The Difference Between Life and Death

Tears of Blood

After Cameron got home that night from his run he went and took a shower to freshen up as he was walking he shook out his wet hair and went to lay down on his bed. As he lay there he began to think about how his mother was the only one who ever went to his grave after he died none of the people who claimed to be his friends all through school ever showed up which wasn’t very surprising to him but as he thought about things he felt something warm on his face so he went to the bathroom to wash it off so he would not have to disrupt Matt’s sleep and when he looked in the mirror he was shocked by what he saw.

There in the outer corner of his eye was a single tear but it was unlike any tear he had ever seen this one was made of a dark red liquid that look a lot like blood. How could this be dead people can’t cry. So he wiped it away and decided to keep this a secret for now and went back to bed so he was rested for work in the morning and he shoved this all to the back of his mind he had more important things to think about right now,

That morning he got up before his partner did so that he could go for a run and take a shower but decided just to stick to a shower. So Cameron went to his closet and grabbed a pair of jeans a long sleeve shirt and his converse. After his shower once he was dressed he noticed that Matt wasn’t in his bed but instead found him in the kitchen eating some cinnamon rolls that he had just made causing the apartment to smell sickly sweet. Cameron couldn’t quite grasp why his partner loved sweets so much. He was about to leave when his stomach growled so he went and grabbed a cinnamon roll, his keys, and most importantly Matthew and they were out the door. As they reached Cameron’s rental he saw a note on the windshield that read.

“Mr. Quinn your car is finished please stop by the shop and pick it up on your way to work this morning. Thanks.”  – Mr. Jones

This was good news to Cameron.

His car had been in the shop being remodeled because it had a lot of damage because it had been stolen a couple months back. Before Cameron died he had finally saved up enough to get his dream car. A black 71’ Hemi Cuda with purple pin-striping down the sides and a custom design on the hood the same shade of purple. The interior and paneling inside the car was black with black leather seats. And an incredible stereo system.

He was so happy to be getting his beauty back it was incredible how people could see him. But what they see is different than what he actually looks like because somethings require altering because he can’t look like he did before death for obvious reasons so small changes are made to alter a person’s perception of how they see something kind of like an illusion but on a larger scale.  This illusion of him has blonde hair and the same dark eyes only certain things have been changed in order for him to stand out more.

The reason he looks like this is because when he was alive he was quiet and reserved and as a result he went unnoticed by most people, what living people see is an alter ego of himself he still is quiet and reserved but he is noticed by everyone because his appearance causes him to stand out. In this form he is able to speak his mind and so this gives Cameron a bit of a confidence boost. His partner Matthew Lake looks the same as he did when he died he looks like he just turned 20 despite being 96 years old.

As they pulled up to the body shop Cameron told his immature partner to stay where he was until he called for him but of course he didn’t listen and followed him instead.

“What are you do Matthew I thought I told you to stay in the car?” I said as he followed behind me. After a few moments he replied with;

“I want to see your car.” Only this time Matthew was serious and actually look mature for once which was kind of scary. As they approached the front desk there stood an older man with graying hair which I instantly recognized as Mr. Jones. He greeted us with a smile and a firm handshake.

“Pleasure seeing you again Mr. Quinn.” He said as he came around the counter to where we were standing.

“And you as well Mr. Jones can we go take a look at my car?” I said as I followed him towards the heated warehouse to where the cars were stored. 

Once we entered the garage he took us over to a car with a black protective cover on it. Cameron could hardly contain his excitement because on the walk over to the garage Mr. Jones told them that the one with the tarp was his.  As Cameron removed the tarp he was amazed by how beautiful his car looked given the severe damage it had when he brought it to the shop several months back but what could he say perfection took time to complete. Cameron was beyond glad that this was his car because if it wasn’t he would want to buy it because he was by no means hurting for money although he lived a reserved life Cameron was a multi-millionaire before his untimely death and all his wealth was transferred to a new account so that he could access it after he joined the bureau. 

The paint on the car and the rims were done in a matching shade of matte black along with the mirrors. And the purple pin-striping down the sides gave it a classic but edgy look that made it look as fierce as it sounded with its V8 hemi engine. He circled the car once before getting in the driver’s seat and adjusting it to where he would need it. The car smelt of clean crisp leather and the bucket seats had the perfect sound as the leather rubbed against his jeans as he shifted on it. 

“Mr. Jones I’m always amazed at the miracles you can work when it comes to restoring life in classic cars.” Cameron said with a smile then added “Shall we go complete this transaction in your office so we can be on our way?”

“Thank you Mr. Quinn always a pleasure doing work for you. Right this way.” Mr. Jones replied with a tired smile as he ushered them to his office.

After he paid the older man for the work he had done on his car the whole ride back to the office consisted of Matthew whining about how he shouldn’t keep secrets from his partner when it comes to anything including wealth and that they could be living in a much nicer apartment with nicer things etc. 

“Matthew this is exactly why I didn’t tell you. Because I don’t want a bunch of people bugging me to be my friend or treating me differently just because of my wealth.” Cameron said sounding slightly irritated.

Matthew was quiet after that which made Cameron worry that he was either thinking of something or he already decided to cause trouble. 

“Don’t even think about telling anyone anything about what you found out today.” Cameron said quietly and then Matthew with all his cockiness added, 

“Oh why not maybe you could invite us to some secret house you have hidden away or something.” He replied with a devilish smirk.

The rest of the drive was a quiet one except for the radio playing quietly. Once they got back to the office they were briefed on a new case that they had about people dying and the only clue that linked all the victims was a single black tear found on the outer edge of their right eye. 

All the victim’s tear placements were identical and it left Cameron wondering about his own tears of blood but all this came to an abrupt halt a few moments later when Matthew opened his big mouth. 

“Hey guys, did you know that Cameron is a multi-millionaire?” He blurted out right before Cameron punched him in the face and fracturing his jaw. And at first Matthew just stared at him in shock and then the pain hit.

“I told you not to say anything you jerk.” And with that Cameron got up and left the room without saying a word while everyone stared at Matthew who was still sitting on the floor holding his jaw which had already begun to set and heal because of his increased healing ability.

Cameron felt as if he was going crazy he didn’t know what was happening to him. Ever since the event with the tears of blood he hasn’t been himself. Could it be that he was feeling his mother’s pain or was his own pain starting to come out? He didn’t know where he was going until he realized he was standing at his car.

As he drove a song he knew came on and he turned the radio up it was the song ‘Nobody’s Hero’ by the band Black Veil Brides. It was just what he needed and as he drove he let the music flow through him he knew where he was going and in that moment but he dreaded it he needed someone to vent to and there was only one person he knew he could always talk to. His best friend Alex who had committed suicide and when Cameron was killed he was buried in a grave next to Alex’s.

Once he got to the graveyard he parked next to the tree that they always sat under to talk and walked over to his best friend’s grave. He traced the letters of Alex’s name they were carved into the face of the tombstone with such precision. It also had a sketch carved into it that they had worked so hard together to make their sophomore year. It was a sketch of them together. It was their art project.

Everyone described them as being close or really tight and they were because they grew up together and always had each other’s back. As he ran his fingers over the letters they felt so cold under his touch and held no love or warmth. How he wished Alex could be here with him. Cameron missed him dearly no one had ever understood him the way Alex had, they had grown up together and when Cameron first discovered his empathy powers he went straight to Alex.

As he was sitting there thinking about Alex he suddenly felts chills creep their way down his spine and along his arms. It was like someone was there as he looked around he thought he caught a glimpse of someone standing at the tree line but then in an instant they were gone. What was strange was that he looked a lot like Alex which was impossible because Alex was dead. Then he saw him again and this time there was no doubt that it was him. 

“Alex!” Cameron called out to the stranger.

For a moment he thought he saw the look of recognition but then it was gone before he could be sure. There was no way that Alex was alive he went to his house the day they found him dead because he didn’t believe them and he stayed at the graveyard while they buried his body. The only way he could have been brought back would be by a necromancer and that was next too impossible because there hasn’t been a line of necromancers in at least a hundred or more years.

He had heard stories of one when he started working at the bureau but she would have to be well over five hundred years old by now. He had also heard that she had went insane after her children were hunted down and killed for taking the lives of innocent humans for the fun of it. The one who had been in charge of taking them out was a fallen angel or something.

As he stood over Alex’s grave he got chills and an eerie sense that someone was watching him but no one was there except him. Slowly he began to walk away but he couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched he could sense what he thought was emotion but he couldn’t be sure. He was certain about one thing though, when he got back to the office he was going to see who the last necromancer was.

Slowly as he walked up to his car he stopped where he was because he thought he saw the Alex look alike again.

“Alex! Is that you, it’s me Cameron” He said trying to keep all emotion out of his voice but failed as he saw the look cross the Alex look a like’s face again. But once again in the blink of an eye he was gone. It was as if he knew who Cameron was but before he could be sure whatever force was controlling him took control of his mind and blocked his memories. Maybe when he goes through the files back at the office he can figure out why he gets strange looks from everyone.

When he got to his car and grabbed the door handle he still found it hard to believe that in death is when things start falling into place and maybe he will find out who his real parents were or if he has any other family. He climbed into the driver’s seat and put the key in the ignition and turned it to start his car and it came to life with a purr that took his breath away. He felt as though he could sit there and listen to his car forever. But he had work to do so he put his car into gear and slowly drove away.

“Man things are getting weird around here.” He muttered to himself.

As he got to the main road he stopped and something strange happened.

He saw a vision of a beautiful woman with long black hair with white streaks through it. She also had eyes that looked like liquid silver that held a warmth within them that ran deep, she was smiling an amazing smile that for some reason made his heart ache. Then as soon as it came the vision was gone. For some reason Cameron felt like he knew this beautiful woman but from where he had no idea.

The rest of the day went by in a blur it was as if he were in a daze after his vision earlier that day. He felt drained of all his energy supernatural and normal.