Chapter 3: Silver

Nicole

I woke up on the stiff sofa, I widen my eyes and looked at the roof, it was a roof made of wood, nothing out of the normal, well, at least while I was still alive.

I jumped out the sofa and looked at the room I was in, it was dark and had few lights coming from some windows that had been covered with red velvet curtains, the walls were covered with bookshelves they weren't aligned properly but it seemed to fit, in front of the sofa I was sleeping in, was a coffee table with a glass of water on it and a sandwich.

The bookshelves were stacked on each other, it made me wonder if they'd fall over.

The floor was made of wood but was covered by white, red, black and a variety of coloured stains.

Far from the sofa, besides the bookshelves was a big desk, covered with variety's of chemistry flasks, the desk seemed dirty and uncared for, it was messy to say the least, besides the chemistry flasks all over the table there was also papers stacked to an unholy amount, and an old leather notebook, scratched, wet and covered with stains like the floor and table.

There was an unholy amount of sofas and beds, the room almost looked, comfy?

I tried to get closer to the desk but I got interrupted by a girl's voice.

"Nicole? You awake yet?" She said in a monotone voice.

"Huh? Who are you? Where is Brandon, I was with him a second—!" I started panicking but the girl interrupted me.

"— He was with you two days ago, now you are here, you got seriously injured by Amy and the wall, it was a... difficult task to fix you up, but I managed to piece you back together, as for your previous question, I am Silver, well, that's what they refer to me here." The girl said, still talking in a monotone voice.

She was almost scary in a way, at first sight, you'd think she'd be a man, she was muscular and had barely any feminine traits to tell her apart by, she wore a black jumpsuit, the sleeves looked ripped and tied back together it had stitches and knots, I honestly didn't know why she would have let them like this, she had a loose necklace around her neck, the strings holding it up looked everything but fragile, and had two gemstones at the end, a red gleaming gem, and a diamond hanging from what I presume to be a ruby?

Her hair was cut short and... curly? It seemed messy really, but I couldn't tell if it was on purpose. It was black and faded to a grey colour, that seemed...

Silver.

What seemed truly odd to me was her skin, it was white as paper, I'd never seen someone so pale. It made uncomfortable her skin shined like a mirror in the light, and had a blindfold covering where her eyes should be placed, and a cap with cat ears, which looked even weirder.

"What's up with the—" I get interrupted by her monotone voice.

"— The blindfold? Yeah, it's for the best, let's just say... my eyes are disturbing. Either way, it doesn't really matter, and if you're worried about my vision, this is basically transparent, I can see clearly." She explained dully.

"Eat the food, it'll make you feel better." She said walking out through what seemed like some of the bookshelves, it was a door.

The door was made of bookshelves, She walked out and went back to whatever she was doing, and so did I.

I tried to find something new, maybe a clue to where I am, I remember Brandon yelling all over Heaven asking where Silver was, but my instincts kicked in fast, I didn't trust her, at least not yet.

Why wasn't he there? Had I been sleeping for too long? Alison!

"Where is my sister?!" I demanded at the quiet wind, Silver was not near, not anymore.

I walked to the door, but I end up regret even opening it, I look down and instead of seeing, a hallway, and outside, the blinding light of Heaven, but instead, I'm faced with something far away from that fantasy.

I look at the empty nothingness, a black hole eating me up, sucking me in.

Black, all black, it seemed as if one was staring into a black wallpaper, but somehow you could see the drop, the cliff, and Silvers home was dangling over it. We must have flown up here, there's no other way this could be possible, I would've fainted at the sight but I guess I've seen worst, cause every time I see these things, sure, they surprise me, but they don't traumatize me, shock me, send me into a spiralling loophole, it didn't make me think.

I guessed I'd seen worst, but what could've I have seen? I had a normal life, a normal girl, it was starting to worry about how I felt no worry about these things, no fear, no remorse.

No Pain.

I was a bit startled, however, and I backed away from the black hole, I tripped on one of Silvers books, and you wanna guess what happened?

"Fuck"

I fell into the black hole, this time it wasn't peaceful like the fall from heaven, it was violent and rough, swooping my hair upwards, blinding me from the black and the little light that came from Silvers home.

There was no point in screaming, nor panicking, I wouldn't die, I couldn't die. It's not possible to die while being dead.

But I wouldn't deny I wasn't scared either, if I cut myself with the wall, what would happen when I collided with the floor?

Or maybe there wasn't a 'floor' maybe it was never-ending, infinite.

The hot air hitting my back burned, it felt like a fire burning through my skin. I expect to see scars and burns after this.

My white and green robe flowed harshly, sometimes lifting up too much, but I didn't bother to do anything about it, it didn't bother me, and certainly didn't bother me dead.

I could no longer see Silvers home, it had faded into the rest of the black hole, what was this anyway?

Crash.

But instead of crashing against the hot boiling floor, I find myself in someone's arms, they're warm and welcoming, but unknown and scary.

Even though I wasn't worried about falling on the floor, I somehow got scared at someone holding me up, how could someone be so strong to be Carrying me after such a long fall, wouldn't my speed make her fall over?

Oh right, we are not Alive.

"Silver..." The unknown person growled, I quickly realized the unknown someone is a girl.

"You okay?" The girl asked, Her voice was soft, or rather aggressive? Let's just say a mix of both. I opened my eyes but pure black was still in my eyes, no colour, no light. Did I still have my eyes closed? Couldn't I open them? Had I gone blind?

"Don't worry you're not blind, it's just really dark." The girl said, was it so obvious I was scared? She started walking before I could ask.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"You'd think if a stranger picked you up in hell you'd be a bit more scared, no?" The girl said, did she just say hell? No way, she was joking.

"What's your name?" The girl asked.

"Nicole Green," I answered as I felt her suddenly stop.

"Did you just say, Green?" The girl spits out, I couldn't tell if she was angry or afraid, but I didn't care anymore, cause I felt a burning pain in my head, making me clench my hand close.

It was looking for something, I could feel it sliding through my thoughts and memories, but the memories all seemed like a big blur, they were there, but where they really?

This time, when I opened my eyes, I could see the girl carrying me, well, only her eyes.

Her eyes were a deep shade of orange it seemed dark but gleaming, shining in the non—existent light.

Her pupils thin like a cat, and her sclera wasn't white, it was black as if transparent to this dark room.

Then a memory, like a video, plays in my mind.

"Curious..." The girl said as the headache fades away leaving nothing but a memory of the pain behind.

"Oh, how rude of me! My name Diane, pleasure meeting you!" She said taking a hand of my back making me want to jump out of her arms but the one arm still gripped to my waist not letting my topple over. She extends her hand for me to take, I shake it feeling her skinny fingers and warm hand, it felt hot like my skin was freezing and her hand was the heat saving me, protecting me from the freezing death.

It felt odd, if I wasn't already hot enough, like drinking hot cocoa in the middle of summer, but it didn't feel uncomfortable it felt nice, it felt reassuring, and the warmth of her hand surpassed through my blood making me shiver.

"Am I cold?" She said grinning, even through the darkness, I could see her white gleaming teeth giving me a taunting smile.

"Very funny" I responded giving her a small smile.

"Ah, I must find Brandon, I believe you'd be leaving with him as you came, no?" She asked picking up the pace.

"I guess so, who else would I leave with?" I asked looking at her thin pupils.

"With me of course, you don't think I'd leave you here?" Diane asked raising her eyebrow.

"Uh, yes, of course, I should have thought, are you an angel or...?" I got stuck thinking for the right term to describe them, people who are dead, but know angels, never will walk the earth again but will forever walk the afterlife.

"Half dead's?" She said relaxing her face.

"What is that?" I asked repeating the name in my head, over and over.

Half Dead's?

"Humans, humans who are dead and know an angel, or..." She explained extending the 'or' a bit too much.

"It doesn't matter, anyways, I need you to close your eyes, trust me on this, okay?" She asked politely, reminding me of Brandon and how he didn't want me to see, to watch, and to truly feel.

"Why?" I asked knowing there was no answer.

"I believe Brandon will later explain, for now, just trust me." She said giving me a small smile. I didn't want to trust a woman I just met, why should I? She could do anything to me, I don't even know where I am, I could be in hell for all I know.

But I trust her anyways.

And for once, I didn't make a mistake.

I closed my eyes and waited for fate, and I let her choose the path, and once again I felt a force propelling of the ground, where had I felt this before? I don't know.

"Greetings Nicole" A cold voice said, I straight out assumed it was a mans voice, maybe the man who Brandon had been fighting with? What was his name?

"Dani, could you call up Brandon and take care of the half dead?" Diane asked passing me to someone less warmer, but not cold.

"I could call up Brandon, but I can't promise I'll take care of her." The man said, walking away.

"What was that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"By what, Nicole?" He said, in my name especially, in bitter tone.

" 'I can't promise I'll take care of her'?" I said quoting him. Did that mean if he had the chance, he would throw me right at danger?

"It means nothing, Nicole Green, It just means that if I run into Amy again, I won't be able to do much." He said yet again in a bitter tone.

"Can't you fucking walk?" He asked, being startled with the use of the word 'Fucking'. I tried not to say it much but it always managed to slip out, it isn't an appropriate thing to say in heaven, which is quite understandable.

I mean, it's heaven for Christ sake.

"Yes, Yes I can. I don't even know why she was carrying me." I responded in obvious confusion.

"I can tell why, please get out of my arms." He commented as he stopped walking waiting for me to get of his arms.

"Could I open my eyes?" I asked, knowing it was stupid question, Since before I was here I had been told to keep my eyes closed.

"Sure...?" He said obvious doubt in his voice.

I open my eyes.

I look at the man who's been carrying me, he was handsome, his skin looked like caramel, his eyes like a sunset, a bright, or rather dark orange? Either way it shined beautifully, his eyebrows thick and dark and his hair brown, a strand of hair black, his hair was covering parts of his eye and it looked a bit messy. His eyes, looked odd, I couldn't exactly pin point why, but upon closer expection I notice his pupils are thin, like a cat. He looks elegant, and his clothing is no exception, he is wearing a black tuxedo, his undershirt red, a red such tone I might have called it fire, his long tie poking out slightly.

Although a beanie popped from on top of his head, a black beanie with the fold at the bottom being black.

His eyebrows were furrowed, and his eyes burning through me, his mouth was closed tight, lips forced into a straight line. He was scowling at me.

I jumped out of his arms and tried to look around but instead I'm faced with undeniable darkness.

"Are you out of your mind?" Someone said aggressively, taking me aback.

"I am, Brandon. Since when have I not been out of my mind?" He pit back.

Just now had I started to feel the hands cupped around eyes. Brandon's hands were soft, but cold, an odd sensation once you get acostumed to the heat.

"She is not supposed to see, feel, hear, anything that will make her think, or know she is in— you get my point Daniel, why would you put that at risk?!" He almost yelled.

"Beacuse she isn't a coward, Brandon, she is brave enough to know she's in—"

"Don't you dare, finish that sentence Daniel. Or I will send you to the stone village." He threatened, whatever he meant by it.

A gulp he gets in return.

"You will, and cannot, you know that damn well Brandon." He said in a harsh tone, but I could hear his doubt, his doubt to speak back. Which with what I've learned about this man, is not common nor normal.

"I was supposed to pick her up at Silvers, what happened?" Brandon said changing the subject.

I am confused, too confused for my comfort, I like mystery but not like this, I need to know what will happen, I need to know what I'd happening, I can't stand the darkness anymore, I want light, any little light, a spark.

I need something.

I start breathing heavily, my chest inflating.

"I don't know! Ask Diane." He responded, saying the woman's name, almost in a mocking tone.

"Nice, real nice." Brandon spit back at the man.

They definitely had a rivalry, why? I don't know, maybe they just didn't like each other? Or maybe a more personal reason? I don't know enough about both of them to come up with straight answer.

I need to see, where am I? Who am I? I'm screaming! Can't you her me? Please—

Kill me.

I elbowed his ribs, and ran, not caring to what I'd find.

"Come back here filthy Half- Dead!" Daniel yelled from the distance.

I panted, I felt the hot floor beneath my slippers, they were making me slip, fuck them, I slip them off, the floor was sizzling beneath me.

But I didn't feel it.

My robe was slowing me down, trapping my feet, I tucked it into my shorts and ran faster not looking back. All I could do is look straight, but I didn't see anything, it was all the same to me, I didn't care where I was going, I just wanted to escape.

I'm trapped, let me out of the cage, LET ME OUT NOW.

I will not stand another infernal second, here or anywhere near him, I am free, no longer a property, I am in—

I am in hell.

And hell was way sweeter then Heaven.

And I've always liked sweet, I looked at the bright flames in front of my body, would I dar to run through them, run through danger to escape danger?

I liked the burning sensation more than his touch sensation.

I ran through flames, no longer was I blind, now I could feel, I wasn't an emotionless vest, I finally had soul, and feeling, even If it was the feeling of danger and fear.

What am I doing? What came over me? What have I done? I don't know and will not care enough to look back.

I hissed through gritted teeth, the fire numbed my legs, I didn't like feeling numb, I've felt it for too long.

The flames have stopped burning my eyes with the familiar red, orange, and white, they had changed, transformed into something different, as I had.

Purple heat surrounded my feet, and legs, and now my whole being.

And the fire only spread even more, feeding the cold parts of my body with surprising heat.

I liked being awakened, I liked being alive.

Alive was the only thing I wanted to feel.

I would not put up with the same torture.

Not again. Not ever.