The Mortal Coil

T W E N T Y O N E +

© Amber Kalkes 2015

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"Plain Song" By The Cure

T W E N T Y O N E +

Watching someone pace is like watching a pendulum. Back and forth, back and forth but never really going anywhere. If I wanted to be poetic about it all I could comment about how futile it all is. Instead, I'm just staring at the tattoos on Death's arm. I think they're moving. Or maybe I'm losing my mind. When one of the spiders caught in the spider web design on his elbow moves up his arm, I know it has to be the latter.

Right?

With a shake of my head I try to get my head on straight. It's nearly two o'clock in the morning and despite apparently being asleep for days, I'm exhausted. My whole body is heavy and sore. Like I just did an intense workout the day before and am now suffering the after affects. Yawning, I close my eyes for a second as I prop my head on my hand.
"Impossible." He suddenly mutters, making me open my eyes again.

It's the first thing he's said in the past hour since relaying to him my adventure. I don't know what has his black panties all up in a twist but all this pacing is really starting to irk me. So, with a scowl slipped onto my face, I decide to just make him spill the beans. All this freaking out with no explanation isn't going to get us anywhere.

"What's impossible?" I ask. He ignores me so I after a huff of irritation I try again, "Hello? Am I talking to myself here? Talk to me!"

Finally he looks up with pitch black eyes, "What?"

The dark orbs throw me off for a second before my previous irritation comes back, "What's impossible? And please, if you value my sanity, answer me this time."

He stops pacing and looks at me directly as he asks, "You're sure that you were taken to the Fallen Deserts?"

"The what now?"

"The Fallen Deserts." He repeats, his face tightening with irritation, "The place you described was endless, smelled of rotten eggs and was completely dry of all life?"

"Well...yeah." I admit, uneasy about his intensity, "Is that bad?"

He closes his eyes looking pained, "It's not good."

"How 'not good' are we talking here?" I ask, warily.

He ignores my question, "Describe the man to me again."

I sigh heavily and let my shoulder slump forward, "I told you three times already."

"Then tell me again." He snaps, glaring at me.

I glare right back at him, "Blonde. Gold eyes. He seemed very cocky and very handsome. He also seemed to...you know what? Never mind."

"What?"

"Can't I just go to sleep? I'm tired."

"Andrea, I need to know."

"I told you everything already. Multiple times. I'm tired and you're not answering any of my questions so unless any of that is about to change I'm not saying shit."

He blinks at me and I see his eyes lighten into a warm brown, as he looks me over, "You're tired?"

"Yes," I grumble, still not pleased with him, "I apparently went to come unreachable realm of being. That's a long haul for someone like me, you know."

Death watches me for a few seconds before coming to kneel before me. Putting his hands on my legs, I realize with an almost lazy embarrassment that I'm not in the clothes I passed out in. I ignore the cool feel of his calming touch on my knees and look down at my outfit.