Glass-Eyes

The next day rolled around and the Jazz Man tried to wake her up early in the morning without waking anyone else who resided within Tha Shardas, a place where those who are displaced can go to stay and get away from the cold night.

It consisted of several old warehouses numbered one to three and was located on the embankments of Emet Ocean.

Over fifty cots were lined inside each warehouse and each one contained two bathrooms; one male and one female.

But it had limited space and sometimes on certain days the line for the bathroom would wrap around the inside of the establishment.

It was a place she would call “fancy” for it provided them with rock-hard beds, copious amounts of blankets for the inside of the warehouse was just as cold as outside, and a hot meal on Sundays.

However, it was unusual for them to come to such a “fancy” place.

Their usual spot, the one she calls home, was right underneath the very place they were going to meet Ares: the Bridge of Castro.

It was built by Castro Fenero in the late 8800’s during the War Of Final Rests; the last war against Humans and the Glass Eyes.

It was reported that before the magnificent city was built, there were burning homes, bodies of the dead piled along the shores, and anger.

Humans found Glass Eyes to be dangerous and decided the best option was to destroy them.

Venin told her that Castro had hoped that the bridge would stop the fighting within Helrit and would bring together the two prominent districts together that were separated by the Heaving River.

However, during the opening ceremony of the bridge, a storm blew in and lightning struck Castro- instantly killing him.

It wasn't long before the bridge became the source of rumors and curses. There are many reports about people going missing after crossing the bridge or seeing the ghost of Castro muttering the words; “The Dead Will Never Rest.”

She personally thought it was silly how Humans believed in the supernatural but would not dare look in the direction of a Glass Eye let alone sit by them.

Their world was strange and filled with many mysteries. She had stumbled upon some herself when she was lost years ago but assumed they were normal.

The woman who lives in a moving cabin in the woods.

A boy with thick black hair who only appears during a full moon.

And a tall pale man who resembled more of a skeleton than a Human.

When she brought up these mysteries to the Jazz Man he told her that it was better to leave things alone and let things be.

Including the Bridge.

But whenever it was late at night, before she fell asleep on top of the old pile of clothes she had gathered from trashcans, she would reach her hand out and touch the cold stream and feel something reach back.

A cold slippery hand.

She wanted to know what it was and some mornings, tried to search for it in the morning. She could never find anything.

Last night was different of course.

She couldn't dip her hand into the water or feel the freezing temperatures grip onto her joints, making them stiff. Or feel the early splash in the face by The Jazz Man. And was sad about it until she fell asleep amongst the warm blankets that were provided.

Now the Jazz Man was beside her, slightly shaking her as he whispered, “Child, ya must awaken!”

Tiredly she shook her head, digging her arms underneath the warmth and out into the cool.

[Can we just….] she could barely move her hands.

“No!” he interrupted her, softly slapping her hands, “Aye must feed ya! Aye not allowin ya to leave hur wit out havin a propa meal! Even it small one.”

[....Fine….] she gave up.

Yawning, she pushed the blankets off her body and threw her legs over the bed's side. She looked around at the softly glowing warehouse where snores cascaded in the distance and covers gently moved up and down.

[Why did we sleep here again?] she lifted her eyebrows as the Jazz Man grabbed Adolph from underneath his bed.

“Aye taught I told ya last night! Warmth and rest child.” he replied, setting Adolph on the bed, “Ya need it!”

[I receive all of that, under the bridge by the river! Its my favorite spot to sleep.]

“Da riva also give ya a stoofy nose in da mornin!” he let out a chuckle, “N’ ya sleep until noon too cuz ya always playin n da wota!” He inhaled, “Now come! We eat at Ricky’s wit Venin. Him is waitin for us and tin we see man of fire!”

[Okay] She shifted her body off of the bed and followed him throw the rows of beds.

At the exit, volunteers who wore green shirts smiled as they opened the door and told them to come back soon and to be safe.

She stretched her arms up, breathing in the fresh salt air and feeling the cold breeze touch her face. The ocean was her favorite thing to see.

She loved to stand by the rocks, watching the waves reach out to her and then retract. The seagulls cried out to one another as their flight-filled bodies hovered over what she used to describe as a puddle filled with tears.

“Notin like wakin up by the ocean in da mornin eh young music child?” The Jazz Man cried out, “Even if it filled with notin but death!”

Death.

It was like a bittersweet song that she had many dances with. It would embrace her body and grab her by the hand, swinging her fragile body on the crystal floor that revealed both of their true forms.

Hers was a demon that would never find solace while deaths was that of a devastating incident. It hums a comforting melody, telling her to not look around.

But her eyes would wander anyway and she would notice that surrounding them were dead bodies.

What they danced on was not a beautiful mirror but the blood of those she loved the most.

And standing in the distance were cruel eyes, watching her, glinting a sharp tooth smile.

This is when she would run.