asked Lily about the specifics of her wedding dress, she said that I should choose. Lily didn't even choose the color of the bridesmaids' dresses. She seemed so uninterested."

My excitement to meet Lily turns into sadness, for we made a deal to try our hardest. I don't understand why she doesn't care about her own wedding.

"I'll speak to her," I say.

Arachne nods. "Well, that's all. Next time I come, I will have Lily's wedding dress, one that is adorned in only the best gems."

Without waiting for a reply, Arachne walks past me. I decide to go upstairs to find Lily, which was my plan all along. I knock on her bedroom door and wait for her to answer. I knock again, wondering why she isn't opening the door for me. Maybe she's in the bathroom.

I wait a couple more minutes and knock again, and when she doesn't answer, I open the door.

Suddenly, someone says, "She's not there. Lily never came home from court."

I turn around and see Ana walking up to me. Her blonde hair is up in that braid she and Lilith always seem to do; her lips are curved into a frown, indicating something horrible has happened.

"How- why-," I try asking, but words do not form.

"Lily went there with Florence," Ana sighs, "The first thing Lily did was go into Edith's booth. Florence, obviously, didn't go with her and wandered around. Then, Lily came out and tried to go to Scarlett and Dianne's booth but neither of them allowed it, and then Lily called for Florence, who was near her, keeping an eye on Lily.

Florence tried to go to Lily and then she started walking around, presumingly trying to find Florence. Lily walked out of court and disappeared. Florence couldn't find her, even though she tried, so she came back."

I swallow hard, and for the first time in years, I am genuinely afraid. What could have happened to Lily?

I ask, "Where was the last place Florence saw Lily?"

Ana takes a moment to think. "Lily was in a crowd of souls whom were just evaulated. Perhaps all the souls were going to the gate?"

Ana is upset, unlike me. I am fuming with rage-rage against Florence. That girl could never get anything right, ever since the start. Was I drunk when I appointed her as a servant and then as one of my fiancé's ladies?

"I will go find her," I say as calmly as I can.

She nods and I teleport to the gate. As soon as the darkness subdues, I walk up to the guard that allows Angels through the gate.

I ask him, "Did a lady whom looked about 20, with dark, curly hair and a diamond encrusted black dress come here?"

He shakes his head after thinking about it. That must mean only one thing: Lily went to the Dark Side. I hurry over to the other guard and ask him the same question, and he too says no.