Clouds on the Moon

Chapter 1

What is this feeling....? I feel like I'm drifting, further and further away. The pain in my chest isn't there anymore, but now I feel empty. I'd rather have the pain back then to feel this way. So empty.

Ezra's eyes flutter open, his body pressed against a white floor. He reaches his hands in front of him, to see if they are even still there. "What has my body become?" He begins to search around this empty white room, there's no one there. He's completely and utterly alone in this space. His body felt like an empty cavity, the pain in his chest is gone, but his arms now empty. He sits up, and looks down at his empty arms, and feels the hot tears fill his eyes.

"I can still cry.."

he sobs to himself briefly, the emotion just keeps flowing.

"Hello, Ezra." A deep booming voice sounds from behind him. Ezra turns around to see a tall cloaked figure standing before him. In this bright white room, the contrast of his dark cloak is unsettling.

Ezra stands but stays as still as he can, but he feels confused looking at this person? This creature?

"Hello? Am I dead?" Ezra's words came out of his mouth easily but pained him with every syllable. He already knew the answer, but he didn't know if he wanted it to be validated to him.

"Indeed." The deep voice responded, taking a step closer to Ezra.

"How did this happen?" Ezra's voice was hoarse. Between the sobbing and the sheer panic of this entire situation, he feels even more empty inside. He gripped his chest and looked at the cloaked figure waiting for his reply.

"Well, you died." The figure then dropped the hood off of his head, and there stood an incredibly handsome tall man. Pitch black hair that he had pushed back, dark eyes that shimmered- they were so dark. His skin was pale but had subtle pink and olive undertones, and his smiling was absolutely dazzling, anyone would be stunned to see this man standing before them.

Ezra took a step back in disbelief, "are you God?"

The tall man burst into fits of laughter, clutching at his stomach, unable to contain himself. His laugh was like music, deep and beautiful, but also somewhat sinister.

"Ah," he wiped a single tear away from his eye, "my son, I am the exact opposite of that." He stood taller, dropping his cloak off his shoulders, where it just disappeared into thin air. He had a clean black suit on, with a black undershirt and matching black tie. Ezra couldn't help but be stunned by this man. More his appearance than the fact that he just revealed his identity to him.

"I... I," Ezra's words felt like they were just tumbling over themselves before they could even leave his mind.

"What's your name?" He didn't know why he asked this, but he felt like he wanted more verification of his assumptions.

"My name is Azreal." He stood tall and ran his fingers through his dark short hair.

"I am not the God- giver of life to all beings, but I am the one who takes them away, and collects them."

Ezra's eyebrow lifted slightly, he was curious about Azrael and wanted to know more, even though there were many more pressing issues in front of him, all he could think of was Azreal.

"I see, nice to meet you I suppose. I know the story of Azrael, so I'm guessing I really am dead, and you're here to transport me where I need to go." His head hung low, he looked at his empty hands again.

"Are you alright?" Azrael dipped his head low to see Ezra's face. He gave him a bright smile, both hands in his pockets, seeming to be as relaxed as if he was watching tv on the couch.