A Peak Between Realms (Short Story Collection)

He Who Awaits

I sighed as I walked outside, strolling along the paved sidewalk to the store. Today was the birthday of my best friend Evony, she was turning 23 but everyone compared us, so I guess I grew to resent my best friend. Was it sad? Yes, but I couldn’t help it. All I could hear was ‘Evony this, Evony that’. It was that moment that I bumped into someone, stumbling back, and falling which knocked me out of my daze “Are you ok?” His voice was cold and standoffish as he stretched a hand out to help me up.

He had deep cocoa colored skin, and as I was pulled up, I looked up at his face. He had bright hazel eyes that could pierce your soul and long well-kept black hair that reached just a bit past his shoulders. He looked supernatural not to mention his skin was cold. “Oh, uh sorry and Thank you” I say as my cheeks heated up once I realized that I was checking him out.

I soon quickly excused myself before I left, continuing to the store to get Evony a present. I went straight to the makeup section to pick out a deep wine-red lipstick, a few colors of eyeliner, and some eyeshadow palettes she’d been wanting before getting a gift bag and red paper. I went and bought everything, grabbing a candy and drink for it as well before buying them. I then walked home like I usually would except; I passed that man from earlier and his Hazel eyes pierced through me. When I got home, I carefully placed the makeup and candy in the bag before adding in the red gift paper.

I soon changed into a knee length royal blue dress with a petticoat I did my long white hair with a smile as I looked at my very pale reflection. I finished with my makeup and put in my contacts to help the poor eyesight caused by albinism, I watched as my eyes slightly vibrated back and forth which made this hard to do. When I was finished, I grabbed the gift, slipped on heels that matched my dress and left. I sighed as I walked to Evony’s house which you couldn’t miss because of all of the cars parked out front and the music blaring from it.

I shook my head as I entered the house full of drunk and tipsy idiots grinding on each other. Surprisingly with ease I found her, with a smile I hugged her and handed her the gifts. “Okokok EVERYBODY It’s time for presents!!” she yelled, she was wearing a deep red dress and heels to match, her long deep wine-red hair complemented her deep ebony skin and she looked so beautiful. I wished I was beautiful like her; she had the perfect body; she was kind to everyone, and I was always the freak to everyone.

She started opening the presents, but my present was the one she beamed about. “Oh my gosh Aliya! How much did this cost you! You didn’t have to do this; I would have been happy with just the lipstick or the candy you know” she says, and I shook my head “I wanted to, and it doesn’t matter.” I say with a soft smile as I hugged her once again. Maybe I didn’t fully resent her after all. After the party was over, I started to stumble home but once I walked past a particular alleyway known for trouble I was tugged in, and the rest was history.

I was crying and begging for help when the man from earlier just so happened to be walking by and he picked me up as I passed out. After a few hours I woke up in the hospital feeling numb, my hair was sprawled out on the pillow and for a while I blankly stared at the ceiling. I soon heard the doctor come in, they cleared me for discharge in the morning and I signed papers. When I finally went to sleep my dreams were filled with nightmares.

When I finally woke up and it was my discharge time I went home.

………………

A few months went by, and I just kept thinking about that man when I opened my front door. It was the man from before, but he looked… different. He had black wings, and he was dressed in formal clothes, he stepped forward and I stepped back until I was against the wall. “I haven’t been able to get you out of my head” he confesses as my face heats up “I- uh- neither, neither have I. about you I- Uh- you know what I mean” I say, and he chuckles. “May I?” he says as one of his cold hands reaches up to cup my cheek making me shiver.

I nodded in response and soon our lips were connected, my eyes fluttering shut. It’s possible I may have fallen in love with a grim reaper.