Red Princess

49. On the brink of death

I was derailed from the trajectory of my thoughts when she dipped her body into the water, not making an effort to rise. I watched her for a few seconds, a minute, but she it didn't look like she was willing to come back up. Another minute passed, and I was certain she was planning on drowning.

Worried, I hopped over the window and gently landed on the grass below. I sprinted towards the pool, tossing away my shirt and slippers on the way and dove into the cold water. I hurriedly swam towards her, reaching out with my hand to grab her. I saw her, stared into her eyes, and I knew she was gazing back at me. She was conscious. She held out her hand, and once she was in my grip, I pulled us up to the surface.

She gasped and coughed, letting the water out from her lungs. Her wet hair and clothes stuck to her body like glue, and her make up was smudged. Her appearance dangerously resembled Alice at that moment.

I helped her out of the pool, and both of us crouched down on the floor to catch a breath.

"Why did you save me!" she growled.

"What the hell?" I countered.

"I never asked to be saved."

"Are you kidding me? Do you want to throw away a perfectly fine life? Well, next time I'll make sure you drown!"

"I was never planning on dying!"

Then what the hell was she doing? Talking to the dead?

"If that's your idea of fun, you really need to consult a shrink."

She scoffed as she looked away, rolling her eyes, "Well, you are one to say. Still crying over a dead woman."

I glared at her and leapt forward to grab her by her shirt, "Don't you dare-"

"Or what?" she challenged. "You'll ask me to kiss you again? How great it turned out for you the last time."

I clenched my jaw and curled my fingers into fists to curb the surge of rage that took its course within my body. I let go of her and shoved her away on the floor. Without a word, I turned around to march back in, but her words held me.

"Death... death is your moment of truth," she mumbled. "Well, not exactly death, but the few moments before you sink into the eternal sleep. In those few seconds, you only see the people who are most important to you, and the goal which was critical to your existence."

I halted in my steps. I remembered all the letters I wrote to Alice before every mission. I stopped writing since. There was no one to remember. She used to be my reason to want to come back alive. Now it is only my desire for revenge that fuels me.

"Kaidon, I see nothing. I see no one. My moment of death is as blank as a white sheet... As a black slate, in fact. I would call it white if I were at peace..." she sighed as she continued. "I don't even know why I am sharing this with you."

I stared at her in disbelief. What was she getting at? What did she want me to say?

Her eyes were fixated upon the reflection of the full moon on the pool water, her mind wandering off in thought.

"What are you thinking?" I blurted out.

She crossed her legs and cupped her cheeks with her palms as she rested her elbows on her lap.