by C. S Luis
Carefully, I made my way around the corners of the school, avoiding open spaces and stayed in the shadows, gliding up into the ceilings when I needed to avoid men in dark uniforms roaming the Milton halls in search of me. The corners and ceilings serviced me well and I was thankful for the abilities I had that allowed me to glide like a balloon.
Just then, two men in black armor passed below me.
"Let's go." I heard the men say. "We have orders to move the bodies into the auditorium."
"Bodies?" I whispered floating high above them. The men in military gear turned the corner as they continued their conversation.
"How many are there?" one of the men asked the other.
"Quite a few. All the bodies of the faculty. Director Nicholson wants them in the auditorium for observation," answered the other man.
"Observation? What the heck for?"
"Who knows… But I heard one of the kids actually got back up from a bullet to the head. Perhaps he thinks these people will do the same." The private shrugged his shoulders.
"That's just creepy."
"Yeah, I know." The men's voices faded away until I could no longer make out the words.
Slowly, I lowered myself and dropped to the floor. "What have they done? No…no," I wept.
37
The Man in the Black Suit and Red Tie
Realizing someone approached, I rose to my feet, and when I saw him, I felt panic in my heart as he neared. The cloak glided like a web floating from the shadows all around the hallway. It was there and then it was gone. But it wasn't. It was never gone. It was just part of the floor and sometimes a part of the wall. The web of ink, or so it appeared, crawled two steps in front of me then stopped.
I took a step back as a skeletal hand crept out of the sleeve and pointed a bony finger at me. I choked back a scream, moving slowly away instead, and dropped to the floor. A trembling fear now paralyzed me to the spot.
A voice whispered a phrase from behind the hood, and then a gentle breeze fell against my face. Stunned, I stared up at the hooded figure, wide-eyed and speechless.
The smoke around it dissolved suddenly and in its place stood the figure of the man in a black suit and red tie. He had blond hair and a pale complexion and he was slightly gaunt and somewhat eerily handsome. But he didn't seem human at all from what I could tell.
The stranger's large blue eyes were darkened by the color of his dressings and they seemed magical, eerie, and somewhat…dead.
I rose to my feet trembling, curiously looking up at him. I had once come across him before but had never dared speak to him as I now knew I had to. I recalled him as the man, if he could be described as such, who had confronted Q in the non-existent pool. Why was he here? Did I have to ask? His eyes seemed to gaze over at me. His mouth curved, and his eyes sparkled, within a swirl of dark blue hues danced a wondrous explosion of color.
"You’re him—you’re…" I uttered, unable to say more. He curved an eyebrow and grinned a creepy smile.
"You’re DEATH…" I managed, putting a hand to my mouth.
“Your name is James?” I uttered noticing the pin on his suit. It read James. He grabbed at it, ripping it from the suit, then dropped it at his feet. It seemed as though he hadn’t noticed it there until now.
He said nothing, merely reflecting on the pin’s origin or its purpose perhaps. Had it come with the suit? I wondered. He gazed at me directly and startled me when he immediately answered in a gentleman’s voice.
"I am—Mr. James." He bowed, which was unusual. I thought, ‘okay.’
Attempting a smile, I nervously choked back a cry. It was he, the reaper! His blond hair glimmered. Speckles of glitter flickered upon the gaunt pasty frame of his face and jaw. The fact that he was real and human-like was the oddest part.
The image of Death had always struck me as a cloaked figure walking around with a scythe taking souls. But there was no scythe in either of his hands. And why James? What kind of name was James for Death? And why was he wearing a suit? But I didn't dare ask. Perhaps he would say, why not?
"So, the great Quentin has sent his subordinate to fend for him? I do not frighten him, do I?"
I blinked, subordinate, now just what did he mean by that? But it’s the mention of Q's name that puzzled me far more. It shouldn't have been a surprise that the two knew each other. Or a fact Q had saved me from the hand of Death the first time we had met. But only now was I fully aware of his sacrifice. In fact, he had taken my place.
I slowly lowered my head, and whispered, "No…Mr." Then gazed over at him, the thoughts of Q stirring in my mind. Did he know what had transpired? And this, too, soon was answered.
"Well, then—Assure him I will be along to collect him quite promptly." I wanted to speak but was unable to regards to Q's absence. When he, Mr. James suddenly again said, "I'm quite aware of his problem. However, this in no way shall delay our contract." He assured me with an eerie grimace.
He started to move away, when I finally gathered the courage to speak again, regretting the answer that I was already sure of.
"My family—have you come for them too?" I boldly asked. He gazed coldly at me, and a chill ran down the back of my spine. And I was sure he knew who I meant.
"Be thankful it is them I have come for and not you. Your Quentin may have delayed our union once, but he cannot save your family," he revealed. There was no coming back from death.
"No!" I suddenly cried. My bravery surprised even me.
"Please, you can't!" I shrank back, realizing what I was doing. He suddenly towered over me.
"Oh—I can't?" But it wasn't a question, it was a statement of sarcasm at my expense.
"And you will stop me?" He coldly asked.
"If I have to." I bravely said or perhaps stupidly, feeling myself now tremble, and at this, he began to laugh, "You’re just as gullible as he is. You're no match for me. You must accept the inevitable…they, like your Quentin, belong to me now," he declared, then walked past me, giving me no further thought or regard.
I realized why Q feared him and why he had begged me to stay away so urgently.
Afraid of losing everything, I panicked, my mind swirled with ideas on how to stop him. Perhaps I could convince him, not to take my family away from me. But how? Could anything or anyone do so?
"Unfortunately, we need Death..." Q would have said to me. "A direction for souls is the only order. Distribution of the sources, the energies, who else would know it well but a being.” The idea seemed to send me in thought for a moment. “Without order, there is only chaos."
"Wait!” I darted forward, looking after the reaper.
"I want to make a deal." I immediately said, before even considering what I was saying. In my head, Q's warning repeatedly mocked me. I had to find a way to save him and my friends.
The tall blond figure stopped dead in his tracks and turned and glanced at me. On his masculine face, an eerie smile appeared. Perhaps this was what he had been waiting to hear. Or was he just laughing at my feeble attempts to stop him?
His facial expression said to me, “Don't mess with Death when deals are considered.”
Nevertheless, I had his attention and I could see that he was very much intrigued by the very words that left my lips.
I took a step back awkwardly and he took a slow robotic one forward.
"I want you to release them and take me instead," I announced boldly as he narrowed his dark blue eyes at me, turning his head slightly sideways and examining me with a deep sense of calmness.
“Is that it?” he uttered, wrinkling his brow. I thought about it and wondered, well, yeah. What did he mean?
"Well, yes, isn’t that what you want?" I nervously asked, as his form towered over me. I could see my reflection in his eyes as he leaned forward. Wasn’t this what he wanted? But if so, what were his reasons? Just like Q, what were Death's reasons?
He stood in a very unnatural manner, facing me with his head straight. There seemed to be no life in him at al
l, except for now and then, when his head tilted or his lip curved.
"And what do you know, of what I want?" He asked, glaring over at me.
"I know what Q knows. And I know that's what you wanted. And if you let them go, I will come with you. I won't fight you." I offered.
He circled me, then stopped in front of me, and leaned slightly forward, and in a slow whisper said with a grimace, almost laughing at my words. "Fight me?"
I bravely bit my lips as they now quivered at his mocking stare.
"And what makes you believe I won’t just take you now, if I wish it?” he said, coming within inches of me.
I collapsed before him, trembling as I had before, as he leaned over me and began to examine me with the darkest blue eyes I had ever seen. A dark swirl danced in the depths of his pupils, moving so rapidly that I thought it would hypnotize me if I continued looking into them. Within them, I found an ocean of black tar as thick as rubber and ink. Tentacles or arms were rising from the dark ocean snatching the living in their wake.
“Why should I consider you? I have my prize.” He hissed and moved to leave.
“Because I’m his pet!” I announced and rose again to challenge him, nearly shouting. He again stopped and turned around.
“His pet?” This announcement had fully gotten his attention. He marched to me as I stumbled back, falling to the floor and pushing against the lockers behind me. There I sat on the marble floor looking up at him as he kneeled bent over me.
"YES…you are, his—pet,” he said, extending a long, bony hand but did not touch me. “I’m quite aware of that very intriguing fact,” he delightfully whispered. “The likeness is uncanny,” he hissed, glaring right at me.
I didn’t understand what he meant by likeness, to whom?
“Although, the fact that he would give his life for you did not surprise me but his lack of judgment and his ignorance at a delicate time such as this did amaze me. Perhaps a mere moment of weakness…on his part."
He began to laugh and his eyes wandered in thought. His laughter was like no other I had ever heard. Then he suddenly stopped. I didn't know how to react to such a thing or why it was amusing to him. Whether to be shocked or paralyzed with fear. I was both. He slowly rose never taking his eyes off me. Was he considering my offer?
“I never thought he’d make that mistake-” but he didn’t finish his thought and it made me curious as to what he meant.
“Unfortunately, a contract cannot be voided. Quentin has already agreed to—” I sadly lowered my head, was there no hope?
“Those are the rules I’m bound by—But in your case, since your Quentin is deposed—” he once more said.
“Please!” I pleaded, and I couldn’t believe I was begging the reaper to take me.
He grinned moving toward me, “He will delight at your sacrifice for him. You will free him. As he has intended to free you—how ironic that you should be the key...” he said, whispering the rest.
He smirked, if it could be called a smirk.
“You have truly come to serve your purpose after all.”
What purpose was that? I thought to myself. But it didn’t look like Death would reveal this to me. He stepped back very robotically and stood before me, as I rose to my feet and stood there with him, as he now said, “Quentin and the others have been set free as per your request.”
He then extended a hand to me. I stared over at him, unsure of what he intended to do.
"Now, it’s time to go. It’s time to fulfill your end of this contract.”
Now? I was thinking, couldn’t I see my friends first and say goodbye before I never saw them again?
I hesitated, staring over at his hand as he glared over at me, waiting for me to meet his grasp.
“Can’t I say goodbye first?” I whispered. “Can’t I see them?”
“That wasn’t part of your request,” he merely said. I didn’t know I had to, I wanted to say, request anything.
Was I making the right decision? I had to consider that if I didn't, I would never see my friends again, or Q. Then again, I wasn't sure if I would ever see them anyway. Had Q really given his own life for me? If so, now I was giving mine for his.
Mr. James bared his teeth and the expression on his face was gaunt like a creepy skeleton come to life.
"Well?” He motioned to me with an extended hand. “I haven’t got all day," he grimly hissed. “Your friends, Quentin, or you?” Surprisingly, I slowly reached over to take his hand.
Then his shape started to dissolve and the cloaked one of Death took over. Now a bony hand extended instead to greet mine, only inches away. I reached for it but suddenly something grabbed me and pulled me from its reach. The shadow shrieked, fading into the darkness of the hallway and then it was gone.
"No, let me go!" I screamed fighting to pull myself free.
"What are you doing? Are you crazy?" Mr. Slater screamed as he rose to his feet and dusted his pants, glaring at the shadows, puzzled at what he had seen. Though perhaps not as perplexed as the ordinary person would have been.
"Wait, Mr. James! Wait! Please come back, please!" I called out into the shadows. Mr. Slater looked puzzled but I didn’t expect him to understand or did I care at this point.
“What the hell was that thing?” Mr. Slater looked bewildered at the darkness in the hallway. “Was that—Death?” he gasped in disbelief, blinking back at me.
"That thing was going to help me!" I yelled, directing my anger at him.
"Help you? Help you how? By taking you away? Claudia, darling, that's not the answer. There's got to be another way." He scolded.
I crossed my arms and looked in the other direction. He was starting to sound like an overbearing father figure. But who was I kidding, he had always been overprotective, nurturing and controlling.
"What do you care!" I snapped back.
"I care a lot. Especially about you!" he insisted. "Please let me help you."
"Help? This is your entire fault! How can I ever trust you again?" I angrily responded.
At the sound of these words, Mr. Slater’s head dropped. I felt a little surprised by his reaction, he was usually a strong and arrogant man. One that I figured could not be hurt by mere words. And now it looked quite the opposite. I immediately felt bad that my words had such a great impact on him. I wanted to apologize but I was so angry with him with what he attempted to do to Q. He had betrayed our trust. He had betrayed me.
"I know, I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I'm sorry, please forgive me. I only wanted to keep you safe. You don't know these people. You don't know Bryce. He's ruthless. He'll do anything it takes," Mr. Slater sadly revealed.
He looked pathetic and unlike himself. Unlike what he was a year ago. Who had done this to him? Who or what?
"I don't care—I have to save them, I have to save Q," I told him.
"Claudia, please understand, I had no other choice. If Bryce ever found out—if he ever found out about you, I don't know what I'd do."
He shook his head and gazed over at me.
“And now that he knows what you can do. I need to protect you all the more. He won’t let you go.”
I could feel he wanted me close, even more, he wanted me to forgive him. I could sense him as I had never sensed him before. Why was that? Suddenly, all his pain and sadness and his love were shooting back at me, all at once. Was I absorbing all this in some form from him? Why now?
His bright green eyes revealed more than their beauty. There was a strange golden flame dancing in the center of his pupils, exploding it seemed from within. I shuddered now, sensing it pulsating throughout his body; he could no longer hold back the agony of his secret. And it was one that perhaps I had denied to myself could have possibly existed. He feared my rejection and my reaction. I pulled myself away, I dared not read his thoughts. For fear of what they would say or reveal. I was afraid of what his mind would tell me. But I already knew what he wanted and it scared me.
"You and I can escape, and leav
e all of this behind…” He sounded delirious. He believed it. He wanted it.
The emotions seemed to be boiling over in him. I shook my head, his words frightened me. He reminded me of the way Q looked when he wanted me, a desperate and hungry fiend ready to take me with him. I feared him.
Mr. Slater seemed to say, “Don’t be afraid.” Was he now absorbing my thoughts as well, as he was expressing his feelings by exporting them into me? Circulating his emotions into every part of my being. Did he know what he was doing? Was he the one doing this? Or was this something I was doing, unwillingly and unknowingly. I read minds, I saw distant futures and now, could I feel emotions, far more vividly than I ever had?
I could very well sense the change in chemistry by a mere look, the glimpse in their minds allowed far more. But if this was true, then I no longer needed to read their minds to know what they felt. All I needed was a mere look at their aura.
"I can't—I just can't leave them! I can't leave Q."
"Forget him!" Mr. Slater screamed. "All I want is for you to be safe. Don't you understand? I don't care about him!"
I shank back nervously as he took two steps closer. He resembled Q’s behavior of a year ago. The pathetic man I had witnessed a few moments ago had disappeared, there now stood a strong determined figure, one without fear, one determined to get his way. That was John Slater.
"Just come with me and everything is going to be alright,” Mr. Slater continued, he believed every word. He extended a hand to me.
"Trust me, take my hand and come with me." His brow wrinkled as I stared, frightened, over at him. He pushed his hand forward once more, demanding I take it.
“Come now!” he demanded, his voice firm.
"No, I can't. I won't," I said defiantly.
"Claudia—listen to me," Mr. Slater commanded. His voice became firm, his demeanor far more challenging and determined. The look in his eyes read, “I’m not asking anymore—I’m ordering you to come with me.”
