The Scythe-Bearer

Chapter 5: Those confusing feelings

The letters swirled in my head, forming the name of the girl asleep beside me. The name of the only person who showed me kindness, that acknowledged my existance. My grim disappeared at the loss of my concretration. My chest felt too small for my lungs, I couldn't breathe. Pain pulses through my heart, "Why now? Why her? Why am I feeling this pain? All humans die, I should know that by now."

The questions flew around my brain, I felt a stinging sensation at my eyes. I blinked but it wouldn't go away. "What is happening to me?"

I looked at Sarah with her head resting against my arm, her breaths are soft and silent. Her peaceful face hides her impending future that only I know of. My heart constricted at the thought of her death, which troubled me. "Why do I care so much? I have seen countless humans die before what makes her so different?"

I pushed those thoughts from my mind and calmed my shaking body; I let out a shaky breath. Sarah moved her head which pushed strands of strawberry blond hair from her ponytail. It settled on her face and before I knew what I was doing I gently pushed behind her ear. I froze, hand in midair. "Why the heck did I just do that?"

I placed my hand against my forehead, "I must get a hold of myself!"

Without another word I settled down to rest. One without dreams just pulsing darkness, no sight, no smell and no sound...

The next day, Friday, all three of us sat under the old, mighty oak tree once again. I apologised for making everyone worry even Lee-Anne seemed to be a bit kinder than she usually is. “I think I prefer her when she is making snide comments.”

The usual conversation topics were thrown around but I was too distracted to take place in them. I wanted to search for the smokie and leave before I get in too deep but I was still too weak from yesterday's mental attack. My mind began to sway to the creeping anxiety within me, I look to Sarah laughing at Jason's story. " How can she be happy all the time? How can death even think of taking away another smile from this world? Heh! What am I talking about? The one who is taking her away from her peaceful life is me..."

Sarah's voice broke through my dark thoughts.

"Sy, Want to come to my house tomorrow for our life science practical?"

"Sure, What time?"

"About 10 should be fine."

"Me and Jason can't make it because there is a sports tournament until 5."

The bell rang and the other two left leaving me and Sarah behind. I was about to walk towards the building but she stopped me.

"Um...Sy."

I turned to face her, she looked different from her usual cheerful look. She couldn't seem to make eye contact and her face turned a slight pink enhancing the vividness of her hair and hazel eyes.

"Yeah?"

"I wanted to say thank you for allowing me to stay beside you when you weren't well and to say that I am sorry once again that I intruded your personal matters."

"No, Sarah. It's fine it's just...that the answer to your question is one I, myself, don't know. I felt embarrassed that I couldn't answer such a simple question. I should thank you for being kind to someone like me."

She looked at me, her hazel eyes glowing with delight.

"You know Sy; you have some pretty amazing eyes. The colour is so clear and faultless. I have never seen something like it before."

I was thrown off by her statement and slightly warmed by her praise.

"Um...thanks. Anyways we should be heading to class."

She smiled with a glint in her eye.

"Is that shyness I see? I never knew you had a cute side."

She laughed and I felt oddly comfortable at her speculation. I felt a tug at my lips and Sarah went still with amazement. I frowned.

"What?"

"You just smiled! I never thought I would get you to smile, I just conquered the greatest feat known to man!"

She was laughing and I was taken back, "Did I just smile? Was that the tug at my lips?"

She laughed at my confusion and grabbed my arm, we hurried off to class.

***

The home bell rang and the school came alive with bustling students hurrying out the front entrances. I left the building when Jason and Lee-Anne motioned me toward them. "What now? It looks like the kind Lee-Anne wore off."

"Sy, I want you to know that if you hurt Sarah in any possible way, I will personally beat you unrecognizable. Got it?"

Her threat made no difference to me, "If only you could..."

"Yeah, whatever..."

She and Jason left without another word, leaving me standing in front of the school when I heard Sarah rushing toward me.

"Hey! Remember our practical tomorrow at 10, okay? I got to go I have a chess match now."

She waved goodbye and I made my way to the alleyway at the right side of the school. There a blackened portal awaited me, I stepped through.

The darkness of Limbo seemed inferior to the darkness hanging within my heart. Sarah's predetermined death is still poking itself into my mind. "I can't do anything about it. Hell! I am the one who has to pass judgment onto her anyways. This irony is starting to piss me off, the person up there really likes to push my buttons."

I realised that I was by the portal and I stepped through into the SRC headquarters. The skeleton receptionist informed me that Lucas awaited my arrival. The familiar feeling of irritation prickled at my spine, "Really!?"

I made it to Lucas' office just to find he was in one of his famous playful moods and as I hung upside, arms crossed, by his levitating spell he sat in his armchair clearly amused at my discomfort. I snapped.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself! Now why exactly did you want me here for?"

"Come on, Sy! Live a little! Oh wait sorry you are not exactly alive to begin with."

He laughed and I rolled my eyes at sheer lameness of his inside joke.

"Anyways I have missed you, my little minion, how is the case going?"

"I detected the smokie around two days ago but..."

"Great! How was the judgement?"

"If you had let me finish I would have told you that it got away."

I couldn't meet his eyes, embarrassed at my lack of skill in capturing the smokie.

"Now Sy, that doesn't sound like you. I hope you are not getting distracted by the typical life of a teenager, I mean you do realise you are not one of them."

"You think I don't know that! Hell, I feel it every god-damn day! I will get the stupid smokie as soon as I can sense it again!"

Lucas threw a thoughtful look at my outburst but it quickly passed.

"Oh well I believe you"

He summoned a portal below my hanging head and I glared at him.

"What do you think you are doing?!"

"Nothing, just going to send you off. Oh! By the way watch your back I heard through the grape vines that an angel called Michael is looking for you and his last known location was about 25km from where Willberry High is situated."

"Wha...?"

Before I could finish my sentence he pludged me into the portal head first. "Damn! I really can't stand that guy!"