Short Passages

The Alive and the Dead

Unlike the other passages in this book, this chapter is a little different. It is the prologue of a story I have thought about, and I'm not yet sure where its going to end up and when or if I'm ever going to write and publish it here on wattpad as a novel, but it's something that could happen. Your thoughts and opinions are welcome here. Thank you ☺️.

‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾

SCREAMS FILLED the air in the most horrific way. A girl laid motionless on the road, her eyes closed, arm twisted in a way no human's arm should be, and her blonde hair fanning beneath her like a blanket. Dark tire marks were evident on the concrete road just before her, the perfect spiral shape. A car, sleek and silver, lay in the flailing patch of emerald grass. It's windshield shattered completely, some diffused beside the battered car, others showered on the driver's lap. The seatbelt was still secure across her body, although she lay limp against the door. Her dark brown locks fell down to curtain her face, as though unwilling to unveil the culprit behind this mess.

The wailing sirens soon echoed in the distance. Medics rushed in, their white clothes so pure in the darkness of the moonlit sky. Even the stars seemed to mourn as they overlooked the scene, blinking in the vast space above. No one spared a glance at the man who stood in a casual stance, hands tucked into the deep pockets of his long brown cloak that ruffled behind him in the cool midnight breeze. He watched the scene unfold in front of his eyes⏤standing not so far away from the accident, but far enough not to disturb their work⏤face mastered in a perfect mask of inscrutability under the shadows of his matching brown hat.

The vivid blinking lights of the ambulance truck and police cars scattered around the accident was a beautiful sight to behold in the vacant night, was what the man thought. He watched as medics rushed to aid the driver, a blanket covering her from full view on the stretcher as they carried her out and passed right in front of him, unbeknownst to his existence. Even with the blanket over her head, he knew what she looked like.

It was a shame that such a pretty young lady had to die today.

His unfaltering gaze was glued to her face. Pale, marred with violent scratches and blotches of red, yet. Yet, behind the facade of injuries was a woman's face so beautiful. Eyes a golden colour so bright, it seemed to be gold itself. Facial structure perfect, angled and small. Lashes long, and hair a thick dark brown like a river of bitter chocolate.

He'd been assigned to this girl, not the other girl laying unmoving across the road, but her. Had watched her for her entire life, hidden in the shadows and following each and every step, the girl completely unaware of his existence. A girl who seemed to be an undying flame, immortal in its own way. Her lips a rosy pink always pulled into a gentle, bright smile. Eyes alight and shimmering like stars in a midnight sky. Not only that, she fought always, bravely and with pride, following whatever she thought or felt was right. Outside a sweet girl, sharing a little bit of light to anyone who crossed paths with her no matter how much a bad day they were carrying through. Inside a strong fighter, never broken down no matter the circumstances, and always knowing what to do. She was a flame, yes, a fighting, beautiful flame. Radiating warmth and light as it danced with elegant strokes, no wind or object could wear it down, always a strong fighting existence.

Still, rain fell and the flame's light had died no matter how much it had thrashed for life as it did so.

Sweet, clever, lovely, brave, strong, young, beautiful Leana Keller. Unfortunately, an end was an end. That was what she reached.

So many deaths he had seen. Countless of them. Sometimes brutal, sometimes calm. Sometimes true, sometimes unfair. But death was death. Whoever death touched, shall take.

This one was no different.

Goodbye, Leana Keller. May you rest in peace.

His cloak flew behind in as he spun around, back towards the scene, and began taking slow, steady steps away. One step. Another. Stop. He winced, a hand flew to his forehead, a crystal bead trailing down his temple. His head pounded, pain lashing at him, something was not right.

Just not the girl.

It's voice was a sweet melodious voice. One of a female. What was happening?

Just not the girl.

It then dawned upon him. This was Leana's parting thought. So strong, clear and like none other before.

Just not the girl.

But he had not been assigned to the girl, Leana.

Just not the girl.

Leana, wouldn't she understand? Death had touched her, and he had not been assigned to her. Nothing was within his power to stop her death, nothing.

Just not the girl.

Stop.

Just not the girl. Just not the girl. Just not the girl.

A grunt passed his lips, head throbbing in dizzying pain.

No... he could not. Interfering with a death of another was impossible, inexcusable, unjustifiable.

Just not the girl.

He gasped, hands clammy with sweat. Clenching and unclenching by his sides.

He could not.

It would not be excused.

But it was too late.

His widened eyes stared at his pale hands, and the wisp of black smoke that extracted from his slender fingertips. The ominous presence was smokey, but shaped as though a ribbon. More appeared, streaming out of his fingertips and curling into a growing amorphous ball. It stopped when it reached the size of a handball, then lingered in front of him as though mocking him, before it darted off at the speed of a lightning bolt.

No.

Panic seized him as he whipped around, but nothing could be done as the black ball touched the chest of its victim lying on the road, passing though and vanishing into her heart as though her body was nothing but thin air.