| lingering shadows | ghosty

[k!ah]

A U G U S T U S

"what is dead may never die,"

His fingers skim the water, ripples dancing around the gentle touch. He watched as they grew, expanding until they were no more. There was something peaceful about the way the water moved, so elegant, so smooth. Gus often wished that he himself could be more like water- move easily, elegantly... But also he wished he could heal the way that water did. He wished that he could be healed by the water and live until he was old, maybe even have a family, have a life worth living... But it didn't matter how many times he wished upon a falling star, that wish, that dream, would never come true.

The ripples fade, the water once again still. The boy looks down into its depths, past his reflection. He saw that at the bottom small weeds had begun to sprout threw the cracks- new life. A small smile hooked up his lips, his eyes following the crack until it climbed the wall, slipping over the edge and disappearing under the spot where he sat. It lead right too him, before spreading its limbs and climbing in all different direction beneath him- like a web, the cracks interlocked with each other, a beautiful pattern.

His blue eyes wandered away from the clear water, gazing into the sky, his thoughts lost. He often wandered what it would be like to sit here and not have to think, just to lose yourself in the nature. Sometimes he tried to allow his mind to wander, to disappear but it always came back, the same thought haunting him, day in and day out.

Death.

Most people his age would not think of death as often as himself, but that was because their bodies were not laced with poison. Their bodies flourished, their immune system fighting like warriors on a battle field to keep them healthy. But his did not, his warriors perished a long time ago... leaving his body to fend for itself. It had failed him, his enemy poisoning his blood, sentencing him to death.

His eyes close and he stops thinking, his mind going black as he relishes the feeling of the sun against his face. He did not wish to think if death today. He wished to think of life,, of joy of the happiness that the smallest of joys could bring him- like the way the sun warmed him from the inside out. Like the way the gentle breeze calmed him, hugging him comfortingly, willing him not to be afraid.

And he wasn't

{ credit to: zoë }

I WASN'T EXPECTING
THAT

words: 415

[ghosty]

P A N D O R A

"cover up that you're ruthless"

Despite the weather, all Pandora could think was nothing. Not even the joyous autumn weather, almost handpicked to bring smiles left the girl silent, and wanting to sleep, to hide under a fort, under armour where no one can touch her. Back into herself. Where no one can harm her. But to go into herself, well, she has to go nearer to the devil. Back when it all started when she was half the age.

Back when the cane was her life, and death, a silent ticking of life passing by, with the ticking of each box of the entry form to Hell. Back when her hatred of her father was the inch between her saviour and her doom bringer. But she was always on the level of doom bringer with that monster.

But she accepted that when it happened, and now it's crossing the ink out of one colour, the red of Hell itself, and with the green scribbles crossing out every single tick until nothing remains of the past. Even though she can never leave the past, ignorance is the next best, despite everything ringing in her mind { STAB THEM HARDER! FASTER! DON'T LET THEM GET NEARER! YOU'RE A FAILURE! WHY AREN'T YOU DEAD YET! } never leaving her head. Not even in a resting moment. Not even in the joyous moments of a saved life, not even in the tragedy of a lost soul. Always. Even when the nature of herself takes control, the constant trill of a heart beating, and nothing fills her mind, it's there. But what is nature without conflict?

Nothing.

A tinkle of water peaks her ears, a relief from the thought of Hell itself. Yet it does not leave, and Pandora's face drops. "WHY DO YOU NEVER LEAVE ME ALONE!" No matter hard she tried, she could not imagine that being in her mind. She notices a boy, and makes a general sheepish comment, "Sorry about that." Pandora hoped that she didn't make him angry. He looked peaceful beforehand, before Pandora opened her stupid mouth. "You have to admit, it's lovely being outside, isn't it?"

[k!ah]

A U G U S T U S

"what is dead may never die,"

"WHY DO YOU NEVER LEAVE ME ALONE!"

The voice slashes through the air like a knife, shredding it to pieces forcing the boy to open his eyes, his body so tense as his hands scramble on the stone fountain, desperate to find a hold, to steady his body- but not his scattered, wildly beating heart. It felt like his heart was a frightened bird, caged, restricted by his rib cage as it fought to escape. It dose not prevail though, trapped, its wings beating wildly, his skin tingling with the adrenaline which surged uncontrollably through his veins. 

The boy looks around, placing a shaky hand to his chest, he could feel his heart pounding through his skin, past the rough fabric of his shirt. A girl with blonde hair comes into vision, her face is screwed up, her eyes lost as she turned to face him, taking a few steps towards him. As the boy watches he notices that their are shadows dancing around her, shadows that should not be their, shadows which only haunted those of the tormented. The very same shadows haunted himself, wrapping their arms around him tightly, not allowing his feeble body to escape their leeching grasp. 

"Sorry about that." It is like she is noticing him for the first time, the dazed look in her eyes dissolving like mist in air. She was something rather curious, the boy decided, his heart slowly returning to its normal pace as he leaned forwards, towards the girl like he had taken the bait on a hook that the girl had set, not trapped as she reeled in the line, drawing him closer and closer to her. "You have to admit, it's lovely being outside, isn't it?"

Blinking up at her he would then remember the sky. He would remember how it expanded before him, the endless vision of what he thought the ocean might have looked like, only it was above him, looking down on him, watching his every move as he stepped closer and closer to death, to his downfall.

And suddenly the sky which had once seemed so beautiful is tainted by him, tarnished by the corruption that ate through his body.

"Yeah, beautiful, thats one word for it, " His words are laced with a bitter venom, venom meaning to poison himself and not the girl before him. But everyone knows that a snakes venom cannot poison himself and only those around him. Leaving him unwounded, did his words strike he girl? Had his toxic demeanour pierced this girls skin or was she, once again lost in the own world that she created.

{ credit to: zoë }

I WASN'T EXPECTING
THAT