Chapter 7: Adrift

Ah, I'm dying again? pfft. What's new?

Fwhipp! An arrow grazes my ear, what a sorrowful life it has been, Most of my comrades are either crying or dead. Being given a glowing flask by my closest friend, we toast as we celebrate our death and rebirth. Two more monsters appeared on the battlefield that day. One was fast and strong, the other did not move.

"We, are in the spirit world." Ernest enthusiastically says, "Why are we even, in here?" With my eyes showing confusion, I stand up and see that we were encased within a glass ball. "A... glass ball?" I said while reaching my hand out, the surface was just like any other glass ball.

"Don't break the barrier yet," he said with his back turned, "We are only here temporarily."

"Why?" I asked, "I was just... Curious."

"Curious? About what?"

He turned around and looked at me, "The people in my paintings, you've seen them before... Right?"

"Yes... D-do you know them?" A frown surfaced Ernest's face, and I am now feeling a bit cautious of Him.

"They are dead."

Crack Crack

"What... Are you talking about?" As I said those words, the glass ball shattered into pieces.

With tears in his eyes he says "You... you are already dead." As he lifts one hand, a gun comes out from thin air. Pointing his gun at me, I close my eyes.

-Bang-

With my closed eyes, waiting for the bullet to hit, I anticipated it to be either painful or a swift death. But I got neither.

The darkness that came with my closed eyes kept crawling up my leg, and as I opened my eyes, I was still in a pitch black room. Trapped in a dark space or not? I know I opened my eyes, but there was no light. Only me and my fears.

"Wake up, waaaaaakeee uppppp!" A voice shouted at me as I was jolted awake. My vision was blurry and hazy and I could not make out who was shaking me but he said, "We're going to be late for our lessons."

"L-lessons?" Hearing those words, I open my eyes and try to stand up. I was looking straight at a boy with auburn hair and red eyes... I think I've seen him before... His facial features match that with... "T-Theodore?!" I suddenly shout. And as I said his name, The room I was standing in disappeared. I was back in the pitch black void, Then all of a sudden, I see a flash of lightning, Nay, it was not a flash of lighting, but a glowing man with white hair and white robes running towards a huge creature with tentacles as large as buildings, his sword glimmering against the restless night. Bodies of an unknown species were piled up behind him. And with a swift step, the tendrils coming towards him were cut into tiny pieces and blood rained from the clouds.

As the glorious hero stood atop the hill, bloodied from battle, his armor broken, all alone shining in the restless night, the hero has saved the world. Many people were saved, but instead of praise and love him and his party's deeds were twisted and scrutinized. The hero's party were hunted down and as the hero's party were defeated, there is little hope. And with his dying breath, he says "In the next life, I hope I will stay the same, so I can kill all these fools." as their world is doomed forevermore, It remains restless.

"Young Lady... YOUNG LADY!" I hear a ragged voice shout out. It was an old woman wearing a blindfold and holding a cane.

"You've seen Theodore, the demon right?" What? How did she... know?

"Oh I know alright, haha. Of course I would, I know everything." Did she just-

read my mind? "I did, are ya upset about that?"

Ugh, my head hurts. Where are we? I say as I got up from bed. "We, are in the safe area of the spirit world, miss Mary."

"How... How did you know my name? Oh right, you know everything." As she hands me a bowl of tomato soup a spoon and a bit of bread, she sits down beside me.

"You're very special, ya know that?"

"Oh? How come?"

"Well, for one, you're the center of this world, and the one who changes your world."

Eating a spoonful of the soup, it evokes a taste of wonderful delight, a creamy texture followed by hints of citrus. Taking a bite of the bread enhanced the flavor of the soup.

"You know Theodore the Demon."

"Yes, I do... Somewhat."

"Do ya know what happened after he parted ways with his mentor? His existence itself is an abomination."

"What... What do you mean by that?"

"I'm telling ya, he's a monster created by monsters... Do ya believe in death girl?"

"Well, of course. It's a natural occurrence.."

"Theodore is not natural, haha not in the slightest bit then." She says while stroking a plank of wood.

"W-what does that mean?" As I asked that question, a thick fog encroached from the walls and the old lady started to fade away.

"Haha, You will know when the time comes miss Mary. Pick your heart over your mind."

Saying those final words, I was standing still. In a thick fog enveloping my sense of direction. After some time I was still stuck inside of the fog, so I ran, as fast as I could, in any direction just to get out of this stupid place. I don't care about the spirit world nor Theodore. I am tired, I just want to go home and rest. With tears in my eyes and my legs giving out, I kneel and look down. What do I do in this situation? And after uttering those words, the fog cleared up. I was back in my room. It was night time, and I looked at the date, I am back to yesterday.

"Did I just... Go back one day?" I pinch my cheek to see if I was dreaming.

Owww

I was not. As I opened the window, I noticed the book, sitting on my desk. It was on the last chapter. With my favorite bookmark beside it, I had finished reading through it.

ahhhh, I sigh with contempt. Pick my heart over my mind? What does that even mean.

Furrowing her eyebrows and closing her eyes, Mary is held in deep thought. In the pitch black picture in my mind, I gaze at nothing. But then there was something, A light. No, it was more like I was remembering. The valiant and gracious Theodore, fighting through the horde and vanquishing evil. Ahhh, I might have fallen for him. Blushing and rolling around her bed, Mary finally goes to sleep, with a smile and sweet dreams.

---RINGGGG---

The alarm clock pulls me out of my slumber.

It is the day I get pulled into the spirit world, I wonder what I should do.

Sprucing myself up and going into school, I sit in class waiting for my chance to meet Ernest.

---Ringggg---

And with the sound of the bell, my heart skipped a beat as I dashed out of the classroom.

"Don't you want to have lunch with me Mary?"

"I can't, let's meet up later!" I shout behind me as I ran, going into corridors and running up the stairs.

Haaa, Haaa, out of breath from climbing stairs. "No time to catch my breath," I say as I bolt out of the rooftop doors and run towards Ernest. He was sitting on the ledge, enjoying a sandwich. As I pass the paintings that Ernest had done, I noticed that some of them had changed, from portraits of a man and a woman, to colorful landscapes. I paid no mind to these pictures as I ran towards Ernest.

"ERNEEEEESSSTTT!" I shout as I embraced him and we both fall from the rooftop.

"M-Mary?!" surprised by my appearance and sudden push, we find ourselves plummeting towards the ground. I close my eyes as we fall, waiting to be caught by a soft landing.

---splat---

Instead of our fall being broken by a soft creature, all I heard was the sound of something squishy hit the ground. I looked at my hand, it was covered in a red liquid. I looked at my dress, it too was covered in a red substance. I was sitting on top of Ernest. He has died.

"huh?" I said to myself as I sat there, dazed at what just happened.

"Ernest... You," he is dead. My eyes widen as the realization kicked in. I have killed my friend?! Oh God, I'm so sorry. What have I done. Tears started streaming from my eyes and as I rubbed my eyes, the blood besmirched my face.

"Oh no," I hear a voice behind me.

someone draped a cloth over me and drags me away. My consciousness is fading within this bag as I slowly drifted away.

I woke up in a bed, recalling what I had done, I closed my eyes and covered my face with my hands. I have killed someone, this is unforgivable. I am sorry. As I cried, and cried, and cried.

"Tsk. Tsk." I hear someone tutting in front of me, as I open my eyes and lower my hands, it was a woman draped in a silver gown.

"You were not supposed to do that missy." As the woman in silver said that to me, smoke came out from behind her. "I will send you to the spirit world,"

"What?! Why?" I respond to her as everything faded into the darkness. The bed I was sitting on became nothing, all the walls inside of the building are now pitch black. I don't know if I'm sitting or standing up.

As Mary was more and more confused by what was happening around her, she said to herself, "I don't want to be here anymore, I don't want to be me." And as that phrase reverberated throughout her mind, the sound started to echo from the walls which were seemingly non-existent. "Where am I?" Mary starting to panic and become hysterical.

"I don't want to be alone." She says while looking at a void.

"I don't want to be alone..." saying those words, a teardrop falls from her eye. As the drop hit the ground, it shone a blinding light.

"There you are!" A voice of a man said in the distance, but Mary did not hear him. All she was thinking of was the empty space, and soon after, her thoughts were no longer coherent. She was emitting a dark aura around her, but who could blame her. She is blinded by the darkness that she was ignoring. The past, the present, and the future all melded into one. And she is now lost.

"Drink this."

"I'll wait for you here!"

"Let's get lost in an unknown faraway land!"

People who Mary cannot see started to speak to her. As more and more of them piled up, she could no longer take it.

Screaming at the top of her lungs, the words drove her mad. Stuck in the shadows, there is little hope. She tries to find comfort in the loneliness but it only brought about more sadness. Losing more and more of her will. Mary's ego was at its limit and she was about to let go.

As she slipped more and more into nothingness, something grabbed her arms, hoisting her up and pulling her away from the quicksand of shadows. Mary looks at the person that pulled her up from the depths and sees the most majestic and glorious figure of a person she has and will ever see. It was a someone whose clothes were all white, with ashen hair and red eyes.

"I'll remember you," Mary utters before she fades into unconsciousness.

"Huh?" What was that? Mary was still in bed, with the warm sun hitting her pale cheeks. She looked out the window.

There were plants blooming and trails of leaves caressed by a gentle breeze. As she got up and out of bed, she was nauseated just by getting up. "I don't feel good," she said but she still pushed through and got up. As she walked towards the door and looked out the corridor. She was not inside of the school nor the hospital, rather, she was inside of a well kept household. As she kept walking through the halls, paintings were littered across the walls and many were colorful and vibrant. Exquisite self expression were evident with the different paintings.

Following the path of the paintings, I found myself standing in a garden. There was a gazebo in the distance, and I felt that I should go there and rest for a while. Reaching the gazebo, there were some canvases that was dotted around its floor. Each one was all colorful and vibrant, except for the one in the easel. This one was all black and white, with the silhouette of a dark brooding castle. I sat in a chair that was inside of the gazebo as I dozed off into dreamland.

---Pshhh psshhh, plop, plop---

The noises roused me. "What are you doing...?" I said in an angry and sloppy manner, "Painting something beautiful," someone responded to me. Still feeling drowsy, I stand up and dragged my feet over to the person painting on the easel.

What I had seen was nothing short of just... Breath-taking. Exquisite interpretation of a world I have not seen but feel familiar to. A use of colour with expertise.

"Does miss Mary like it?"

"yes, very much so," I looked to my right and I had just noticed, Cassius was the one painting.

"Do... You paint often?" Mary said to Cassius, "I do it from time to time, although Ernest is more endowed with painting than I am."

"I'm sorry," She said while resting her hand on a ledge. Mary gazes at the vast scenery before her. The green trees, clear skies and warm breeze makes it a perfect day for a stroll. And as a gust of wind hits her hair, a person said behind her, "For what?"

Turning her gaze towards the person speaking, it was a lady cloaked in dark clothes.

"I... Killed Ernest..."

"ahaha, don't be absurd dear, Ernest is fine." My eyes widened hearing those words, "w-what do you mean?" as I start to feel scared. "He just got back from buying materials for paint,"

"where is he now?" Mary asked with diligence.

"Follow me," She followed the woman and Cassius waved goodbye as they went inside of the mansion.

"I'm sorry, I'm a bit confused. I take it that you are Cassius' and Ernest's mother?" Mary asked trying to understand her situation,

"Mother? Ah, I guess I could be that."

She suddenly stopped in front of a painting, grabbing its side and pointing it towards me she says, "tell me, what do you see in this painting?"

It was a painting of a crude shack in the middle of the forest, other than that it was a magnificent painting with minuscule realistic details, nothing seems off.

"it's just a realistic painting of a shack in the woods," as I said those words, for a split second, she showed a smile.

"very well then, follow me to Ernest's room."

How big is this mansion? It feels like we've been walking for ages. Just as I thought of it, we suddenly stopped in front of a room with a door decorated with an exotic carved design featuring a dragonlike creature with three heads and a hero with a sword.

"Excuse me, but I forgot to ask... May I know your name madam?"

"Oh my, how rude of me... My name is Lydia,"

"oh I see," I said as she knocks on the door, we hear "come in~" come from inside the room. And as we opened the door, we see Ernest wearing an apron with a lot of paint stains and holding a brush on one hand and a palette on the other. His room was just normal. Having a large window facing parallel to his bed.

"I have some business to tend to, I will come back later." Lydia said as she closed the door. Now it's just me and Ernest standing in his room.

"I could've sworn... I saw you... your bloodied body, blood was splattered all over the ground, how are you still alive?" As Mary said those words, Ernest smiled towards her. His eyes was looking straight at her as he opened the window towards a balcony.

"The world is a vast place." Ernest said while looking out the balcony.

Turning towards Mary he says, "Grab my hand." Mary was hesitant at first, but she slowly stepped closer and closer towards Ernest.

"Are we going to jump? What if we die?" I said with an unsure expression towards Ernest, stretching my hand towards his.

"Let fate decide." As he pulls me and we both run out of the balcony, I knew it, we're going to the spirit world again. He stops just before reaching the ledge and let go of my hand, he looked at me with one more grin and jumped off the balcony.

Why did he not drag me with him?

"What are ya waiting for?" I hear him shout, as I peeked down the balcony, I could see a large balloon waiting for us at the ground. Do I jump? Or do I just go down the stairs?

"Go and jump miss Mary," A voice said behind me. I looked behind me and I saw the elderly woman, "Follow yer heart." Ahh ptooey, fine.

As Mary stepped back to get running start, the old lady was nowhere to be found. Running towards the ledge, and jumping off the balcony, she thought "I am free now." As she plummeted towards the huge balloon.

But just before she made contact with the balloon, it popped. With fear creeping up her heart, "I will maybe break a bone or two." came into her mind, they jumped from the third floor and it would certainly cause injury. She closed her eyes and hoped that it would not feel excruciatingly painful.

"I got you... This time." as he caught me in his arms. Time felt almost as if it stopped as I was in the embrace of Ernest. He looked at me and I looked at him, with the rubber from the balloon falling around us, I noticed that I was being touched by a man. Blushing, I quickly leapt off his arms and stood on my own.

"You did that on purpose." I said angrily towards Ernest.

"Haha, who knows?" He smiles as we go inside of the house again.