Creative Writing Collection

Withering Petals

       Number XV had passed weeks ago. She was gone, dead, truly dead. Not many could believe it, but it was true. The Castle was quiet, now, and fear slower than it used to be; no one making a ruckus, surfing down the stairs on a mattress, no one playing pranks or conducting experiments. Number XV was gone. It was none other than the animal Heartless known as Death Toll, whose horn pierced through the Nobody. She hadn’t seen him, she hadn’t known. Days passed day of her disappearance, until they found the torn cloak left behind in the same world as the powerful Heartless. Of course, who else was to blame?

       The Organization banded together, taking three days to destroy Death Toll once and for all. There was no feeling of victory, no satisfaction as the large crystal heart floated into the sky. Many became quiet in grief, doing their work wordlessly; others were hot with anger and unleashed it during missions; and a small few would take days off work.

       Of all of them, Demyx took it the hardest.

       She had been his sister. She was strong — what had happened? Death Toll is so slow, she was so quick, she could have escaped… what had happened?

       There was a new guitar to his collection, an acoustic that was hot red in the center and seemingly burnt along the edges. It was his favorite instrument — but not surpassing his love for his blue sitar, of course. The name wasn’t something he took long to come to. Who else would the guitar deserve to be dedicated to? Rose, by no other name.