31 Epilogue

Surely we will not talk about this place, right? I don’t want to tamper with your imagination as how to this place looks like, feels like, or goes like. It’ll ruin all the fun. Besides, what better ways to be most afraid of going to hell unless if you know nothing about it, isn’t so?

Welcome to hell, people. I’m William. I’ll be your tour guide… There… now you see that wicked smile on my face. Admit it. I have my charms, now, aren’t I? You’ll be seduced to join this endless nightmare…

Oh before I forget, this guy that has been standing beside me is Trance. Cute thing, isn’t he? Don’t look much longer at him or I’ll burn you! He’s mine. End of story. Touch him, you’ll go to the deepest pit of hell.

Where are we going today? I’m going to take you to a memory. Long ago… before those suicide circles… Before Trance was hurt… Even before Peter… You see? You guys are missing the point here. I met Trance somewhere in a history long forgotten. His past… Or more precisely, in his previous lives.

Today, I’ll give you answers to the question as to why I chose Trance… Because I don’t make deals with people as I see pleased as what to you humans seem to believe. I don’t. I don’t dwell in your affairs. I’ll only dwell with you in hell. But there are people which I crossed path with that really interest me up to the point where I do want to make deals with them. Like Nicolo Panganini… he wanted to be the best at playing the violin that he is willing to trade his soul for it. And similarly, Leonardo Da Vinci, who wanted to be great at art. They are all here in hell with me now… Just like Trance.

So back to the questions… Why I assisted him in all those killings… Why I’m so damn attached to him… And the actual questions… HOW and WHEN did I fall in love with him, a simple human being, destined for hell anyway? So… shall we begin?

֍֎֍

~Year: 750 BC ~

Seeing all these humans move by their own choices never fail to amuse me. They are slaves to time, money, power, lust, and feelings… How pitiful. It’s always good not to have emotions. It’s wrong to think of me as emotionless because I do feel. But I can cast those emotions aside, unlike humans.

I have a mission coming down here to the sun-lit world of the humans. And that is because the time has come for me to test them. It’s time for plague… It’s necessary… Because in times of adversary, we will know how strong or weak is their faith and how cruel and kind are their hearts. It’s my duty…

Lying before my eyes is a young man who’s marked by death… ’cause I can smell it. I can smell death. And this young man… the time is near for him to die. He is tied to chains on the wall. He is covered in blood… his own blood, I supposed. Several of his fingers were missing. I suspect that he had been tortured to give out information which clearly meant that he didn’t give because he is still alive.

He lifts up his head, struggling in pain at the process, to look at me as he whispers a question; “Who are you?”

I didn’t answer. I just smile down at him, amused at his strong will to survive. “Do you want to be free?” I asked.

He laughs a little in amusement as if he’s thinking that I’m asking an obvious question. “More than anything…” he said.

“How ’bout a deal?” I asked.

“In return for what?” He asked.

“Your soul,” I said.

He crooks his eyebrows at my question. “Are you the devil?” He asked. A correct guess indeed… I only smile my usual cunning smile for an answer to his question. He smiles back in return arrogantly. “Well, sorry dear Devil sir, my soul is not for sale,” he said.

“Very well,” I replied and walk away. But I didn’t actually left. I look at him. Tortured again and again…. Yet he still did not talk… How stubborn… And in the end, they give up and plunge the sword right through his heart. I saw his blood filling the floor up to the door. But what interests me the most is that, I saw no fear in his eyes. None at all… as he dies…

֍֎֍

~Year: 1350~

This is in the times when I started The Black Death… I can’t stop. It’s going to end eventually. It’s supposed to already end but I’m getting a little bit too fanatic at spreading plague. I love to see how the humans… ‘deal’ with it. As I said, they never fail to amuse me.

I didn’t mean to look for him again. But to reasons unknown, I still look for him and did found him. This time, he is crying by the side of two marked graves.

I approach him slowly… “Who’s in there?” I asked, indicating the owner of the graves. He is at first shocked to have found my sudden arrival and at the sudden question. But it is true to my guessing that he had no recollection or whatsoever of our first meeting in his previous life.

This is because he is looking at me through the eyes of a stranger. “Who are you?” He asked.

I smile at him. “A friend,” I answer to his question as to who am I this time. “So, who’s in there?” I asked again.

He turns to look back down to the graves and continues to cry. “My wife and my child,” he said.

“Is it the plague?” I asked. He only nods in agreement. My, my… this is my doing then. I’m the one who caused the plague, isn’t so? “Hmm… would you like to have them back?” I asked.

He turns to look at me in anger. “What do you mean?!” He asked.

“I can bring them back if you want,” I simply answer.

It’s anger at first, then confusion, and now fear… it’s written all over his face. “Who are you, really? Don’t play games with me!” He spat.

“I never play games,” I answered. “Well, at least I’d like to think so…” I added.

“What do you want?” He asked.

I look deep into his eyes as I answer; “Your soul…”

He looks frightened… it was as if he could guess of my true identity. But he didn’t answer to my offer. “Find someone else,” he said instead. And he gets up from the ground walking away from me.

I follow him, of course… without his knowledge. And found him putting something into his drink. There… I can smell death. Strong scent of it is filling the air. And he drinks it. He is choking now. I know what will happen so I turn around and walk away. It’s poison… that’s what he put in his drink…

Never before I feel this way… Something is coursing its’ way to my heart. And I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all. Is it… heartache?

֍֎֍

~ Year: 1601 ~

I don’t want to look for him again but I can smell him. I’m too familiar with his smell now so much so that I can follow his scent. He is now the son of a duke. A trouble-maker… Yet, a peace-keeper… And wherever he goes, there will always be a smile on his pretty face, a mischievous one, but it’s very pleasing to look at.

I smile to myself as I look at him. Damned if I know why the hell I’ve been following him over and over in each of his rebirthing… Maybe I’m too ignorant to notice the fact that he has done something to me somewhere in my emotions. And I don’t like it.

“Stop it, Harold,” he said as he laughs. Harold is kissing his neck. They are both laughing as they run together into the dark. Harold is a farmer of the estate. It’s the night of a ball. Harold is having an affair with the son of the duke who is the estate owner. The son of the duke snuck out of the ball in secret to meet his lover. I don’t know why but I feel a bit angry looking at them. I don’t like it when Harold is kissing him, the son of the duke, the one I’ve been following since his previous lives!

“What are you doing, Luke?!” I then heard a voice coming from the woods towards them. The old man is holding a gun. So Luke is his name in this lifetime? The old man must be the duke, Luke’s father. Two of the duke’s men are standing behind him. “Such an embarrassment to our family!” He yelled and he lifts up his gun towards them.

“Father, no!” Luke said, holding his hand out towards his father to stop him. But one of his father’s men takes him away from Harold and drags him to the side of his father. “Don’t! Don’t do it, father!” Luke begged.

Harold knew what’s coming and I can also smell it. That strong scent of death… he turns around to run but he only manages a few steps as the loud gunshot noise fills the air. Harold falls down to the floor with a loud thud.

“NOOOOOO!!!!!” I heard Luke screams. He is then dragged to the house. And Harold’s body is taken by one of the duke’s men to be buried.

Luke since then has been locked up in his room. I no longer see his smile. He doesn’t eat. He doesn’t drink. And I’m beginning to get that smell out of him too now. The very scent of death… So I approach him…

He is sitting by the side of his bed in sadness when he notices my presence. He quickly gets up in surprise. “Who are you? How did you get in here?” He asked.

I walk closer to him. “Do you really want to know?” I answered him with another question. Tears were streaming down his face and he looks away to the window. He is beginning to calm down. It’s as if he does not quite care anymore of my presence in his room. He then sits back down to his bedside right where he had sat before and lets himself being swept away by his own sadness again. I slowly sit by his side as I reached him. “How about a deal?” I asked. I refused to wait anymore.

He turns to look at me. There’s just that very sadness in his eyes that make me shiver a little because though I am familiar with the look, it never before came from the eyes of someone I really long for. Then, without my apprehension of the situation, he pulls my sleeve to meet his face and he kisses me. It’s a wild kiss. It’s like a kiss he’s been holding back for a while. But… why?

I push him away with a look on my face that I never gave to anyone before. A panic look… “What did you do that for?” I asked. He didn’t answer. He completely ignores my question and pushes me down to the bed. He got on top of me and started to kiss me again… and again… and again… and what disturbs me is that he is crying while he is kissing me. He couldn’t stop crying.

I wanted to stop him but I really can’t. This is not something unusual for me to kiss a human. I seduced many before and took them to bed but this time, it’s quite different. Maybe it’s because I had longed for him. I couldn’t say that it’s love. I don’t know if I’m capable of feeling that. But I had wanted him… I had yearned for him… And to have him in my arms right now only confuses me even more. And it just breaks my heart because I knew… I knew he did not kiss me because he loves me nor was it because he is suddenly attracted to me. He is not even interested in me. And this is definitely not lust. He more or less does not even care who I am. He is just using me…

He is using me to vent his frustration out. To let go of his sadness… All he really wanted was not me… it was Harold, his lover… I’m just a tool here. But I just let him. I let him use me. I let him kiss me. And our clothes were stripping fast. I hold him close. I’m feeling his body’s heat close to mine. His chest to my chest… his breath to my breath… his groins to my groins… pressed to each other…

He went down to my lower part and started to caress my dick. He then inserts it into his mouth and begins to suck it. The sensation… how to explain this sensation? The kind you want to remember about but always forget the morning after? And that will just make you feel like you wanted it again… over and over.

I push him down now and I get on top of him, facing him. His sad eyes… how alluring… I started to push my dick down into his opening. A steady opening… all ready… he’s too familiar with this, isn’t he? I put it in really slowly and when it finally went all in, I heard him groan in satisfaction. So, I move… I move slowly at first and just enjoy myself looking down on him. But later I start to thrust in and out real fast that he begins to scream in ecstasy. I am moaning and groaning as well for the sensation is overwhelming. I was moving real fast for a while before I take my dick out and he growls in frustration at me.

But I turn him around to face down on the bed and started to insert my dick into him again. I didn’t go slowly anymore this time. I only go fast. And I let myself enjoy listening to his screams as our skins slapped. I keep on moving… I don’t how long… but I finally stop when I reach the climax and spurts my semen into him. This feeling… it’s overwhelming for me…

I heard him panting as I ease down to take a look at his face. His eyes are closed… I just lie down next to him, staring at him… He still didn’t utter a word to me. And I keep staring at him… until he falls asleep.

I don’t sleep. I never sleep. But I just rest my eyes and wait… I’m waiting for him to get up. The sun is rising when I heard him move. He didn’t even as much as even turn to look at me at all. He just grabs his robe and puts it on and he walks over to the window watching the blazing sun that is half-risen. I get up to a sit and watch him as he climbs the window. I smell it again. No…

He didn’t turn to look at me. Not once. This scent is all too familiar and upsetting… He just gently lets the gravity takes on the weight of his body. And I hear him fall to the ground. That very scent of death… how cruel… For the first time in my life, I feel it. Something wets my cheeks… how cruel… how can a mere human be this cruel to me?

֍֎֍

~ Year: 1981 ~

I know now… No matter how much I can cast emotions aside, in truth, I’m not much different than humans… I long for someone to be with. And I just know that he is the one I want to be with. And I can’t bear the thought of losing him again. In this lifetime, I wish he will trade his soul for a wish. So that I can take him with me… So that he’ll be mine forever…

“Make a deal with me,” I begged him as I hold him in my arms. He is shaking. The smell of death yet again filled the air. It won’t be long before he’s gone.

“What do you m-mean?” He asked. He is holding the pain in his chest. He had just been stabbed in his chest by a girl. He is Mr. Popular in this lifetime and he rejected the girl’s love for him without realizing that the girl was not much sane anymore.

“Is there anything you want?” I asked.

He only smiles at my question. “Look mister, I don’t even know you,” he said.

“Does it matter?” I asked again, trying hard to keep myself composed when in truth, I’m losing my composure. Tears yet again filled my eyes.

He looks at me in confusion, as if he’s wondering why I am sad for him to go. Of course, he didn’t remember our previous encounters. “If there’s one thing I want,” he said. “i-is… to not… be p-p-popular a-any-m-more,” he said, stuttering as he is losing his breath. And he closes his eyes… again… How many times do I have to go through this? No. No more. I will not let him go again! I’ll do anything to ensure that next time… he’ll make a deal with me.

֍֎֍

~Year: 2013~

I saw him. He is looking down at his body lying helplessly on the bed, supported by the machines to stay alive. He is his wondering soul. He didn’t know of this. But I had everything planned out. As I said, I’ll do anything to ensure that he will make a deal with me.

I saw everything happened a year ago when his bullies raped him and left him for dead. I didn’t do anything to stop it because I didn’t smell that scent of death coming from him. I knew he’ll be alive. A year was gone only to make sure that his heart is filled with hatred and vengeance towards them. And who was it that tempted those bullies to hurt him, to make him suffer, to make him have something to trade his soul with? Me! Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the culprit! Me, the cunning devil! Everything goes according to plan… Now, the only thing left is for him to agree on trading his soul for a wish…

“What is your wish?” I asked him as I walk closer to him.

He does not know who I am but he doesn’t seem to care as he answers; “Death.”

I smile my charming cunning smile at him. The usual devilish thing I’ll do… “Settled for less, then?” I asked again all composed.

“Yes,” he simply answered.

“How ’bout revenge?” I asked, seducing his tainted heart to reconsider. The very heart ‘I’ tainted… He did not answer me. He just stares into space uncaringly. His eyes are full of sadness. “I promise they will suffer more than you,” I tempted him again. He still did not give me an answer. I only smile slyly and sits beside him. “And you’ll get to see them fall one by one…” I said with the most seductive tone ever whispered into his ears.

“Death. That is my wish,” he said, being stern about his very wish. I’m getting a bit impatience but I maintain my cool.

“Revenge first. Then, death. Sounds nice?” I tempted him again.

He then looks at me with his eyes narrowed. “What’s the catch?” He asked.

I smile. A good question indeed. “You. Your soul. Your body. They will all belong to me,” I said. He looks away as he snorts a little at me but he didn’t say anything. “Sounds nice?” I asked. He is quiet for a while before he finally gives me the answer I’ve been longing to hear…

֍֎֍

“Sounds nice,” Trance said as he follows me into the dark. “So are all those who trade souls with you became your slaves?” He asked.

“Slaves?” I make a face at his question. “There’s a better word for that. I’d call them ‘assistants’, my dear,” I said to him.

“But we will work for you for eternity and there’s no chance to escape,” he stated the obvious with an uncaring attitude. I only smirk at him. “So what’s my job?” He asked.

“You? Let’s see…” I started. “You get to lie on bed all day like a good housewife waiting for me to come home,” I said and then I give him one of my devious smiles. He only smiles at me, feeling amused I supposed. He must’ve thought I was joking. “Sounds nice?” I asked.

He chuckles a little and then he sighs as he looks deep into my eyes. “Sounds brilliant”, he answered and he lifts up his face a little to receive a kiss from me.

32 Offshoot. FAIRYTALES UNTOLD 1: Peter Pan.

I’ve wondered countless of times as to why people fall in love. And I have all the answers that I think would suit my own understanding of this very complex human’s emotion. But the more I think I understand, the more I’m aloof to any connection with human beings. When people love you, they become very scary. But I can always use love to my own advantage. To get what I want. That’s all that’s worth living for.

“Wendy, do you want an adventure?” was the question asked by me towards the boy who possesses one of the saddest blue eyes I had ever seen. I almost fall in love only by looking into those eyes, I think. Almost. Or maybe not. Maybe it was lust.

He smiles at me. Even his smile looks sad despite of the fact that it seems like he had tried his hardest to conjure up the smile. I believe that was the most genuine smile he could produce. “What sort of adventure?” He inquired.

I smile back at him with a warm and friendly smile as an answer. I pull both of his hands and place them on my chest as I said; “to a land where you will never grow old. You will always be happy. You can play all day and you will never have to dwell with any responsibilities of an adulthood you’ll soon come to face.”

“Happy? There’s a place like that?” He displays interest on his face as he laid the questions down to mine.

“Yes,” I confirmed. With his hands pressed to my chest, I pull my face closer to his. So close that he can feel my breath on his lips. ”A land called ‘Neverland’,” I whispered. His face flushed red. I think he wanted to say something but couldn’t. I notice he finds it difficult to breathe and that’s when I knew that it’s my cue. I plant a soft kiss on his lips. Not too little but not too much either. Just enough. Just enough to make him want more but doubting everything at the same time too. A sweet torment I knew all too well to give.

I push him down to the bed. His sleeping garment is blue in color but under this light, it looks like it is cream in color instead. “Peter-,” he called out to me as he tries to resist the temptation. But it’s too late. I already want him. There’s no turning back.

“Shhh…,” I hushed him. “Wendy, it’s okay. If you want to be in Neverland, you’ll have to fly to get there,” I informed as I slowly slip my hands into his garment and tease his nipples with my fingertips. He lets out a soft moan that makes me want to hurry and gobble him up. “This is the only way for you fly,” I continued. I pull his garment off of him forcibly. He doesn’t even try to protest this time. I smile to myself, amused by his innocence and curiosity.

This is what humans are all like. Pure yet so tainted.

He has to endure the pain that I inflict on him through the opening in between of his spread legs. He jolts, screams, moans, and cries. But it’s okay. It’s temporary. Soon, he’ll be in Neverland. He’ll be young forever. He’ll escape this wretched world of lowly human beings.

As I dress him back up when we’re done, he looks at me shyly. “So I can fly now?” He asked, unsure of my promise.

“Of course you can!” I said happily. I jump out of his window to demonstrate. As I levitate on air, I confidently smile at him “See?”

He hesitates at first. One of his legs is up on the window but the other froze.

“What’s the matter? You don’t trust me?” I asked. He doesn’t say anything. But determination is written all over his face. “Give me your hand,” I instructed as I stretch out one of my hands towards him. He takes it quickly after only seconds of consideration.

Now, we’re both out of the window. Both us levitate on the air, holding each other’s hands tightly. He laughs the moment he realizes that he is floating. I bet that’s the first time he ever feels so happy. I laugh along with him too. This time, everything is genuinely displayed on his face. Happiness radiates on his formerly sad, sad blue eyes. “Peter, I’m flying!” Wendy shrieked in excitement.

“Hmm. For now,” I said with a nonchalant smile. It took a while for him to realize that I no longer have that warm and friendly smile on my face. That I am now looking at him with a steady uncaring gaze. That my eyes are no longer smiling despite of a smile pursed on my lips. A look of a psychopath.

He looks back at me in confusion. “Peter?”

“Wendy, welcome to Neverland.” I let go of his hands. The moment that I do, gravity took a hold on him and he falls fast to the ground. The sound of his screams fills my ears. I laugh at the sound. It’s so beautiful. It’s so wonderful. Everything is right. Now, on the ground, his sleeping garment is in the color of red.

He will be young forever. He will always be happy. He can play all day and he will never have to dwell with any responsibilities of an adulthood that he’ll never have. He can be all that in death.

That is what humans are all like. Pure yet so tainted.

33 Offshoot. FAIRYTALES UNTOLD 2: Sleeping Beauty.

‘I will take good care of you, my love. I will.’ That was what ‘he’ said to him when he was covered in blood, shame, disgust and pain back then. That is what ‘he’ will do. A promise is meant to be kept. Especially if it was sealed with a contract of blood and sacrifice.

֍֎֍

Looking down at the old man, who is lying perfectly still on the bed now breaks his heart. The only signs that he is still alive would be the sounds of him heaving difficult breaths with each passing seconds. Rhythmically. “Kaname,” he called out to the man standing beside his bed. It won’t be long before he leaves this world that he had come to love. “I’m dying,” he indicated.

The man touches the hands of the old man he has been with for a long time. The skin feels familiar despite of the effect of aging. It is something he will never understand. Growing old. “I know,” he agreed. He feels something stirred up in his heart. Something unrequited. Something pure. Broken. But pure.

“Can I make one final request of you?” He asked.

“Ever since you lost both of your legs, when have I ever denied your request, King Hubert?”

The King smiles a little to the man, unchanged through time. An immortal. A demon. “I want to be with ‘them’,” the King said. Kaname looks at the King quizzically for a while, trying to understand what he was talking about before realizing what he meant.

Tears slip out from the corner of both of his eyelids. “Don’t do this to me,” the demon begged. After all these years, not once the King had spotted him crying. This weakness. This side of him. But now, on his deathbed, Kaname finally shows him his true self.

“I have many requests. I told you to take good care of me. Of Prince Phillip, my son. Of my armies. But this time, this is all I asked of you, Kaname,” the King, now, took turn in begging.

Kaname leans down so that his face would be closer to the King’s. “May I?” He asked. The King only smiles in agreement. So, Kaname plants a soft lingering kiss on the King’s lips. Tears flowing. On both of their faces. Hearts aching. The lips he had loved all his life. The only times he ever felt truly alive despite of his long, long life was the times he had spent being in contract with the King. Doing his bidding that was never uninteresting to his eyes. “Your wish is my command, my King. My love.”

֍֎֍

“Human’s child, how come you are lost in these woods?” The voice, distorted, inhuman, echoes in the air. Prince Hubert looks around, overwhelmed in fear, but at the same time, he is interested. He is curious. His young heart desires an adventure. And he yearns for the unknown.

“Are you the demon they’ve been talking about? Aurora? That’s your name, isn’t it?” Prince Hubert asked. “I’m not here trying to kill you. I heard that some people had kept you locked in here. Is the rumor true?”

“And if it is? What is the benefit for you?”

“I’m here to release you.”

Laughter echoes in the air now. Evil. Amused. Wickedly amused. “I’m hungry, human. If you release me, what if I gobble you up? Will that be beneficial to you?”

“I’m willing to take that risk.”

Silence. The leaves are rustling among the wind. The darkened sky looks beautiful even in its uncanny dimming light.

“Demon? Are you there?”

After another moment of silence, the demon speaks again. “Human’s child, may I know why you dared yourself to go up to this length?”

“Because I have nothing else to lose.”

“To release me, you need to offer me sacrifice. A blood sacrifice. I see you’re here empty handed, human.”

“I’m sacrificing myself. In return, I want you to take down a kingdom that is now at war against my kingdom. My father is on the battlefield. I’m willing to die for his sake. For my kingdom’s sake.”

A small laughter is heard. But it is not a mocking kind. It is one with amazement. “Kingdom will always be at war with another kingdom. You die this once, your father lives, your kingdom survives. Then, all it takes is time. A small moment of peace. And another kingdom will come to declare war with yours. By that time, will your kingdom survive? Will your father live? You, have withered. What would it be by then? Have you thought of that?”

Feeling slightly defeated, Prince Hubert sighs in anger. “I don’t care! I want my father to live. What matters is now. This is for the better.”

“Dear Prince Hubert,” the demon called. “What if, you offer me a sacrifice of your blood, of course. But you will live. I will do your biddings for you, I promise. I will take good care of you, my love. I will. I love an innocent heart such as yours, my love. You interest me.”

It is a surprise to Prince Hubert, at first, to be called ‘my love’ out of the blue and for the demon to know his name. But he must not ask questions for now. He is running out of time. And energy. “What do you want, then?”

“Some of ‘you’.”

“What do you mean?”

“Some of your body parts. It’s all I take. And a contract will be formed.”

Dreadful to the idea, Prince Hubert gulps a little in fear. In fear of what’s to come. Will he make it, to live without some of his body parts? Which parts would he give? But throwing aside his fear, he is reminded that he was here before ready to sacrifice his whole self to the demon. This is already too merciful of the demon for only wanting some of his body parts. “Alright then, I’ll offer you both of my legs.”

֍֎֍

What the King had asked of Kaname was for him to devour him as a whole. To be with ‘them’. To be with both of his legs that he had lost. Inside of Kaname. Inside of the demon known by many as Aurora. The mouth at the back of the demon’s head is ready for a feast. He will feast on the King as a way of keeping him. For eternity. King Hubert will be with him forever. In his veins. As his blood and as his flesh. That was the King’s final request. It pains him. His heart is broken. For the first time in his existence, he longs to die too. He longs for death. But no. He thinks he is already dead. Living. Breathing. Moving. But dead.

To kill off his loneliness, his emptiness, he heads to a place far from seeing eyes. His hair turns golden. His face pale. He is going to sleep. So that it is almost similar to that of being dead. One day, someone will awake him, when he is ready. Someday in the future, someone will form a new contract with the sleeping beauty.

34 Offshoot. FAIRYTALES UNTOLD 3: Red Riding Hood

’Red was the color. And is all the color that’s left for them. I promise that when I leave, they will all be covered in red.’

Father Thomas sat in a corner with his head covered in both of his palms, sobbing softly to his defeat. Today, he had failed to save Enrique, a 10-year-old under his care. One by one, the boys in the village had died from an unknown disease. They call it the ‘Red Plague’. The plague begins with dark red spots as tiny as a dot appearing on the bodies of the boys. They first thought it was mosquitoes or some sort of insects’ bite but the red dot grew day by day. It only took three days for the plague to spread to the rest of the body. At first, the boys’ bodies looked like they’ve been dyed red. But within seconds, their bodies will start to bleed. Before death, their bodies turn completely red as if they’ve been skinned alive. No one knows what to do or how to cure the disease. Help was requested but before help could even reach the village, Father Thomas feared that it might be too late.

What was odd was that the disease only seemed to be infecting boys within the age of 5 to 10. And only boys instead of girls. Even when quarantined and with no contact with one another, the disease still hit the boys. It doesn’t seem to infect those who are older or younger than 5 to 10 years old.

Three more boys were lying on the beds arranged in the infirmary of the church. Father Thomas could only look at the boys. He had lost his hope. Now, all that he could do was to watch them die. This is not right, he thought. They don’t deserve to die this young. But he knew he could not blame God for this. God can’t be at fault. There have got to be a better reason why this was happening.

“♫Tili-tili-bom. Krichit nochnaya ptitsa. On uzhe probralsya v dom. K tem, komu ne spitsya~~♪”

He jolted up to a stand in surprise. In the corner where he was sitting, he can see clearly a figure was standing by the side of one of the boys’ bed which was the last bed nearest to an open window. Cold wind blew inside the room. The window was previously shut tight. There was no one there before. It was when he was lost in his thoughts, as he rationalizes, that this cloaked figure had entered the room through the window and sang the lullaby in Russian.

“Who are you?!” He asked in a stern manner. He felt less intimidated by the figure cloaked in red. It was smaller and shorter than him.

In answer, the small cloaked figure continued singing the lullaby; “♫On idet… On uzhe blizko… ~~♪”

“Answer me at once!” Father Thomas demanded. But his eyes were widened in horror as the small figure pulled its’ hood down. It was a boy. Not more than 10 years old with his skin pale, eyes bluer than the sky and hair in the color of ember. “No… It’s not possible,” Father Thomas mumbled to himself as he fell down to a kneeling position which leveled him to the same height of the boy.

The boy smiled at him sweetly. “Am I not your little red riding hood, father?” The boy asked. The tone was of innocence but the voice was pretty distorted to be that of a boy. He walked closer to Father Thomas who was in tears and had started to pray. “God can’t save you,” he continued. “These boys must die, father. I was merely saving them from men like you! May their innocence remain intact in death, unlike me!” The voice grew in its distortion to a growl as the boy got even closer to the father.

With their faces only inches apart from one another, the father started to beg; “please…., Kirill. I didn’t mean to kill you. It was an accident,” he explained. His voice trembled.

“Oh. That must mean you also didn’t mean to rape me?” He asked. To that, the father kept his mouth shut. His days were numbered but he never counted this would be the way for him to pay for his sin. “You’ll come to hell with me, father. Now I’ll forever be your little red riding hood. You’ll have a fate worse than death!” He ended his words with both of his small hands wrapping around the throat of Father Thomas. A twisted smile was formed on his face and his eyes turned dark blood red. There will be four bodies left in the infirmary tomorrow. But only one of those souls will be eternally tormented.

֍֍֍

LYRICS CREDITS:

A Russian lullaby entitled ‘Tili-Tili Bom’

35 Extra. The One You Loved

~Do you remember what I said the night that I just spilled my soul? I told you things about myself, Things that no one else should know.~

There was the young boy who wished to be beautiful and aimed for revenge at those who had wronged him. His wishes were granted. Of course, with something for William to get in return.

~You see the thoughts behind my eyes. You try to ask but you don’t pry. We feel the same but we don’t speak. You cannot make up your mind. There’s always some form of excuse. There’s nothing left for me to prove. I try to hold on cause you know I hate to lose.~

Going around with him, looking at so many people with so many wishes. Some are trivial, some are twisted. Trance can’t help but wonder what was William’s thoughts of Trance’s own wish in the past. Was it trivial to him? Was it just something he picked up out of curiosity? Was he just one of those souls he merely collected for the sake of collecting souls?

~What happened to the one I loved? Was the change in me not strong enough? Was it something else? Cause I tried my best. What happened to the one I loved? Was the sober me not good enough? Is there someone new? I can’t get through to you.~

It frightens him to think that he could just be ordinary. He doesn’t want to be ordinary. He wants to be someone special for William. But what could be regarded as special for William? He has no idea who William really is. He has no idea what’s going on his mind. William is the seed of all evil, he can understand that but he can never fathom his true nature.

~I can’t get out of my head, time with you is what I dread. When it’s you and me, apparently I don’t seem to phase you, so I chase you just to be shot down I never break through.~

“Why me?” Trance suddenly found himself asking aloud to the man sitting opposite him at their dining table in a fancy restaurant which he, while he was alive, could never afford to go.

William smiles at him. “Oh. You’re wondering why I chose you as my companion? I know someday I will hear this question from you,” he simply acknowledged.

~All these fucked up restless nights always haunt my sleepless mind. Only trying to survive. But you won’t even look me in my eyes. Always some form of excuse. There’s nothing left for me to prove. I tried to hold on but I know I need to lose.~

Trance looks at him, trying to discern whether the man in front of him will be willing to spill the truth or will he play another mind game of his. “So, are you going to tell me?” He pleaded, almost looking cute to persuade the man. He knew that at times, William is weakened by him when he plays it cute.

Realizing what Trance is trying to achieve, William grins charmingly. “You might not like the answer,” he simply stated.

~What happened to the one I loved? Was the change in me not strong enough? Was it something else? Cause I tried my best. What happened to the one I loved? Was the sober me not good enough? Is there someone new? I can’t get through to you.~

“But I don’t wanna be ordinary,” Trance spilled his mind. “I want to be special to you,” he added. These thoughts had been bothering him for a while and he refuses to give up this time. He had hinted this concern of his a couple of times before, but William always dismissed it or pretended not to understand his hints.

William lets out a long sigh, contemplating on how to address his lover’s concern. After a while, he finally said; “You’re never ordinary to me, Trance.”

~I start to think out loud and with every sound, she breaks. With a shattered soul. She was the black hole when I roamed space. When I roamed space.~

Trance raises his head to look at William in order to see the sincerity in his eyes. But he did not utter a word. He feels like he can only let himself get lost in those eyes. Those words are already assuring enough for him. He did not, however, expect William to further elaborate on his point.

~What happened to the one I loved? Was the sober me not good enough? Was it something else? Cause I tried my best. What happened to the one I loved? Was the sober me not strong enough? Is it something else? I can’t get through to you.~

“You might have gone through many names before, over an epoch. But you’re still you. You’re still the one that intrigued me the most,” William explained.

Epoch? Trance wonders. “Are you talking about me, as in my previous life?” He asked. William only nodded in answer and continues to poke at his steak with the fork on the plate right in front of him. “That thing is real? Things like reincarnation?” he asked to confirm his thoughts.

~What happened to the one I loved? Was the change in me not strong enough? Was it something else? Cause I tried my best. What happened to the one I loved? Was the sober me not good enough? Is there someone new? I can’t get through to you.~

William got up from his seat immediately and picks Trance up to a stand while embracing him by the waist. “Hmm. But you can no longer go through that anymore as your soul and your whole self is mine, now. I’m sorry,” He said. Without waiting for an answer from Trance, he quickly went down to suck on the lower lips of his lover. He no longer wants to continue with this useless conversation.

“Now, I’m going to fuck you right here, Trance,” William said.

~What happened to the one I loved? Was the change in me not strong enough? Was it something else? Cause I tried my best. What happened to the one I loved? Was the sober me not good enough? Is there someone new? I can’t get through to you. Is there someone new? I can’t get through to you.~

In panic, Trance looks around at the other patrons in the restaurants whom had already started to look at them. Some with curiosity, some with disgust, and some with excitement. “But there are people around!”

“Exactly, let’s give them a show. You need to be punished for questioning me,” as he said these words, Trance whole body had already been lifted up on the table, pushing all the utensils and food down to the ground in the process. “I want you to feel humiliated,” he said. “And also loved at the same time,” he added. “And don’t worry. I’ll erase this memory off of the minds of these people when we’re done,” William whispers softly to Trance’s ears as he begins to undress…

֍֍֍

LYRICS CREDITS:

The Plot in You – The One You Loved

_THE END_