Keiko’s breath was heavy as he gripped the hilt of his sword. Stepping back before getting another run at the cliff. His feet’s skidding to a hault at the beginning of the bridge.
“Damn it. I don’t think I can do it..”
His companion sighed, remaining at her spot in the tree. “You’re telling me, the famous hero can’t conquer his fear of heights. I saw you kill ten demons yesterday!” she scoffed at his terrified expression.
“That’s different, demons are easy. Did you know 65 percent of people are more likely to die from falling than demons?”
He shuddered, peering over the edge to the drop below. The young elf mage jumped down, her pointy ears poked from her long hair. The sun glinting off its pale surface, joining him by the edge.
“If you can’t handle this how will we fight the dragon?” she said. She stepped onto the bridge.
“You just cut its wings. No flying, no heights and no problem.” His knees buckled as he took a step onto the swaying bridge. “Oh why did it have to be this?”
They slowly walked reaching the center of the wooden bridge. The famous hero’s eyes locked on his two feet as his companion rolled her eyes.
“First it was spiders, the dark, and germs? This is why people say never to meet your heroes.” He responded with a shaky breath.
“Those are very legitimate fears I’ll have you know!” He huffed gripping the ropes tighter as the wind blew. One hand securing his hat to his head.
“Ok well, I’ll be at the door when you finally make it. I’m an elf and I think I’ll be old by the time you get up there.” She laughed, her run up the bridge making it shake even more.
The hero quickly kneeling and closing his eyes until the wooden boards settled. “Very funny. I’m supposed to be retired y’know.” He grumbled as he continued his sluggish crawl along the bridge.
Two hours later they begrudgingly made it to the castle, killing the dragon and freeing its captives. Only to face the recurs bridge again on the way back.
The wind hit her skin, the flowers swaying as the sun began its descent. Silence hung in the air between the two. The boy was standing next to her, tears brimming his eyes.
“How long has it been?” she began, another silence followed before he commented.
**“Atleast 2 years, but I didn’t think your vision would happen so quickly.” **
Two years since the pair had begun their adventure, two years since a Oracle had predicted her death. One year since he had fallen in love with her. Vowing to cure her rare disease and change fates plan.
“We came so close,” he managed to choke out,“Why couldn’t I stop it?”
She smiled, sitting down in the grass. The flowers brushed her legs as she folded them beneath her. “Guess fate couldn’t be stopped.”
His hands turned to fists and the tears began to fall. Silence following them again, though it didn’t feel peaceful to him.
His heart felt fragile, almost as if it would stop at any minute. Though he was not the one about to die. Meanwhile she just sat there, almost content.
Anger began to boil along with the aching feeling. He couldn’t find the words without venom dripping from his mouth.
**“I wonder where I’ll go,” she mumbled, absently staring at the sky. **
He retorted back with more anger than intended, “What does it matter? You’ll still be leaving here.”
She laughed nodding at his comment. She had accepted her death long ago, it was his anger that made her the most sad.
He sat down beside her, his warmth almost comforting against the cold wind. The picture of her deathbed of flowers she saw so long ago coming into view.
“I did try you know,” he whispered as she laid down. Breathing in the sweet scent of flowers.
“I know.” she replied.
**Not much else was said between the two. As her life slowly slipped away in the silence of that peaceful meadow. **
Not much could be said about their feelings, not without writing a whole book. For describing the loss of someone you love, something a part of you.
‘It’s Ineffable.’ he thought.
The city, a concrete jungle with as many roads as there are people.
The streets like paths, for ants and small animals to scuttle through.
The buildings like mountains, it top stories like a peaks. The highest on the food chains own home, to look down upon its prey.
The slow flow of traffic, similar to large animals on plains. The elephant walking amongst the mice, as they shift to dodge its feet.
Every animal, every person different. Each place with a new atmosphere, a new ecosystem.
A corporate office, a desert landscape filled with scavengers picking scraps off a predators winnings The coffee shop at the end of the street, a calm meadow in the madness.
The park surrounded by concrete, a house in the middle of the woods. A unnatural place from a entirely different world.
Maybe not so different after all.
Months ago weird reports have been given to the police. Every time it rains, men in black suits and umbrellas walk the streets in silence. They stand at 6,6 and have long lanky arms with a hunched back.
A concerning video was uploaded a week ago of a group of teenagers sending out a friend during one of these storms. As the young man approached the figure, giggling at the camera on the window seal its head snapped towards him. The umbrella falling over his body before he dissapeared. Screams erupt from his friend, the only evidence of the incident being that video. Now no one will go outside.
My eyes stung as i squinted at the dark road. The light from my friends screen catching my eye. Checking the rear view mirror to see my passed out friend group.
“We should pull over soon, it’s getting late,” Lily stated from the passenger seat, looking up from her screen. “There’s a gas station coming up, want some coffee?”
I hummed with a nod as she began to add a stop to our long drive. As soon as we pull into a parking spot Lily woke up the three in the back.
They piled out of the car, Jake tapped my window. His brown hair messy from sleep. I rolled it down as he said, “Want some candy to wake you up? I’ll give you five stars for five bucks.”
I let out a tired laugh before handing over the money.Before I shut the window he added jokingly, “Thanks Uber driver.”
I watch as he jogs to the door to follow the others that had already went inside.
I lock the doors and lean my seat back, my car a couple rows from the gas station. My eyes began to flutter close, letting my grogginess win.
I wake up to a phone ringing, I reach for it off the console. My eyes squint at the screen, the big letters spelling out ‘Jaz.’ One of my friends I had just seen sleeping in the back. I answer, her voice ringing out in the quiet car, “Oh thank goodness, are you ok?”
Confusion hits me first as I respond, “Yeah sorry I was asleep in the car,” I pause as I finally realize the sound of rain hitting glass.
I sat up looking out my window, i could barely see the gas station through the heavy mist and rain. The lights from the window illuminating it.
“They’re at the door,” her voice shook slightly as she continued, “I don’t think there’s a lock.”
The phone call cut out, panic swelled in my chest. My voice raised as i called out, “Jaz? You there? Jaz?”
Movement catches my eye as my head snaps up to see two figures running out of the mist. They weren’t coming from the direction of the store, my moving to start the car.
No, they were too small to be the men. As they got closer I recognized them. Lily and Jake sprinting in the rain, soaking wet. I unlocked it letting them in as they piled in the car.
Just two of them. My eyes scanned the empty lot, nothing moved. I felt a hand on my arm as Lily shook her head. Amongst her rain stained face were tears.
The rest of the ride was silent. The rain still hadn’t stopped. Finally breaking it, I hear Josh’s voice ring out in the car, “I checked the weather report I swear. It said there was no chance.”
I shook my head before glancing in the back mirror to look at him. Instead I see a flash of blue sitting in the back window. I squint at it before Jake yells, “Dude, infront of you!”
I instinctively swerve, the car spins on the slick road. My head slamming into something hard before everything goes black.
Water hits my face as my eyes open, a blue butterfly sitting infront of me. My eyes begin to focus, as I see it. It was still, its white body contrasting in the dark night.
Panic sets in as I try to stand, looking around for my friends. I yell out as I stumble backwards,”Jake- Lily! Guys where are you!”keeping my eyes on the man.
Turning to check my shoulder, I see the car. My feet moved in its own towards the flipped vehicle. As I get closer the familiar blue butterflies surround the ground around it. Puddles of blood beneath them, my friends gone.
My body goes still as chills go down my spine. A black umbrella falls over my face.
I’m on the ground, I think. There’s no pain but I feel a deep aching in my joints. I stand up, but where am I? The ground seems farther than before, was I always this tall?
It’s raining, but i don’t feel the raindrops. The only thing that’s clear to me is…that blue butterfly.
(Not the best- please give feedback)
The clouds began to close in as spears of light shine from the top of the mountain. Soldiers stand still,tension building in the air before a far cry is heard amongst the rows.
“Look! It’s coming from the sky!” Heads whip to meet the sky before the huge creature hits the ground. It’s bug like legs creak as it towers over the army.
“Ranks forward march!” a commander yells, “Kill any angel you see!”
Minutes…hours…days pass on in the fury of battle. The angels armor unscathed. Dead soldiers litter the ground, those still alive either on the ground waiting to die or running from the horror.
Why were they led to this battle of the Angels? These demons that supposedly come from the Mountain they call heaven, what truly lies there?
