My Soul to Reap (Archived)

Goodbye World

"Thank you," I whispered, feeling like she needed to hear it now."Rina, I can't even tell you how grateful I am. How happy I am to have had your help-" the words felt wrong, heavy. Because I didn't want to thank her for fighting. I wanted to thank her for dragging me through town, for being there when I was scared of Kayin,for stabbing me with eyeliner but making me look amazing anyways."Thank you for being my friend." I felt her nod against my chest, and I didn't want to let go. But I did, smiling as she beamed up at me.

"Tell you what," she said, backing up a little but bouncing the whole way. "You go get Skylla to teach you how to sing. By the time you can, this'll all be over." I nodded once and smiled, waving reluctantly as she waved back. I kept checking behind me every few steps and she was still waving, until she was shooing me away impatiently and skipping away.I couldn't help but laugh, and even Skylla was smiling a little.

"Kayin's that way," she said, pointing to our left. I frowned but followed her directions anyways, locating the familiar curly hair easily enough. I didn't understand why it mattered, since I knew Brie would find him. But- oh. Right. You had to say goodbye to people before you went to war, just in case. I felt a lump grow in my throat, but I forced it down. I wasn't going to be that person, I wasn't going to be the weak human breaking down. I nodded to her and weaved through the crowd, tapping him on the shoulder. As soon as the people around him saw me they all found a reason to leave, making their excuses quickly and some of them even giving Kayin a little bow.

"Hey,thanks for that. I've been trying to get away," he smiled, but I knew from the look in his eyes he already knew what was happening. I smiled back anyways, determined to play ignorant. But what I did do was pull him into a hug, ignorance be damned. He was a little stiff at first, a bit like the first time, but he hugged back quickly enough.

"Be safe," I said quietly, trying to make it sound like an order as I hugged tighter. "You all need to come back, okay? What am I supposed to do without you guys? Without you?" I didn't expect him to say anything back, because I knew how awkward he'd been when I first met him.

"I'm glad I know you're not a demon," he replied, and it took a second to make the connection. When we'd first met, he'd thought I was something other than human. But now... "I'm glad I know you." That alone almost made me break down, but I held it together and just nodded, stepping away. Our smiles both had changed,I knew, but it was a good parting. He nodded and walked away first,which I was glad for. I didn't think I'd have been able to leave, not knowing what might follow.

"That was sweet." My heart stopped at the three words, spoken by the girl in white. I didn't turn around, which meant I could see how quickly Skylla came over, not seeming to care she'd partially betrayed the two behind me. I stayed as still as I could, not wanting to reveal how scared I was. If they weren't on the verge of fighting they were now, and if I'd though I had been given a wide berth it was nothing compared to now.

"You're going to lose, you know." I said it like a fact rather than a cheesy line, but I had nothing else. I was all but grasping at straws just to get that out, just to be able to speak at all.

"Tell me, did you ever really believe he wasn't on our side? That all of them weren't?" He crooned, and I could feel the anger rising. A glance at Skylla was all it took to understand that there were only two sides fighting. Aryan, Jun, the twins. They were all one in the same, a giant force we would have to fight. And Skylla- she looked so pale, so scared. She was hiding it well but I could tell she wanted to run, to assure the twins she was on their side. My trust for her was finally cemented, and I tried to lock eyes with her. To prove that she wasn't alone, do what she'd done for me. I saw her relax a little, or force herself to like I had.

"Does it matter?" I snapped, turning on them just like I had in Aryan.In rage, in hurt. Those emotions were enough to propel me through, to forget who I was talking to and pretend our victory was a fact. They almost could have fit in here, him wearing a white suit and her wearing a dress that fitted and flared at the waist. They were completely white this time, layers and layers of colourless fabric.Her lips were painted black and his tie was the same colour, and the contrast was almost shocking. But I refused to let it get to me.

"Of course it does. He planned your party, after all." She was smiling, black lips pulled over teeth I expected to be pointed. I fully intended to retort, to shoot her down. But I didn't need to.

"If you're so set on holding him against her why don't you just go get the bastard?" Skylla spat, and I was taken aback. So were they,apparently, because they went deadly silent. I was suddenly extremely concerned about her safety, because that isn't the kind of remark you just got away with. But, apparently, it was.

"Well,you're eager to start aren't you?" It was a way to cover up that they had no reply, and all four of us knew it. It felt good seeing them walk away anyways, like they hadn't quite gotten the last word after all. I turned back towards Skylla, wanting to say something but having no idea what to say.

"Don't,"she said, laughing nervously. "Seriously, I'm not doing this."I nodded but the motion was awkward, and she decided we needed to move on by walked away. I followed quickly after, and for the first time all night I bumped into someone.

"You ready for this?" And of course it was Brie. I smiled, still a little shaky. She must have know what happened because she pulled me in close for a hug, but it didn't last as long as all the others. I knew this might be goodbye but it seemed right to keep it short, like we didn't really have a lot to say to each other.

"Be careful out there." I felt like I needed some parting words, and she accepted them despite how cheesy they must have sounded.

"Never," she replied with a wink, and that was that. She was whisked away by duty and I was left staring after her, her shoes clacking across the floor. I almost burst out laughing then and there, because the shoes had the same cross heels as the ones I'd met her in. Like we'd come full circle, her saving me and introducing me to what a reaper was.Except this time it would be because I was becoming one, not meeting one.