Part 7: island beyond dark waters

The mass had a shape that stretched across the entire sky. Its black shade was dark enough to swallow any light in the world. The blood rain cackled along the pitch-black ocean. It drowned out the inner screaming that was once echoing within Ryan's head. These thoughts consisted of horrible realizations.

"The blood is human. The ink ocean is being overwhelmed by the smell of copper. The blood is coming from the mass, but the mass is alive."

The mass was shaped like a worm that had wrapped around the entire planet. The details were hard to distinguish due to the lack of light in this world. It had strange veins pulsating around its body. It caused gallons of blood to rain from the sky.

These areas popped out like a zit on the cleanest of faces. Slowly, the mountain of veins began to open. The amount of blood raining from the sky got denser the wider the veins had opened up. Ryan was now completely stained by blood.

It was completely overwhelming. His heart was about to burst out of his chest, and his body was in indescribable agony. The mass began glowing and a large hole began to appear.

The opening of the mass had revealed a massive eye. It was white with a purple retina. It was the size of a planet, and it directed its attention straight down onto Ryan.

Ryan cried and screamed in utter fear. His eyes drowned in a stinging sensation. He couldn't hear his screams, only silence.

As the creature loomed over Ryan, the sky had begun to light up. Lightning had fallen from the mass and struck the water next to him.

Ryan was unable to react in time and flew off the plank that had saved him in an ocean of blood and ink. Ryan never moved his glance away from the massive eye, as it did the same to him. All had gone completely black.

Ryan lifted the picture frame and brought it close to his face. Every detail of that woman's face was distant to him. Blake had come up behind him and laid a hand on Ryan's shoulder. His suit wrinkled under the touch of his soft palm.

"Hey man. Do you want to go on a smoke break?"

Ryan turned to Blake with a blank face. Blake's hair had an uncomfortable amount of gel in it. His black suit didn't match his ghost-white skin.

Blake looked like he hadn't slept in days, having bags hang underneath his blue eyes. Ryan nodded his head in agreement and they walked their way out of the church.

Nobody had bothered them today. They just whispered amongst themselves words of gossip.

"Those are the kids of that lady that died. I heard one of them is rich. I wonder if he is taken, I would like some of that fortune."

They walked onto the church parking lot. Blake took an orange lighter and a pack of cigarettes from his back pockets. Blake rose one to his lips and lit it. Ryan stared out at the empty town streets in front of him. It was lonely in this small town.

"Hey, Blake."

Ryan had slowly turned his eye contact toward his brother. Blake blew out a small cloud of smoke. Blake then handed the cigarette to Ryan. Ryan took it from his fingers slowly and then looked back out toward the street. He then spoke lightly.

"Remember that field at mom's house?"

Ryan pulled the cigarette to his lips and puffed as Blake's eyes glistened.

"Yeah! Oh man, what a memory. The amount frisbees lost in that field might be in the hundreds."

Blake let out a chuckle. Ryan blew his smoke a let out a small laugh under his breath. Thoughts seeped deep into his forehead. Some words escaped the prison that was his mind.

"I missed you so much man."

Blake looked up at his older brother in surprise. Ryan immediately regretted his words out of embarrassment and tried recalling them.

"Um I mean-."

Blake interrupted him in an excited tone.

"I am happy to hear that."

Ryan's face melted in a red blush. He gestured the cigarette back to Blake. Blake took a puff as the parking lot sat silent. Then he broke the awkward silence.

"Do you think if we grew up in a different life, we could be those brothers with kids. We would visit each other's houses and have barbecues and maybe we would have attractive wives."

Ryan looked at him with interest.

"I mean you would have the hot wife but I mean I'll be happy with a small-town girl."

Blake puffed down the last bit of the cigarette. Ryan was moved by his brother's words. He didn't know how to respond to the affection. Then he stood up strong and spoke with his chest, his words squeezing his throat like a strangler with a victim.

"Why not start now? I mean the problem is gone, isn't it? Let's reconnect man. I- I really want you back in my life brother."

Ryan's eyes glistened. Blake dropped the cigarette to the asphalt and smothered it with his shoe. Blake rested his hands in his pockets and shuffled his shoulders.

"Why is it the only time you cry during a funeral, it is actually after the funeral?"

The two brothers chuckled. Ryan looked up to Blake's face to see Blake's eyes were just like his own. Blake's shoulders felt so light. He smiled. Ryan was so happy. Then a thought came to his mind.

"Hey why don't I just move here, into town?"

Blake was surprised by the sudden gesture.

"Wait that would be expensive, wouldn't it? You don't have to move super close if you don't want to. But that could be so cool. We could really restart-."

Ryan looked up with a grin and interrupted Blake with his answer.

"I'm fucking rich! Let's do it! We can get wives! And have barbecues with loud music! We can finally be brothers again. I want this."

Blake nodded his head in approval at the idea.

"Yeah! Fuck it let's do it!"

Blake raised his arms and hugged his brother. They became the happiest people at the funeral. Ryan stepped back and announced a plan.

"I have a yacht trip next week. After that I'll pack up and get my ass over here. Does that sound good?"

Blake nodded in excitement.

The reunion was interrupted by the distant sound of piano chords. Blake rose his head toward the church.

"Sounds like they are playing the piano now. We should head inside."

Ryan looked out toward the church in confusion. Blake noticed and asked.

"Hey what's up?"

Ryan shrugged it off and began walking out of the parking lot.

"Oh nothing. I just feel like I've heard those chords before."