I poured my heart out to him.
Now, we sit in this pocket of silence amongst the trees and the pasture. The cobblestone castle we just left is behind us in the distance. The wind is warmer and not bitter anymore. It’s like they changed their tune once they heard my story.
“He was intoxicated…” Death says slowly.
“Way above the limit,” I reply, tilting my head up to catch the last of the sun’s rays. “He was going from one party to Bia’s after he heard his ex came there with someone else.”
Death lowers his gaze with a stoic face. “He didn’t feel remorse?”
“No, he didn’t. If anything, he was just angry. Angry at me for being on the road. Angry at his ex-girlfriend that moved on. Angry at her new boyfriend. He was angry at everyone but himself. In his testimony he said that incident ruined his life. It was a lapse of judgement in his words,” I say, taking a fist full of grass.
Death clenches his jaw “May I have his name?”
Oh? I haven’t told him?
“Marlon, Marlon Reddison,”
“Marlon Reddison,” He repeats.
“That’s his name,” I confirm, continuing to destroy the tall grass surrounding us.
“You’re strong, Anwen. Thank you for being open and honest with me,”
I wave, scoffing. “I knew I had to eventually. Just wanted to get it out of the way,”
I may appear all tough on the outside but my insides are withering away. It is such a gut wrenching feeling knowing that you’re gone. Knowing that your life is over and there is no way to get it back. There is no genie or three wishes to get your life up and running again.
The surprising thing is that it isn’t as excruciating as it was before. Before it was like the whole world and all its ugliness would fall on my shoulders forcing me to succumb to its will. Now, it’s just like being shot in the shoulder or stabbed in the stomach. That is something I’m grateful for.
Death takes out an unlit lantern as the darkness of night comes forth. Death scoots over to me and covers his large rough hands over my soft small ones. He is so close at this moment. So close and gentle.
“I’ll teach you your first circle,” Death says a whisper away. He lifts his eyes and kills me with that soft gaze. “Pay attention, Anwen.”
I can only nod.
He takes my hand and makes a circle on my palm. He makes three more circles in descending order within it. “Okay, now you put a slash and whisper your intention in whatever language,”
Death does the same circle on his hand and whispers something into it. A flame dances at the center of his palm. I peer in wonder and look back at my own palm. “What did you whisper?”
“I whispered fire in my native tongue. Try it in English,”
I take a breath confirming my intentions. “Fire,”
The palm of my hand gets cool. It’s like ice as the red flame comes forth. It’s smaller than Death’s but I am amazed just the same. “Wow,”
Death smiles while using his flame to light the lantern. The dull light illuminates the area just enough for me to see him. His eyes are on my lips again and this time he doesn’t look away. I put out my flame, anticipating what he would do next.
He leans in though already close. He puts his left hand next to me as he still comes closer. My breath hitches when he comes so near to me that our breath mingles. He raises his hand and takes something out of my hair.