The Angel's Dilemma

3rd Page

*Flashback*

"It's dangerous!"

"Hey, get down from there!"

"What should we do?!"

"My goodness."

Voices of concern filled the air, but she barely registered them. On the footbridge, she continued to perform her ballet routine, her movements elegant and fluid, seemingly oblivious to the growing panic around her.

"It's a piece of cake for me. I practiced it over 1,000 times. I can do it with my eyes closed."

She thought, her confidence unwavering. With a graceful turn, she startled the onlookers, their gasps echoing around her. But she only smiled, as if she were somewhere else entirely, far away from their fears.

"How is this possible?" She marveled to herself, the thought almost surreal. She straightened up, her eyes lifting to the sky, where the sun’s light should have met her gaze.

"Mom, dad. I can't see a thing."

She said aloud, her voice carrying a heartbreaking calm. The crowd froze, their shock palpable as they watched her step to the edge and leap into the water below.

The cold water embraced her like an old friend, its chill sinking deep into her bones. Yet, she felt nothing. No instinct to swim, no desire to fight. She was fully conscious, but she let the current take her, surrendering to the darkness that had long since claimed her soul.

"They say that a ballerina d*es twice." She reflected as she sank deeper . "The first time is when they give up ballet. The second time is when they stop breathing."

"When I stopped being a dancer, darkness was all around. Is there a point in waiting for my second d**th?"

And with that, she let go, her body succumbing to the cold, the weight of her despair pulling her further down into the abyss.

*End of Flashback*

The memory felt like a heavy chain tightening around her heart, constricting with every breath she took in this familiar place.

Caius watched her silently, his gaze soft with understanding. He knew exactly what she had endured. After a moment, he moved towards her, leaning in to gently kiss her lips for just a second, a gesture that was as fleeting as it was comforting.

"You f**l."

He whispered with a tender smile. "Human d*e when they stop breathing."

Verity slowly opened her eyes, the unexpected feeling calming her turmoil. As if on cue, she heard the familiar sound of paws on the pavement and a soft bark. She knew it was Gon. Kneeling down, she reached out, feeling her loyal companion's fur beneath her fingers. Deciding she needed some solace, she stood and began walking back to the park, where she found a bench shaded by a tree. She sat down, letting the tranquility of the moment wash over her.

As Verity sat on the bench, a light rain began to fall. Instead of seeking shelter, she simply closed her eyes, opened her palm, and let the cool droplets touch her skin. The sensation was oddly soothing, a brief moment of peace in her turbulent world. Caius, still beside her, watched silently. After nearly three minutes, the rain stopped, and sunlight broke through the clouds, casting a soft glow over the park.

A faint ringing sound caught Caius’s attention. He looked up to see a mission leaf fluttering down from a nearby tree. As he raised his hand to catch it, Verity’s voice suddenly cut through the quiet.

"Who are you?" She asked, her tone sharp as she turned her face toward him, brows furrowed in suspicion. "Why did you sit on this bench without asking me?"

Caius froze, utterly stunned. How could she possibly sense him?

"Are you looking down on me?"

She demanded, her voice steady as she looked forward again.

Caius hesitated, then stood up, trying to gauge whether she could truly detect his presence. His heart skipped a beat when she continued.

"I know you're right there! Answer me!"

She shouted, standing up with a determination that only deepened his shock.

"Just because I lost my sight doesn't mean I know nothing." She continued, her voice firm.

"The only sense that I lost was my eyesight, so I can still smell, hear, and touch things." She added and was about hit Cauis.

Before he could process her words, she raised her hand as if to strike him. "Wait, that's not it!" Caius blurted out, panic edging his voice.

"Did she hear me?" he wondered silently, and when Verity paused, it hit him—she had heard him. She truly could hear him.

"You were a guy?"

She asked, her voice tinged with disbelief. Caius stammered, trying to find the right words, but his mind raced with confusion.

"W-what? You c-can hear me?"

He flinched as she pointed her stick directly at his face. "I told you that my hearing is just fine." She replied, her tone unwavering.

Still reeling from the shock, Caius could only listen as she continued.

"What's your deal? P*ckp*cket? P*rv*rt? What is it that you're after?" She pressed, her voice dripping with suspicion.

"I doubt that you sat next to a blind woman just to watch the rain."

He was utterly speechless, unable to comprehend what was happening.

"Forget it. I caught you so just leave."

She ordered, sitting back down on the bench. Caius stood there, still staring at her in disbelief.

“If you keep bothering me, you’ll get hurt,” she added, her voice firm and unyielding.

"W-what? I don't want to!"

Caius protested, quickly sitting beside her again.

"What?"

Verity asked, her tone suspicious.

"This bench does not belong to you or me. This bench belongs to the deity, no one else. Am I wrong?"

Caius replied, gesturing toward the sky before returning his gaze to her.

Verity paused, scrutinizing him. "You're neither a p*rv*rt nor a p*ckp*cket."

"You're from some religious c*lt?"

She said with a smirk, causing Caius to raise an eyebrow.

"How d*re you? You have such a f*ul mouth."

He muttered in disbelief.

"Listen. Whatever binds you here will continue to bind you up above and----"

He continued, raising his hands to emphasize his point.

"I don't need it. I don't believe anyone."

Verity interrupted coldly, cutting him off mid-sentence. Caius's eyes widened at her words.

"Those who deny the deity's existence will face---"

"I didn't say that." she snapped.

"A deity? Of course, there's a deity. It's just that the deity is a j*rk."

She added, her voice dripping with bitterness. Caius was taken aback, covering his mouth in shock.

"Those who bl*spheme against the deity---"

"He won't listen to me no matter how hard I pray." Verity interrupted again, her voice trembling with pain. "He ignored my wish when it's my only wish."

"I ask Him to keep my dad alive for one more day, to let me see my dad for a week before he d*ed." She said, her voice cracking. "I cried and prayed for 11 hours on the plane, but He didn't listen."

"I ask Him to take one of my limbs instead of my eyes. That way I could still be a dancer but he still ignored me. That's what the deity, your one and only, did to me."

She finished, her words laced with deep resentment.

Caius hesitated, his voice gentle as he responded. "Not everyone like you after a tragedy. Not everyone jumps off the bridge like you." Verity’s face twisted in shock, her confusion evident.

"Who are you?"

She demanded, suddenly grabbing Caius by the chest, leaving him utterly stunned.

"She can grab me?"

He thought in disbelief.

"Who are you? Who sent you?"

Verity’s voice rose with urgency, her grip tightening. Caius, caught off guard, fumbled for words, but before he could respond, a female voice shouted in the distance. Seizing the opportunity, he quickly pried her hand off his shirt and bolted, running away without a second glance.

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The Third Page Turns...