God of Death

Chapter 20: Lily

Chapter 20: Lily

That balcony became my world. I slept, ate and lived under the open sky. Why would I return inside if I didn't have to?

But, I did have to go inside sometimes for the toilet, baths, clothes, and food. Even with the weight of the roof and walls pressing against my skin. It was like thousand needles pressing into my skin all at the same time. I could not bear to stay inside for long. Not anymore. Doing the essentials was a challenge, therefore I tried to stay out as much as possible. It was easier when I wasn't trapped inside with the coming of night.

Nights... Nights were even more beautiful then I remembered. So many shades and shadows. The smell of cool damp air. The feel of it against my skin. The sound of the wind through the trees. The sound of night creatures. It was all different from the day. The stars, they were a hundred more colors and shapes then I had ever given them credit for. The way they danced and twinkled across the sky was memorizing.

And the moon. It turned the night silver and black. One night, it was gold. Another, it was green. And blue, black, silver, yellow, orange, and red.

The first night was pure magic. Not the controlled magic that the gods used, but a different kind. A natural kind. The kind I can feel moving within my marrow through my blood. I watched and felt the night's spell till the first rays of sunlight chased away the morning star, chased away the last wisp of that peaceful magic. The next night and every since was just as beautiful.

Unfortunately, that meant for at least the first month I got very little sleep for the view, the sun, and His eyes kept me wake during the day. It didn't improve my mood, but I couldn't give it up. I was addicted to the midnight watch.

The day of my first full moon since I was taken, I was fighting my lids at evening. I would not miss its rise for the life of me, but all I had to distract myself was paper, pencils, and the view. My hands had run out of ideas, and cramping stiff. I was staring at the tree line just peeking above the banister. There were books and puzzles inside but I didn't want to enter. Getting the food today was a pain, literally. The needles dug in deep. A boulder pressed against my shoulders and back. I was going to suffocate within my own skin. How I managed to get out of the room was beyond me.

And the sun. It was brutal today, and Apollo was nowhere to be seen. My shoulders, the back of my neck, the of my head, and ears were burnt. My eyes stung open or close. But, I would not miss it. Will not.

It was insanely stupid stubbornness I knew, but I would not, could not let it go. Ouch! The palms of my hands stung worse than my eyes. Glancing down, I found my hands in fists. My knuckles were white. Uncurling my fingers, blood dripped onto my lap. Four perfect crescent moons welled with blood.

Blast. I need some sleep. Maybe, if I close my eyes for a few seconds...

"mmmeee! Mmmmee-eeeeww!"

What was that! My eyes flew wide. It didn't sound like a bird, but it still could have been. It was coming from inside the room. Unfolding from the hammock, I padded to the door. The room was a dark hole ready to devour me.

At the doorway, I paused dreading stepping into the shadow again today. That is until when the sound came again, louder and clearer. "Mew!"

My curiosity overruled my hesitation. With a bursting breath in, I stuck my head in, searching for the source of it. I hoped I wouldn't have to pull the rest of myself inside.

"Mmmeeeew!" It sounded like a kit, young and alone, lost and scared, but how could a cat get in here? Why would it want to? But, I been fooled by birds before. It took a moment for my exhausted eyes to adjust when they did when I saw it.

A silver and black striped fluff sat shivering in the corner of the room. It looked like a large, strangely colored dust bunny until it turned its little head my way. The largest emerald eyes stared at me, wide and round. Terrified. They pinned me where I stood.

"Mew?" It called out, drawing me into the room like a rope attached to my chest. At my approach, she bolted straight into the wall. With nowhere to go, it curled deep into the corner, cowering.

I've scared her enough already. Slowly, I lowered myself onto my belly and offered a scrap of meat I snagged off the nearby table to it. It was part of the dinner I skipped in favor of a pile of greens picked from the pots.

It worked. With her nose a quivering, she took the few tentative steps closer, closing the gap between here and my scary hand. That's right Little One a little closer. She paused halfway across. Her eyes darting from the meat to me to the door and back to me and the meat. She inched closer and closer. Her stomach overruling her fear.

As dainty as I never thought possible, the fur ball nipped the treat from my fingertips and devoured it in one gulp. Her little pink tongue flickered out between pointed teeth to clean her silvery white muzzle and whiskers. The bite probably filled her entire stomach.

"Murrp." I called to her in what I hoped was encouraging and nonthreatening.

She trotted right to my face and curled up against my shoulder. The kit must have decided that I was not going to hurt her. Trusting little thing. But, then again, she was young and impressionable.

She nuzzled closer, pressing her side into my cheek. She was sssoo unbelievable soft. I wanted to scoop her up and find out how much softer she was. But, I didn't want to spook her. So, I stayed as still as possible. A statue really. I hardly dared to breath.

Then, the loveliest sound came from her. It was at the same time deep and rumbling, high and lithering. Purring. The kit was purring.

"Well, aren't you precious." I could not help but say as I picked her up. She fit in the palm of my hand, she was that small. From her dainty paws to the tips of her oversized ears. This kitten was the most adorable creature I ever seen.

"From whom did he steal you from?" I asked as I breathed in her scent, knowing I was not going to get an answer from her mouth. It still felt odd to speak out loud, to hear my own voice grating against my ears, but the words were already out.

The fading sweet smell of sweet milk mingled with the odors of an alleyway clung to her. You poor dear. Stolen away by him. "It's alright. You are safe here. Do you have a name?" I whispered softly to the little she-kit She dined to not answer me as she started to clean herself, and not doing it very well. She was so young. She'll probably never learn to hunt.

The sun had set a while ago, and the full moon was rising, shining into the room. It was as silver as the purring kit.

"How does Silver Moon sound, huh, Silver? At least until you decide to tell me yourself." Silver purred even louder at the sound of the words. I knew she couldn't answer me but still it was nice to say to speak with someone who wasn't immortal. "Don't worry. I'll take care of you, Silver." I said as the lingering scent of Death tingled my nose before the wind blew it away.

The streaming moonlight reminded me where I was. Inside. My lapse of memory ended with a gasp. The stone dropped onto my chest and pushed. My sunburn flared hot. It was real that stone, and it was out to crush me. Pinned me. Then, the world turned dark and I froze. No. Please no. Nothing moved not even my heart. No. No. No!

Walls. And doors. Crumbling and crushing, burying me alive. Devouring. Please no. Not there. Anywhere but there.

Get out! A voice screamed. With the now snoozing Silver clutched to my chest, I scampered outside where my breath returned in a pant. It was long into the night before anything calmed. By the time I could close my eyes, the sky was grey.

Author's note:

Good Whatevers, my Lovelies!

Tell me what you think, my unfortunate readers.