back to the real world: Hunter part V

five days ago- (the day of the assault at the Restaurant 'Secret Chamber' Bar&Grill.)

Hunter wakes up sweating intensely. he falls off the bed. he stands up and he looks at the Ferryman sitting on a chair with crossed legs. a cup of tea in one hand and in the other hand a book about self-help.

"rough night? no need to explain nor give excuses, I know how hard can be for you mortals to take part on our little games."

said Ferryman as he keeps reading.

"don't you ever take a break? I mean is Saturday. go play soccer with a grim reaper."

exclaims Hunter feeling annoyed by the Ferryman.

the Ferryman laughs loudly. he stands up slowly. the Ferryman has a proposal for him. if he gives up on finding any evidence about Son of Sun and he stops playing inside of the game he is going to give him ten more years of life.

anyone could accept without a second thought but not Hunter, he is a loyal man and he won't give up no matter what struggle gets on his way. Hunter's intentions are clear and he isn't going to stop just for fear to death.

Hunter is thinking about the time that he has left before his eminent death. he was about to fall asleep as he remembered that yesterday was the anniversary of his friend's death. it has been already a year since the day in which Beau died.

Hunter thinks about his friend. he feels pity to think that his friend has no idea that in the real world it has been a year since his death and the world has already forgotten about him. Beau thinks that it has only been a few months without knowing the truth.

Hunter is tired of the real world and the tricksters for Gods that control it from the shadows. this so call Gods are nothing less than tyrants manipulating the world to their whim. the Gods are tyrants in disguised of sheep.

Hunter changes his clothes and then he steps out of his room. he walks around of the neighborhood for a while until he feels better and then he goes to a flower shop to buy some flowers for Beau. he drives towards the graveyard where his friend's remains are.

when Hunter is finally in front of Beau's tombstone he leaves the flowers on the dirt. he sits in there as he looks at the tombstone quietly. there is no way that he can speak to a tombstone when he knows that his friend isn't going to hear him and Beau might even laugh at him if he ever tells him that he spoke to his tombstone.

there where some soft footsteps behind him. Hunter turns around to see Martha & Stewart behind him. Stewart also brought flowers for Beau's tombstone. Martha had a chocolate cupcake for Beau's tombstone in one hand and a bottle of tequila for Hunter in the other hand.

"I know that he was your best friend and that he was important to you. I barely knew him, but I am here for you two, he was always there for you two."

said Martha with a soft smile.

"thanks, he was a really good friend to me. he was a great person who helped me a lot."

said Stewart feeling sorrowful.

Hunter felt some peace. he walks towards Martha and he hugs her. he tells her that he is grateful for the help that she has given to him. he also thanks Stewart. Martha asks him about his resignation letter.

Hunter is in silence for a moment thinking about a lie to tell. he confesses to her that there is something that he has to do and he doesn't think that he can do that while working as a teacher. he tells her that he is doing it for Beau.

for a second Martha felt wounded by his words. she closes her eyes as she tries to understand his situation. she tries to understand him and she kisses him in a cheek. Hunter was surprised by the kiss.

Martha tells him that she is going to be waiting for his return. Hunter felt guilty knowing that there is no return from the darkness, there is no return from death. he was trying to stay away from her for two reasons. 1 he was making Beau his priority and 2 it would be less painful if he disappears from her life instead of dying at her side.

Stewart knew what was happening. unlike most people Stewart was able to see and speak with the Ferryman (let's say that the Ferryman isn't someone who holds his tongue when is about mortals who can see him in the mortal world.)

maybe the reason why Stewart was able to see and hear the Ferryman was because his life expectancy was affected by Hunter's deal with the Ferryman. he knew what Hunter was doing, but he couldn't say anything out of guilt.

"I am sorry, if things were different..... I can't stop to think that in different circumstances I would had taken you not only to other dates, but also taken you on my arms, you wearing the white dress and I a suit....what I mean is that I have hope that in a parallel universe there was an 'us' that can't be in this one."

said Hunter feeling pain as he looks at Martha's eyes.

he kisses her there for the first and last time. he kisses her with love and devotion. he kisses her knowing that this will be the last time he can ever feel the taste of her sweet lips. he kisses her knowing that he is doing her wrong by letting her inside of his heart and then pushing her out at the same time.

Hunter gives two steps backwards. he whispers some sweet good-bye words, then he turns around and starts to walk on the new path that he has chosen to walk. a dangerous path to find the truth as long as he can breathe.

"don't blame him, if you need to blame someone then blame me. it is for me that he is now leaving."

said Stewart with teary eyes.

Martha wanted to know what was happening but she felt deep inside her inner voice telling her to let him go, she heard her inner voice telling her that it was for the best to let him solve his problems by himself.

Stewart is looking at the Ferryman who is standing behind Beau's tombstone. he hears the terrifying laughter of a being that isn't human. Stewart feels horror to think that he can see the Ferryman. scarier was to know that he holds control over the mortal souls.

at the moment Hunter is walking by himself trying to escape from this place. he falls on his knees and he screams and cries with all his lungs. the louder was his scream, the more relief he felt. it was too much to deal by himself with everything. he was risking his life for the life of a friend.

the problem is that his life wasn't the only thing in risk. he was also losing his sanity with all the madness that he has kept to himself. it was too hard to deal with all this shit alone. he wanted to believe that everything that he did was because it was his role to save his friend's life. he believe that his purpose on life has been fulfill.

Hunter punches the ground. his hands start to bleed. he looks at some rocks on the ground. the rocks are covered on his blood. he laughs hysterically as he looks up at the light blue sky. he starts to feel more peaceful after two or four minutes.

Hunter stands up. the Ferryman is in front of him with a creepy smile. Hunter tries to push the Ferryman away. he whispers something. Hunter looks at him in the eyes with many questions on his mind. the Ferryman tells him that he doesn't have the time nor privilege to stay in there for too long without doing anything positive.

Hunter follows the Ferryman. this was suppose to be a day to remember his best friend. he has wasted too much time. Hunter is thinking about the things that he has to do now that he doesn't have a job.

Hunter calls for a taxi and thirty minutes later said taxi came for him. the taxi took him to a bar which he wanted to visit a last time. Hunter in there looking at the people around of him. he starts to remember those days in which he used to come here with Beau for some drinks. those were great times that are now part of the past.

Hunter sits in a table on a corner. he asks for some beers and snacks. Hunter looks at the table feeling melancholia as he thinks of the better days of his life when he thought that those days were going to be eternal.

Hunter stays in there for many hours drinking some beers slowly as he thinks of every time that he spoke or did something fun with his friend. the Ferryman sits in front of him. the Ferryman can't understand the way the mortals think or the reason why they do the things they do when they have a limited lifespan.

the Ferryman thinks that he will never understand the mortals unless he becomes one himself. he thinks that if he had such a short life he will do everything on his power to enjoy it and make it worth it, but the mortals seem to waste their lives and they try to enjoy it when the end is close.

the Ferryman takes a beer and he drinks with Hunter. he uses his powers to take the form of a normal mortal on the eyes of other humans. the only people who can truly see his real form are those who are dying or in the limit of their lives (that rule only applies to humans with a terminal illness or humans who are going to die in less than a week for natural causes.)

Hunter has a melancholic smile. he tries to hold his tears, he tries to control himself and avoid crying in front of strangers. more than anything he doesn't want to cry in front of the Ferryman. this was a really awkward moment.

Hunter is looking at a beer on his hand. there were many things that he could do with that beer. he thinks about attacking the Ferryman. he stops himself thinking that his actions might be selfish and his actions might cause difficulties to Beau later.

the Ferryman can read Hunter's desire to hurt him. the Ferryman smiles aware that Hunter isn't capable of doing anything stupid. he is too worry about Beau's safety to do anything that can put in risk the life of his best friend.

Hunter keeps drinking his beer. he puts the bottle down. he looks at the Ferryman in the eyes. he wants to demand answers to the questions that he has. he wants to know many things. Hunter with anger punches the table.

the Ferryman keeps drinking beer. a pretty girl gets close to their table and she talks to the Ferryman referring to him as 'handsome.' the Ferryman tells her to wait that it isn't her time jet.

"why are you so persistent with staying at my side till you can reclaim my soul?"

asks Hunter with curiosity.

"because in my line of work there are some bastards who play dirty and I don't want anyone to steal your soul, not when you are mine."

said Ferryman with evident anger.

"am I that valuable to you?"

"you have no idea, your soul is mine and mine alone. no one is taking your soul as long as I am near you."

the young lady was looking at them with the wrong idea and blood falling from her nose. she was starting to have some naughty fantasies as she kept hearing their conversation.

"I am so sorry, I didn't know. good look with your secret romance."

said the young lady as she left.

"I think she thought that we were lovers which is unlikely. I have Martha on my heart and less than a year to live and you are some workaholic."

said Hunter feeling offended to think that anyone would think that he has a relationship with the Ferryman.

Hunter was starting to feel the weight of all the liquor he consumed today. the Ferryman tells him to go home by himself. it seems like the Ferryman wanted to stay to keep drinking by himself. there were things that were on his mind. things that he wanted to forget for a moment.

Hunter walks out of the bar. he looks at the dark sky. there was a bright moon bringing some light to the night. Hunter walks slowly and he falls on the ground. he hears a familiar voice. he looks up to see Martha standing in front of him. he could tell by just looking at her face that she was worry for him.

"are you thinking about leaving to be somewhere else? would I ever see you again? did you ever felt anything for me?"

"I do love you. I do, but I am afraid that to love not always leads to romance. there is something that I have to do and if I bring you with me, I will only put you in danger. I wish I could live a lifetime at your side, but I am afraid that there is a debt I have to pay, a debt to Beau the man who saved my life."

"then let me say good-bye to you, I want you to remember our last encounter as something magical that you will never forget."

Hunter was about to say something when he was interrupted by Martha's lips. he felt her sweet kiss, a kiss that tasted like pure love.

Martha leaves without saying anything. she walks fast without looking back before she regrets her words, before she refuses to let him go alone. she kept walking concentrating her eyes on the bright moon.

Hunter stands up looking at Martha as she disappears form his sight. Hunter turns to the other side and he walks slowly thinking about what was his life and what is to be of his life in the next months.

he knows that Death's mantle is touching his skin and blocking his sight. there is nothing in his future to see. the only thing that he sees is darkness every time that he thinks about the future. but since now every time that he thinks about the past he will think with cheerfulness about that kiss.