My dream is clear this time.
I’m with Jess and Axel in the library in Token Street. Jess is there with Christian Grey reading a book on photosynthesis. Axel and I are joking with each other while my family is catching up with each other. Stacy is there and I approve of her.
My heart warms but, still, it doesn’t beat. It can’t.
A mumble out of ear shot followed by someone rustling in the distance. I open my eyes as someone’s face buries into my hair making it down to my neck. A hot breath coats the nook of my neck and a large hand snaking around my waist. My cheeks flush as I look back.
Death is there snoring into my hair. I try to wiggle out of his grasp but his grip gets tighter. Death grumbles. “Can you stop moving?” He whispers.
“You’re kind of suffocating me,” I tell him.
“Suffocating…?”
Death opens his eyes and takes in the situation. He removes himself from me like I’m a piece of hot coal. He stares at me wide eyed and scoots away. “How did this happen?”
“I don’t know. I think you scooted over a-”
“No, you were up there. You know what, nevermind,” He tells me looking down at his watch “We have to go to the company. As soon as that finishes, we have to talk about your killer and do the next step. We can’t play around anymore,”
A somber feeling creeps into my shoulders and the base of my neck. We can’t play anymore. I was trying to take my time and allow acceptance to come naturally but what happened last night shook me up. I have to grow up and move on. It will be difficult but I have to. I’m ready. I’m ready to go.
“You just tell me what I need to do and I’ll do it,” I tell him, meaning every word.
He eyes me, holding my gaze before averting his gaze. That’s something he’s been doing a lot lately. He clears his throat. “We have to get dressed,”
“The Switcheroo maneuver?” I ask standing on my feet.
“Will you stop calling it that?” He says getting his own two feet “But yes, we are doing that. I’ll go first,”
I stride to the door and stand on the other side closing it. We do the switcheroo maneuver for the bathroom and for changing. You know, anything private.
“I’m in position. You can start!”
There is silence as drawers and drawers creak.
“I can start?” Death says. I notice a different inflection in tone. His voice is raspier too.
“Yeah!”
“Are you sure about that?”
I furrow my brows. “Yes…”
A tickle runs up my leg. There is nothing on it when I check.
“It started with you. All this is your fault,”
What?
“Death, what are you talking about?”
A hot breath wafts on my left ear. “Why do you keep calling me Death?”
My face falls and I don’t dare look back. “Death?”
Nothing.
“Death are you there? I need your help,” I strain out.
I can’t move. I’m frozen in place, unable to move a limb.
The door opens and Death comes out in a new suit. He takes a glance at me and stills. “What happened?”
“Someone just talked to me. I felt something Death. I am sure that thing is still here,”
Death steps forward and analyzes the area. “There could be some remnants left after all. We should get a move on,”
“I-I can’t move,” I say, tears stinging my eyes “Why is this happening to me?”
Death sighs and steps forward bringing me into his embrace. He traces up and down my arms “Freezing circles can be reversed with Heat Circles,”
He takes his time drawing some symbols against my exposed triceps. “Did you feel something being drawn somewhere else?”
I think back to the tickle I felt before. “My leg,”
Death bends down and looks up at me pointing to a specific area. “Here?”
I gulp. “No, my left leg behind my knee,”
He lowers his gaze and he takes a deep breath. He reaches out and takes his finger making a circle. He makes a couple weird shapes and pokes me. His hands are soft and warm. He smells nice. Like pumpkin pie.
“Can you move now?”
My cheeks redden. “What?”
“Can you move now?” Death repeats.
“Oh, yeah,” I say, stepping forward.
“I believe I should teach you a few basic circles,” Death says, slipping his hand in mine. “We should talk…”
The room spins and soon the surroundings change into his office. I recognize the wooden plaque and that wall full of his achievements.
“…somewhere else. That hex probably still hears. He isn’t completely gone, especially if it made that circle on you. We should be okay since we left the hex site. Just to be sure, I won’t leave you alone,”
Death calls for Sofie while adjusting his jacket. I go off to the side not liking being so close to the door. I might get smacked in the back of my head like before. As soon as I take a step forward, Sofie tumbles in. She is wearing a pencil skirt like me and a bright yellow shirt that complements her fair skin.
“Yes sir?”
“Can you and Anwen go over and manage my computer files while I go into a meeting in the room over?”
Sofie eyes widen gaping at me and Death a couple times. “Yes…? Yes, of course.”
Death leaves and closes the door behind him. Sofie rushes to me, taking me by surprise. She takes my arm and drags me to the corner of the room.
“Oh my God Anwen. I didn’t know you were the type!”
I make a face. “What are you talking about?”
“You and Death,” She says, looking around before leaning in “you know, dating,”
“Woah!” I say, holding my hands up. “We are not dating,”
“But you are! He called you Anwen! Not assistant. Not maggot. Not waste of space but Anwen, just Anwen. Your actual name. He calls me by my actual name but that took three centuries. How can you not be dating?”
“Well, we’re not dating.”
“Then, riddle me this youngin. Why are you two making those googly eyes at each other? Why are you sniffing him every thirty seconds? How can he be this happy when his dad is around? The answer all leads to you sister,”
I scoff. “I do not make googly eyes at him,”
“Hunny, I am nine-hundred-sixty-two years old. You can’t fool me. The only two explanations. The first is that you two are dating and the second is…”
Sofie’s mouth drops and she slaps her thigh. “No, it can’t be,”
“What is it?” I ask.
“H-He…Oh my…”
“What is it?”
“Oh perhaps it isn’t my place…”
“Oh come on, you already crossed the line,”
She eyes me coyly with a newfound smirk.
“He likes you. Death CEO of Death Corporation has a crush on you,”
______
oooooo Death. And she didn’t change lol.