Lock Me In

(2) Mort

Lock Me In: Chapter Two

Mort - Death

"I died? "

The thought wouldn't process correctly.

My mother nodded, "When you were four, your father and I decided to go on a trip to the beach. With the December weather being bearable, we needed to get some insight, so the beach it was," she began, "You were always quick on your feet. You wanted to do everything, see everything. So we let you. You were always such a curious child," she sighed, "Your father and I turned our backs for a second, and you were gone. Just like that," she suddenly bursted into tears, I remained silent.

"We found you five minutes later, face down in the water. You were trying to get a pearl you had seen in the sand, which we found safe in your hand," she said, wiping her tears.

My hand shot up the the necklace around my throat, feeling the tiny pearl nestled in a silver twist that connected it to the thin chain. My eyes grew wider.

"You were dead," a discrete tear rolled down my fathers cheek.

"How is that-" I tried to interrupt.

"A lady in black," my father explained, "Her name was Vivian. She came up to us and told us there was a way to undo what had been done, but there was an eternal price," he began, "Of course we would pay it. We will always pay any price for you, and so we did. We had to protect you from any harm that could ever forth come you. As we did, and we will, forever. And..." his voice caught.

"You were to be engaged to Vivian's son on the eve of your eighteenth birthday," my mother finished.

I laughed. I burst out laughing, clutching the sides of my stomach, barely being able to breath.

"That might be the funniest joke you've ever told. Thanks for sharing, guys," I laughed again, slowing rising from the couch.

But I could feel Jace's grip tightening around my waist, and a bead of sweat glisten on my father's face.

I gave my parents a confused look.

It was true.

"You mean it's not a joke," I said, my voice hitching up, "And I'm getting married to some man I've never met. Oh, and let's not forget, I also died once or twice but it's all good because you know, some perfectly normal lady just pops out of nowhere whenever someone dies! Let me guess, after that you all shared an ice cold scotch with some vampires and some pixies while I was playing around underneath the bar with some scissors? Because after all who needs death when you've got woman in black dresses to bring you back to life?"

The anger and confusion rushed through my brain, no doubt turning my entire body red. I was panting with frustration. Hastily, I stood up from the couch, tearing myself away from Jace's grip and running up the stairs into my room, locking the door behind me.

"Alianna," Jace said softly through the crack in the door, "Please let me in."

The door handle struggled to open, followed by Jace's frustrated grunt.

"Open the goddamned door, Alianna! Or I'll break it open!" he shouted. I stayed silent. With that, Jace kicked the door fiercely, sending it swinging open into my defenseless wall. "What the hell, Alianna?"

Without thinking, I slapped him in the face. "How the hell do you think I'm supposed to react? I just found out I died! I died, Jace! Not only that, but I'm getting married? I can't get married! Especially to someone I've never met! I don't even know his name, Jace!" My knees felt week, and I felt myself falling, only to find his arms underneath me, always replacing the floor. I broke down, and the waterworks ignited. "I don't even know his name."