Dirge of Malevolence

            Part I: Climate Degradation

 

            Rain.

            Its heavy collisions with the ground deprived the area of any possible noises.

            Mud.

            Filthy pools of water combined with dirt formed obstacles to those whose minds lacked attention.

            Graveyard.

            The hollow crypts were trying to unleash painful shrieks of forgotten times.

            Footsteps.

            A female silhouette slowly dragged her feet throughout the dirt, seemingly lost in thoughts. The face was clouded by a giant black umbrella that was soaked with absorbed drops of rain. Her body was rather small, so the umbrella looked like it was going to swallow her any moment. Even though that wasn't physically possible, her emotional state fit the image perfectly. She was young without doubt; the obvious question presented itself: what kind of an unbearable problem could such a person have faced?

            She reached the end of the graveyard roadside, so she slowly turned around and started retracing her steps. Were her worries some typical irrelevant themes that many young people troubled themselves with? A break up with a boyfriend she only knew for a few days? A minor argument with a good friend? Being grounded for the weekend? No, she wasn't that kind of a girl. While many people around her succumbed to modern lifestyles and let their brains be controlled by the popular opinion, she had always traveled through independent roads.

            The trees were bending on the wind that was increasing its speed rapidly. Her umbrella was of little use to her, but she still kept pulling it to herself tightly. It served like a fragile shield to her. A new question formed right there: a shield for what? She looked at her watch; the action only made her even sadder. That's the trick about watches- they hold so much power for a mere inanimate object. In them, a person can find comfort, hope, excitement, sorrow, rage...only by taking a glance into one of the most underestimated treasures the humanity possesses- time.

            To discover the truth, our clock needs to be unwound. The rain needs to return to the clouds, the wind needs to calm, and the sun needs to reveal itself once again.

            The woman stopped walking.

            Because the problem she was facing was the grim reaper himself.

            Part II: Malfunction Initialization

            Wouldn't life be simpler if the world came to an end? Imagine that; all your worries and fears washed away in a single moment of catastrophic proportions. You would truly be free of agony, and you would also be saved by agony.

            Now imagine this: a catastrophe that was set in stone and revealed to the whole humanity, or at least a part of it. And I'm not talking about those 2012 speculations; I'm talking about a real, definite doomsday. You would be given a chance to experience all those things you never dared to do, before finally being laid to rest for the whole eternity. Panic would arise among people, but you would just stand there, fully cleansed of materialistic thoughts. That is the perfect bliss...

            The alarm clock furiously rang until he hit it with his fist. The metal was obviously sturdy, since pain rushed through his right arm, but he felt victorious after hearing a dying sound coming out of those gears and mechanisms. He raised his head from the pillow and immediately got blinded by the rays coming through his window. The light bulb inside his head instantly lit up- it was usually a lot darker when he got up for school. He was late.

            The boy rushed out of his bed and picked up the broken clock. 8:00 AM. His classes started at 7:00 AM sharp, every day from Monday to Friday. After swiftly throwing on yesterday's clothes, he stormed out of the room, picking up his backpack along the way. His grandmother was probably still asleep, so he tried to calm down his pace as much as he could. Putting on his black shoes, he took a few glances of himself in the mirror- his short brown hair wasn't messy, the casual blue shirt he was wearing looked acceptable, and the jeans were still good. The shoes could have been a bit cleaner, but there really wasn't enough time for that.

            He got out of the house and pulled out his phone to check the time. 8:09 AM. On foot, it usually took him about twenty minutes to reach the school, but he needed to beat that time in order to make it to the next class. There was only one option available- running.

            People were giving him strange looks while he was rushing by them, and one old man even started yelling at him for being so impolite and poorly mannered. Some girls said something about him being a freak and then started laughing out loud. For a seventeen year old boy without any special reputation, that could have been really bad, considering how cruel those popular teenagers could be. But he couldn't have cared less; getting to school in time was the only thing on his mind at that moment.

            He was a boy without many interests in general. Studying to get good education, playing his Xbox 360, taking an optional cooking class in school, and sometimes going out with friends were his main areas of concentration. The boy wasn't exactly a friendly person, but he had a few decent friends who respected him for who he was. Some of the people laughed at him for being interested in cooking, but his friends were more than supportive of that hobby. Always being able to eat delicious food was one of the reasons, surely, because the boy was a natural talent in the art of food preparation. All things considered, he gave the impression of a normal teenage boy with a good life and lots of spare time to waste on whatever he wanted.

            But in reality, all those things seemed like trifles compared to what was going on deep inside...

            Part III: Subliminal Alteration

            The boy rushed into the school and navigated through a series of quiet hallways; they were quiet because the next class had already started. He mumbled some curses while breathing heavily. But maybe he didn't miss much. Missing classes was one of the things he hated the most- having to work at home to catch up made him loose time, and time was of great importance to him.

            The way I see it, time was one of the basic things which were given to us upon our creation, maybe even the only thing. It's irrelevant whether we were created by God or something else; time is present in our existence either way. And how we spend our time is up to us. That's why, to gain more time, one would have to be humble, perhaps even poor, and avoid spending it on getting the best education and acquiring huge amounts of money. You can see examples like these anywhere in the world. Rich people value time because they spent most of it on accumulating the fortune they now have, and poor people don't know what to do with their time...but there is also the third kind, a kind-

            Rushing through the hallways, lost in thoughts, they boy took a sharp turn around the corner and bumped into a girl. Nothing happened to him, but the poor girl fell down, her books scattering all over the floor. Since his height was slightly above average and the girl was somehow tiny, the whole scene looked rather violent. He helped her gather the books, just like any gentleman would.

            “I'm really sorry, I'm kinda in a hurry...” He managed to nervously push out.

            She got up and smiled at him with the prettiest smile he had ever seen. The way her golden hair moved made him enter a different dimension; a dimension where she represented everything he could ever focus on.

            “N-no, it's my fault,” her voice brought him back, “I wasn't paying any attention...I'm still new here, just got trans-”

            “I don't have time for that now”, he cut her off and stormed off. She was left completely confused, with the unfinished sentence still hanging on her lips. Self-blaming thoughts came to her mind uninvited- maybe it was her fault for pressuring him into a conversation right away? She decided to push that thought away and concentrate on orientating around the school.

            The boy felt relief upon seeing the classroom door, knowing the running part was over. He knocked on the crystal clear glass and pressed the doorknob. His heart increased its pace, and his palms started sweating. The whole classroom went into complete silence as every head started turning around towards the door. The professor pulled down her glasses to the tip of the nose, just like they did in the movies.

            “Well, who do we have here?” She sarcastically said. “Mr. Zack Colburn decided to bless us with his presence. How marvelous. Would you be so kind to allow us to continue our work while you have a talk with the principal?”

            Even though the tone of her voice reflected mockery, Zack was sure she gave him a quick wink before he exited the classroom. Even though he knew everything was going to be fine since the school staff made a deal with him, he still didn't want to experience that. It was the first time a situation like that arose, so he wasn't sure if anyone would be mad at him for letting it happen.

            The principal's office was close to the classroom, so it only took him a few steps to reach it. He carefully knocked on the door and entered. The principal was studying some documents when Zack came in. He didn't notice the boy, so Zack had to clear his throat to reveal his presence.

            “Ah, Colburn, how good to see you! How are you doing, young man?” The kindness in that man's voice was pure, and Zack felt comfortable around him.

            “I'm doing just fine, sir, thank you for asking. Though I was a bit late for the class, so Ms. Arce sent me here.”

            “Oh, don't you dare to worry about that! Garnet is a good woman, but I just hope she wasn't too rough on you.”

            Zack produced a small smile for that comment. The principal always showed great sympathy for him, and sometimes it got really annoying.

            “It was perfectly normal, sir. Nothing out of the ordinary.”

            “Good. But I'm sorry for pushing it even further, I just need to make sure- are you positive you're familiar with everything that's going on? You know, the deal?”

            Zack rolled his eyes.

            “Of course, sir. In the deal, I have clearly stated that I want everything to flow normally, and being kicked out of the classroom just like any regular student would is an essential part of that deal.”

            “Good. I'm glad to see there are no problems about that.”

            “I can assure you, everything is perfectly normal.”

            Just the way it needs to be. I wouldn't want the whole school to find out the truth...

            Part IV: Metamorphosis Formulation

 

            Zack was sitting there, in the classroom, not paying attention to what the teacher was saying. His attention was focused on the girl from before. Was he too rude? Maybe she wanted some help, or just to find someone to talk to, and he completely pushed her away. But he knew how it went with him and girls- whenever he thought one of them was kind, he would fall into anger and shame the moment after, because the girl turned out to be making fun of him. They were just plain mean, and they didn't even try to hide it, because the boys they were interested in were as smart as a thick wall. And the girl Zack bumped into was most likely one of those girls.

            His best friend, Lane,  who was sitting next to him in the classroom, interrupted those thoughts with utter excitement.

            “Zack, man, I have something awesome for you!” He whispered. “Here, take a quick peek!”

            Lane carefully unzipped his backpack and started picking through his books while also checking if the teacher was looking. The teacher was scribbling something on the blackboard and ranting about some equations. Lane made sure no one was looking one more time and then spread the backpack wide open, so that Zack could see something awesome. A greenish plastic case was laid upon the books, with a white cover that was more than familiar to the two boys.

            “Gee, Lane, someone would say you had a package of drugs in there due to all the secrecy!” Zack excitingly whispered. “Who would've guessed it's just a videogame?”

            Lane seemed slightly provoked by Zack's choice of words.

            “Just a game? Dude, it's Final Fantasy XIII-2! We've been searching for a good deal, and I finally found a guy who sold it to me for ten bucks! Can you believe that? But fine, if you don't want it...”

            Zack felt sorry for teasing his best friend. After all, Lane was just trying to cheer him up.

            “Relax, man, I'm just messing with you,” he tried to apologize, “that's an awesome deal! I can't believe some people would go so low with the prices.”

            “I know!” Lane cheered up again. “But the dude seemed like a real d****e. He received the game as a gift and decided to sell it...probably one of those people who buy a console just to play games like PES and FIFA...”

            His friend's comment made Zack burst with laughter. He pressed his hands hard against his mouth to suppress the sounds. The teacher turned around and looked at him, but he was already fully calm and seemingly concentrated on the lectures. After a few minutes of silence, Lane took the game out of his backpack and slid it over to Zack. The quizzical look Zack gave him gave him a perfect excuse to start whispering again.

            “It's for you”, Lane explained, “think of it as a gift!”

            But Zack knew when his best friend was up to something particular; after all, they've known each other for years. And he wanted to immediately find out what was it about.

            “C'mon, Lane, something smells fishy there. What are you really up to?”

            Lane started blushing.

            “N-no, you got it all wrong, it's just a gift...”

            The look Zack gave him signaled that his story had fallen apart. Lane sighed and rolled his eyes.

            “Alright,” he confessed, “you perceptive b*****d! Me and the rest of the boys started planning out a party at my place while you were on that cooking-class-field-trip-thingy last week. To cut it short, the party will take place the day after tomorrow, on Friday night. And this videogame is supposed to buy your acceptance for the invitation.” Before Zack could say no, Lane interrupted him with the continuation of his speech. “I know you're not a party-person, but after all, I'm the one who's organizing the event, so you have to come. A lot of people from the school will be there, so it might prove to be a good chance to wipe the dirt off our names; you know, to show everyone else that we're not nerds just because we play videogames.”

            The teacher couldn't stand their whispering anymore, so he turned around and approached Lane.

            “Mr. Ridgeway, I am sure your words must be of extreme importance, but the world won't fall apart if you save them for later, I hope?”

            Lane mumbled a quick apology, already knowing nothing will happen to him because he had straight A's in Algebra. When it came to calculations and similar things, he was the best student in class, but he was also the student with the biggest mouth.

            As the teacher was returning to his desk, Lane couldn't resist but to ask his friend just one more question: “You are coming, aren't you?”

            Zack thought about it for a while and realized all he had in mind for that Friday night was his good old friend Xbox, and perhaps some Chinese food for dinner. It had been like that for many Fridays in a row. Can it really hurt to break the monotony?

            To Lane's great appreciation, he nodded to confirm, while also silently cursing himself for accepting to spend another night standing alone in the corner with a bunch of drunk strangers jumping and dancing around him.

            Part V: Cerebral Materialization

 

            Thursday.

            Putting his trust into the alarm clock on his mobile phone, Zack managed to arrive to school without being late. He honestly thought it would have been harder for him to get out of bed, since he spent most of the night playing his new videogame. Lane was also there, eagerly watching and cheering for Zack. He kept talking about the epic playthrough we are going to have together! Zack shared some of his excitement, but there was a limit even for that.

            The first class he had to attend to that day was his favorite: cooking. There were exactly twelve other people who were taking the class with him, and he liked that because, the very first day  they got there, Ms. Oaks assigned them into teams composed of two people, so everyone had their partner. Except for Zack, who voluntarily chose to work alone, though Ms. Oaks helped him a bit every now and then. She was a kind, rotund woman who liked eating everything her students prepared. She kept telling them she had to carefully inspect the food to see which grade the student truly deserves, but everyone knew that was just an excuse. Still, no one held it against her.

            The room where they had the classes was something special- it was a mixture of a regular classroom and a kitchen. You could see the exact same tables every other classroom used, but on the other hand, there were all those ovens, fridges, shelves, and who knows what other cooking appliances or tools. Zack's table was placed in the far-right corner of the room, very close to the teacher's table. A large window was nearby, so he enjoyed large amounts of fresh air too.

            He carefully unwrapped his knifes. The set was composed of five, and each had an extremely sharp edge. Ms. Oaks always praised him for keeping the knives in top shape, since she knew how carefully he washed them, sharpened them, and then wrapped them in his cloth at the end of the class. Some students started saying he was insane, since he was always quiet during the class, and that he probably took great care of the knives because he kept waiting for the right moment to kill them. Zack liked to tease them from time to time, asking if they knew how beautiful knives looked like when they were coated in crimson blood. The teacher scolded him for that.

            Ms. Oaks started approaching each student and giving them a separate assignment. The success of that assignment was very important, since it directly influenced their final grade. She finally came to Zack's table, with a bright smile on her face.

            “Zack, my dear!” She greeted him. “You have a special task today. Do you think you're up for a challenge?”

            “Sure thing, Ms. Oaks! I love a good challenge”, he happily responded.

            “I bet you do! Well, the thing is, I need you to be a teacher today. Everyone knows about your cooking skills, but I want to see if you have it in you to lead a kitchen; or at least one person, for now.” She turned around. “Alyssa! Come over here, dear, you'll be working with a fine young gentleman today.” She turned back to Zack. “She's new to this school, just got transferred, but I'm sure you'll be kind to her, as you always are!”

            Ms. Oaks moved away to let a fragile being pass. Zack's heart stopped.

            I-it's her! How is it possible? What are the odds?

            He was left speechless.

            “Hey there!” The girl named Alyssa spoke. “It's nice to at least know your name, after our encounter yesterday.” She smiled at him with that radiant smiled and revealed perfectly white teeth. Her hand waited for a handshake. “My name is Alyssa Auden.”

            “H-hi!” He nervously pushed out. “I'm Zack! Zack Colburn, I mean. I'm really sorry about yesterday...”

            He noticed her hand was still waiting, so he rapidly shook it while also worrying if his palms were too sweaty. She noticed his uneasiness.

            “If you don't want to, you don't have to work with me...” She sadly said while looking at the floor. “I know it'll take me a while to learn everything...”

            “N-no!” He shouted and slightly jumped at the tone of his words. “I mean, I'd really love to work with you...I mean, not love, you know...enjoy, I mean. I'd enjoy working with you...”

            She chuckled at his confusion while he was scratching his head, as if it would have helped him find the words he was looking for. Then he decided to give up and just hand her the apron.

            Minutes went by while they both cooked, talked, and laughed. Ms. Oaks came a few times to see how they were doing and was pretty impressed when she noticed how fast Alyssa was learning. Zack was a patient teacher, and she was a smart girl. They kept exchanging some basic information about each other; he learned that she liked reading books, listening to rock music, and occasionally dared to try to cook something. He was a bit cheaper when it came to talking about himself, so she carefully listened to every little thing he decided to mention about himself.

            There was just one thing Alyssa noticed during their long conversation. She told him about her parents, how her mother was a lawyer and her father was a highly-respected psychologist, but whenever she tried to ask him about his parents, he immediately changed the subject. At first she thought he didn't hear some of those questions, since he was always doing something with the food, but then he started interrupting her with some irrelevant questions, like could you please hand me the salt? She felt like he was a big puzzle, and that topic was one of his biggest pieces. A need for solving it arose.

            “Are you going to that party tomorrow?” Alyssa suddenly asked Zack.

            “Yeah. I didn't want to, but my friend Lane went so far to even bribe me into going!”

            They both laughed. Zack didn't want to admit it to himself, but he was having a decent time with her, despite the fact that she was one of them, one of the girls. Maybe she was normal?

            Even if she is normal, who knows what could happen. We might end up being good friends, spending a lot of time together and thinking everything is perfect, and then...then it happens...everything falls apart...Ah! I mustn't worry myself with these thoughts! The course of fate cannot be changed; it will happen no matter what I do. So I might as well spare the poor girl of all the drama. Yes, that's it. Alyssa and I will remain classmates, nothing more than that. Just like distant cousins you see every few months- you talk to them when you see them, but you don't go intentionally inviting them to your place or anything like that. That's how it needs to be.

            When the bell finally rang, Ms. Oaks gave each team an appropriate grade. Zack and Alyssa got an A+ for their hard work, and the teacher even told the whole class the two of them should serve as an example if perfect teamwork coordination. Alyssa jumped around and even went as far as to hug Zack, while he stood there like a wooden plank, absolutely shocked.

            That was the day Zack got a cooking class partner.

            Part VI: Fundamental Depolarization

 

            The party was supposed to start at 8:00 PM, so Zack realized he had about an hour to get ready. That was more then enough, considering the fact that Lane's house was only a short walk away. Still, he wanted to make sure he was in his top shape, even if he didn't plan on having too much fun. He liked to take care of himself as much as he could, because he knew the importance of becoming an independent person. Even if it seems like an option out of grasp... Of course, being in shape required some time to be spent, but he thought of it as an equivalent exchange. Give some time to increase the magnitude of joy during the rest of it.

            After taking a fifteen-minute shower which left the whole bathroom covered in steam, he decided to stylize his appearance. Modern black shirt instead of the casual ones, dark blue jeans to replace the classic stuff that looked like it died out centuries ago, and some nice black shoes which were carefully polished. Hair gel? Definitely couldn't hurt, so he slightly spiked-up his hair. Not too much, just enough to change the usual look.

            But wait...why am I doing all of this? It's one thing to take care of yourself, but changing who you actually are is completely different. Is that it? Am I changing myself by trying to blend in with some random partygoers? Or perhaps...perhaps I'm doing it because of her...that serpent-girl may be invading my subconsciousness, even though I told my mind to stay away from her. No. She can't invade my time like that. If she tries to, I'm afraid she will be pushed aside. Yes. I can do that. I can totally stop thinking about her...

            His thoughts reflected only empty wishes and false courage; deep inside, he knew it wouldn't be so easy to make himself forget. Nervousness started taking the best of him. He kept circling around his room, wiping his shoes just one more time, to be sure there aren't any stains or anything, and looking if his shirt was ironed properly. All was perfectly well, but apparently there wasn't any harm in checking. You could say he was going on a date, if you didn't know any better.         After all of that was done, he opened up an antique box that proudly stood on the cupboard next to his bed. The old watch he always wore was there; everyone kept asking him why he never used it to keep track of time, since he always looked on his mobile phone if he needed the clock. Those questions received no response. He carefully picked up the watch and attached it onto his right wrist. There...no matter how I look or whoever I appear to be, this will make me remember who I actually am.

            Zack looked up into the ceiling, though his light blue eyes looked like they were looking into something far above the house. Then his eyes became somehow itchy, so he instantly scratched them and rushed out of the house.

            Part VII: Reversed Concretization

 

            Upon reaching Lane's house, Zack heard loud music already being played. It seemed like the people came early, eagerly wanting to get drunk as fast as possible. A seventeen year old boy who didn't like to fully give in to alcohol was considered weird and perhaps a bit geeky; that's where the world had come to. Zack had no idea why anyone would look down upon teenagers who still kept repeating the old line I don't need alcohol to have fun, but he was already used to discrimination. Society is falling apart...the world will end one way or another. So why not spare us the misery and end it properly? He rang the doorbell, knowing the action was in vein. The music was just too loud. After carefully pressing the doorknob so he doesn't hit anyone who may have been standing by the door, he entered his best friend's house.

            It's enough to say it was overcrowded. What is Lane thinking? Did he invite the whole school here? Zack pushed his way through hordes of strangers, occasionally getting an elbow in his ribs. Seriously, who are these people? Lane and I are complete social outcasts, so I'm pretty sure most of them hate us. Free drinks are the only reason they're here, and that stupid fool can't see that. He needed to find Lane. Knowing his friend, he immediately started squeezing through the crowd to reach Lane's room, elbowing other people because he got sick of being hit.

            After surviving the trip, he was relieved to see there weren't so many people in Lane's room.

            “Watch it a bit, will you?” Lane shouted at some couple who were kissing next to his gaming shelf. He was firmly holding his PlayStation 3 in his arms, to protect it from any danger. He looked rather exhausted.

            “Lane!” Zack called him. “What the hell is this?” It took him a few more shouts and exaggerated hand waves, after which Lane finally turned in his direction and put on a big smile on his face.

            “Zack, dude, you're here!” He was still hugging his PlayStation.

            Zack repeated his question.

            “What do you mean what the hell is this?” Lane wondered. “This is the biggest party in this town.” Zack was just looking at him darkly. “Oh, come on, man! Relax a bit, will you? The party is here, at my house, and I'm your best friend! So, as a host, I order you to cheer up!” Lane shifted into the quirky mode again.

            Cheer up, he says. Maybe he's right. If I don't end up having fun here, then this will be a waste of time...but what can happen here? I can jump, I can drink, I can laugh. Is that the definition of fun? I don't know...perhaps I should do it for his sake. You can't really call something a waste of time if it holds a meaning for someone.

            Zack grabbed a lemon beer and went back into the living room. He stood there among the people, not knowing where to go or what to do. The night had just begun, and he wanted to go slowly with the alcohol, so dancing wasn't an option right away. A place where he could sit down sounded good to begin with. There was a chair available in the very corner of the room, next to the kitchen door. Go figure. When I thought I would be sitting in the corner, I didn't mean it literally.

            Minutes passed by, along with his beers. First he had one more lemon beer, then one regular beer. The music was tearing through his skull and piercing itself into his brain. A lot of people were smoking, so he also felt like he was going to suffocate, and no one would even have noticed that since the atmosphere was so wild. He needed to get out- but walking wasn't as easy as before. He wasn't drunk, of course, but consequences of those drinks he had could have been felt. Zack was right in that state when you make mistakes while talking or slightly get off your course while walking. And he felt horrible. What was I even thinking? Getting drunk? I need fresh air, and I need it fast.

            All the other people were majorly drunk, so he had no trouble with pushing his way through. The front door opened, to his great satisfaction, and he felt the beauty of fresh, clean air. Deep breaths filled his lungs with easiness, instead of that hard smoke that was gathered inside the house. The headache also started slowly fading out. The boy was so relieved he decided to lie down on the front lawn and just look into the night sky, his legs and arms widely spread.

            Here I am, alone with my grim thoughts again. Grim but truthful, I believe, for what is truth if not a subjective view on different areas of life? That which is truthful to one person may represent the complete opposite to someone else, may it not? That's just like the understanding of good and evil. Just because an act is evil to someone doesn't mean the act is evil to someone else, or even to the whole crowd, and vice versa. But here's the real problem: without good, there is no evil, so, without truth, there is no lie. Truth will always remain, but a lie, in its essence, is a thing of imagination, a false image that never existed. So, if lies don't exist, does that mean the truth doesn't exist too? He laughed at himself. I sound like a Shakespearean character!

            The front door opened once again, but Zack didn't hear that. He was still amused by his own thoughts, thinking he would have been respected among various historical theoreticians, if only he was born a century or two earlier.

            Small footsteps were moving towards a boy who was lying in the grass, his eyes seemingly closed.

            “Excuse me?” A familiar female voice spoke. Zack's headache returned, the smoke somehow returned itself to his lungs, music was drilling itself into his mind, and his palms became sweaty.

            “Hello there, Alyssa!” His voice was a bit shaky. He hoped she didn't notice that.

            “Hey!” The girl smiled at him. “So, what are you doing here all alone?”

            Why does the vile snake keep being nice to me?

            “Nothing special”, he casually responded. “Just looking at the stars and thinking about things.”

            “Shouldn't you be in there, having fun? If I'm not mistaken, there was a bribe involved!”

            “Well, my perception of fun is different.” He sounded smart, like he was showing off, even though he had nothing to show. But Alyssa didn't mind that. There was just something mysterious about him, something enigmatic. “Why aren't you inside?” He asked her while peeking on his left eye. She was sitting by him, on the grass.

            “My perception of fun is different!” She teased him. It drew a small smile on his face. “Anyways, what are you planning to do next?”

            “I don't know”, he simply responded. “Haven't really thought about it. Probably just going to enjoy the scenery here and eventually go home.”

            The boy heard movements. “Wow, this view really is something!” She said, amazed. He took a quick peek again and noticed she was lying next to him, looking at the stars. The serpent aims to strike. The tension kept rising up.

            “Yeah...” He didn't know what else to say. It was already decided- he wouldn't let her get too close to him. I just can't afford it...I want to, but I can't. Destroy yourself to save others...

            After a few moments of complete silence and tranquility, though it certainly didn't seem that way to Zack due to his inner battles, Alyssa finally asked him: “Do you wanna go dance? There aren't any normal people here, you're the only one who's fully sane.”

            Oh, if only you knew the truth...

            He stood up. “Sorry, Alyssa, that's not my kind of thing. Gotta go now.”

            “But where?” She pleaded.

            “Anywhere where I can be alone.”

            His words were rough. All she ever wanted to do was to talk to him, to get to know him. She wasn't aiming for a relationship, though she somehow was attracted to him, no; she was aiming for a friendship with someone who wasn't like the rest. Someone who wasn't corrupted by the new world and bad influences that are sent through the media. Simply, someone good. And what did she get? Cold words and ignorance. She got sick of it.

            “Wait!” Alyssa yelled. Zack immediately stopped, his back still turned to her. “Why are you treating me like this? All I've ever done was treat you nicely. And how do you act? One moment you're kind, the next one you're cold. You don't have to dance with me if you don't want to, but just talk to me like a normal person.” Her voice started shaking. “I...I'm not asking you to marry me! I'm not even asking to be your girlfriend if you don't want that...if you don't like how I look, just say it, I won't be mad, I'm not that kind of a girl. We can still become friends, can't we? And even if you don't like me as a person, you can still tell me and I'll stay away...”

            “No, it's not that”, he quietly said. She deserves to know at least something. “I'm not trying to hit on you, but you're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. I just...I don't know how to say it...I don't want you to get hurt. You need to stay away from me.”

            The poor being was already silently crying while he was talking. Her mascara smudged the area around her emerald eyes, with pain written on her gentle face. Zack knew not to turn around. He just wouldn't be able to bear the sight of the sorrow he caused.

            “T-that's it...you never explain anything...just bits and pieces, even when we're talking about simple things...like when I asked you about your parents...you just kept ignoring me.” Her sentences were interrupted because of the tears she was trying to hold in.

            He sighed. Some things cannot stay untouched. “I'm really sorry”, he quietly apologized while taking a further step away. “The reason...the reason I don't talk about my parents...” He took a deep breath, looked at the beautiful stars which lit up the night sky, and painfully continued: “The reason I don't talk about them is because they're dead.”

            Silence.

            Part VIII: Internal Complication

 

            Have you ever felt the irony of life? I'm not talking about noticing a certain event in which you can find traces of irony; I'm talking about its purest form, the form you could probably call unjust, inhumane. For where is justice in selflessness? There you are, sacrificing your very own sanity and emotional stability so that other people don't have to go through some apparent obstacles, and where is your reward? Question is, do you think you deserve a reward? Because, if you're helping someone for your personal gain, selflessness turns into selfishness. But if you're not...

            One thing is true- the world isn't fair. Maybe you don't deserve a special treatment just because you're helping someone, but do you not at least deserve to get the same in return? If you're truly saving others, then you surely can't save yourself...so is there a savior just for you? Or are you doomed to be the one who got lost for greater good, no matter how cruel it actually sounds...? Truth is, I don't really think the answers to those questions exist. We will get swept away by tides of life and death no matter what we do, so the best we can hope for is to spend the time we have the way we want it, fully cleansed of all other worries. You could say it's the blessing of the world's end again...

            Yeah, we can hope...but in reality, life can't become simple, because the whole world can't end...your own world can find its ending, but the worlds of other people will still go on. That means that even if your world was ending, you still wouldn't achieve the perfect bliss, because you'd have to worry about the consequences your actions might leave on those other people's worlds. The curse of our intertwined existence...

            Zack left Alyssa standing there, her heart bearing heavy emotions, and went straight home. He didn't say goodbye to Lane, knowing he would have probably tried to make him stay. The plans about pushing Alyssa aside without telling her anything obviously fell apart, so he needed some time to think about certain things, though his body and mind showed no cooperation after exhausting battles that were going on inside him.

            Those battles have just begun, I presume. Alyssa surely won't leave our weird relationship at this exact state. No, she'll try to make things right, thinking I was acting cold just because I didn't want her to know my parents are dead...but can I blame her? To anyone normal, hearing someone lost their parents would evoke sadness and sympathy. But if they heard there was something even bigger about that person, something that surpasses the death of their parents? It wouldn't evoke sadness as much as it would evoke fear.

            The boy hoped he wouldn't have to tell Alyssa the secret. But he knew he would be forced to, if she kept prying into the surface of his soul. Maybe the best idea was to evade her for a while? But how would he be able to achieve that? They were taking a few classes together, and they were even partners in the cooking class. That's where the deal came in. According to it, Zack didn't have to go to school if he didn't want to. It was his will to attend to classes just like any regular student did. But, if his fellow students started asking questions about him, the teachers agreed to spread out a rumor that Zack is feeling sick, sometimes giving fake details about his condition.

            Though he never used that option before, it seemed like a perfect opportunity to get away from everything after the party. So, on that Friday night, Zack locked himself into his room without telling his grandmother anything that had happened, and just fell down onto his bed fully clothed, his face pressed against the pillow. He didn't want to play videogames, he didn't want to cook, he didn't want to eat, he didn't want to talk. All he wanted was to get some rest from everything.

            Part IX: Decay Extermination

 

            Monday.

            You have one new message.

            Hey, Zack, it's me. Alyssa. Your friend Lane was kind enough to give me your number. Don't be mad at him, it took me some persuading. I...I'm so sorry for acting like that. For pushing you so hard to open up...let's...let's just talk, in person, okay? Call me back when you get this.

            Tuesday.

            You have one new message.

            Zack, it's me again. You didn't show up at school today either. Is something seriously wrong? If all of this is because of me, I'm terribly sorry! I just want to talk to you, so we can set it all straight. Please, call me back. Bye.

            Wednesday.

            You have two new messages.

            Zack, dude. This Alyssa girl keeps on asking about you. I already gave her your number, but she doesn't give up. And seriously, where the hell are you? I'm not even gonna mention you leaving my party without saying anything...even though I just kinda did. I know you don't care much about school, but at least remember your friends, you scumbag! Haha! Well, worry not, I know just what you need. Brenton and Vance are coming over tonight, and what can be better for you than shooting some Nazi zombies with your friends? I'm counting on you! Later.

            You have one new message.

            Yo, me again, forgot to ask you something. Could you bring your PC joystick with you? You won't believe this, but some d****e spilled the whole can of beer on my Dualshock 3 while I was protecting my console the other night. He said something about buying me a new one, but I know that's not gonna happen. I don't know if yours will work with the game, it might ask for the original, but it's worth a shot, right? See you.

            Thursday.

            You have two new messages.

            Zack...I'm sorry for calling again, but you still haven't responded to my other calls. Please...I'm worried for you, you need to talk to someone or you'll go insane...you told me the reason you're keeping away from me is because you don't want me to get hurt...but let me return the favor and save you from hurting yourself...please, just talk to me.

            You have one new message.

            Not cool, man. You didn't show up. I had a feeling you won't come, but I thought you'd remember WE'RE BEST FRIENDS. Anyways, all is not lost, me and the guys are gathering again tonight. Zombie killing can be so addicting, dude! You don't know what you're missing. Just come over.

            Friday.

            You have seven new messages.

            Scumbag.

            You have six new messages.

            Douchebag.

            You have five new messages.

            B*****d.

            You have four new messages.

            Prat.

            You have three new messages.

            I've run out of insults and I don't feel like searching for new ones. Let's just say I said something bad about you.

            You have two new messages.

            Return my calls, MEATHEAD! P.S. You're not a true gamer! There!

            You have one new message.

            I don't know what else to say; you're lame, man!

            Saturday.

            You have two new messages.

            Hey, man, I hope you didn't take all of that seriously. You know I just like messing with you, right? But the weekend is finally here, we can go hang out or something. We don't have to play Black Ops if you don't want to. And I can understand the fact that you don't feel like going to school anymore; if you ask me, don't go there ever again. Just give me a sign that you're alive. Besides, how come you don't think of laying around and doing nothing as a waste of precious time? It's kinda out of your nature, haha. Just give me a buzz so we can meet up.

            You have one new message.

            Hey, Alyssa again...I'm seriously worried for you now...me and Lane went to your house today, but your grandma said you haven't been spending much time home this week. Where are you? Please, just tell me and I'll help you! I...even though it's kinda shameful to admit...I mean, we've known each other for a short time...I...miss you...the cooking class wasn't as fun...anyways, I'm begging you...call me...

            Sunday.

            The fog covered the whole area. It was still early in the morning, with sun's rays glowing faintly. A silhouette was sitting on a thin, square stone in the ground and looking at its wrist. It seemed completely distracted from its surroundings, though the whole place looked rather hollow. The silhouette reached for its pockets and pulled out something from one of them. Then it started picking on it with its nimble fingers.

            Somewhere else, a mobile phone rang, notifying its owner of received message. A girl immediately jumped from her bed and rushed to the phone. Her hands were shaking while she was pressing the buttons. The message finally revealed no more than three words, though it meant everything to the girl. The local graveyard.

            She instantly ran out of the house.

            Part X: Reciprocal Calibration

 

            The girl fell down to her knees. Even though the message implied it was him who wanted to meet her, she still couldn't believe it. A whole week had passed, along with many of her grim thoughts. What if he's dead? The poor girl spent the whole week inside of her room, barely able to eat or drink anything. Her parents wanted he to go to a doctor, but she knew the cure to that sickness; the sickness of guilt, perhaps with a hint of unfathomed desire.

            Unbeknownst to her, the boy was feeling the same, though he took those feelings on another level, for they were mixed with fear. Yes, he felt guilt the same way she did- after all, his efforts to save her from the pain fell apart like dominoes. Yes, he felt a trace of desire; he wouldn't be trying so hard to run away from her if he didn't like her. But fear, it was the essence which added the depth to his emotional state. A fear of hurting her was a part of it, but another fear was also present a fear which he tried to hide away from himself in the dark corners of his heart. That was the fear of rejection, because he had never experienced the feeling of having a girlfriend, let alone falling in love.

            Zack approached Alyssa with weary footsteps. Both of their hearts were racing; he didn't know if she would be mad at him for acting the way he acted, and she was afraid he called her there just to tell her to stay away from him. The fog covered the world around them. Even the graveyard didn't look so gloomy in their eyes, since they were focused just on one another. The air was rather sharp, making their bodies slightly tremble while they were pushing their minds to the limit. She also noticed his hair was significantly longer. It suited him pretty well.

            He finally came before Alyssa. She was too scared to say anything, because she knew he already resolved everything with himself; all she could do was to wait for him to make his moves.

            Zack fell on his knees and hugged her.

            “I'm so sorry”, he began. His voice was hanging at the brink of despair. “I don't know where to start, Alyssa.” She was completely shocked by his all of that, but she still held him tight. “All I ever wanted to do was to prevent you from getting hurt...but it seems my emotions took the best of me and achieved the opposite effect. I like you...I really do! But I was afraid...I've spent my whole life alone and it wasn't so bad for me, so I didn't want to get near you and end up being broken after you decide to stay away from me...and even now, I still think you'll go away if you learn the whole truth...and I'm sorry for not responding to your calls...I needed some time to think about everything, so I spent my days here...come, let me show you.”

            He got up and took her by her hand. The girl's heart pounded while she was walking with him, though the walk only lasted for a few seconds. They got close to a stone grave. Zack told her to look carefully through the fog; it was the grave of Rolland and Aisha Colburn, Zack's parents. They sat by the grave. The boy was deeply looking into her eyes while further explaining. All she could do was listen.

            “My dad passed away when I was four. He was diagnosed with some rare neural sickness, something which kept slowly destroying his brain. My mom stayed by his side all the time, desperately trying to make us a cheerful family even though she knew what was coming. She knew my dad's condition would get worse one day and that he would need an immediate operation. The doctors told them that, 99% of the times, the operation had no effect and the patient would die; still, it couldn't have hurt to try...his operation was one of those cases, and my mom completely lost it. She couldn't bear the fact that he was gone, so she started heavily relying on the anti-depressive pills and who knows what else. She kept dreaming my dad and searching for him while sleepwalking. My grandma started looking out after me more often, ultimately reaching the point where I practically moved over to her place. Mom's mental condition forced her to visit various psychologists and professionals, but all of that was in vain. She had to go to a mental institution. My grandma and I visited her for about two years, until we got a call one day; she passed away. My dad's demise was too much for her to bear. That's when we permanently locked away the house I used to live in and I officially moved to grandma's place...that's the short version of it, anyways. I don't want to go into the details.”

            Alyssa was already in tears when he finished the story. He was looking at her with a strange look, as if he was wondering why she was crying when it didn't happen to her. It happened to him, him alone, and he lost the need for tears years ago. Even when he was a boy, while the wounds were still fresh, he didn't cry so often; even when he did, he didn't actually fully understand the reason for his sadness. He knew his parents were gone, but he couldn't depict the true meaning behind those words- he would have never been able to hear their voices again, see their faces, or anything else.

            “I-I-I'm so s-sorry Zack”, Alyssa managed to push out between the sobs.

            “It's not your fault. Calm down.” His voice was still sad, but with a hint of care. “Listen, I already told you...wait, are you feeling cold?” Zack noticed she was only wearing a black tank top and a black skirt. She was shivering on that cold morning, though his sorrowful speech distracted him from noticing. Even though she just shook her head, apparently telling him she wasn't feeling cold, he took off his black coat and wrapped her up in it. The coat looked rather thin, but it had a lot of warm fur from the inside, making the wearer feel perfectly comfortable and warm during the bitter autumn days. Alyssa managed to silently thank him while waiting for the continuation of his story. She also noticed he was sitting right next to her, which was a lot closer than before.

            I have to muster enough strength to keep going with the confession. There's no turning back now, since she already knows the half of it. Either she will run away or accept it...though both options bear acceptable results, since my original plan was to keep her away. Yes, I will be sad if she decides not to have any contact with me again, but not for long; I simply cannot waste too much time on depression...but if there is one thing I know, it's this: every doomsday cannot go without complications, whether you want it or not.

            “Anyways”, he continued, “as I was saying, I already told you the death of my parents was only half of the story; the rest will prove to be more shocking, more...I don't know, simply darker. It will directly influence the relationship between us, regardless of your choice either to be my friend...or something more...I can't tell you to keep looking at me the way you did before, after you learn the truth. But at least you won't be tortured by riddles, puzzles and mystery.”

            He stood up and walked circled around for a few moments; he had that feeling when you know the moment has come for you to admit something to someone, but you just want to postpone it, even for just a few more seconds. She was watching his every move, anxious to hear the long awaited words. Zack finally stopped in front of her.

            “Are you sure you want to know it?” He asked.

            Alyssa weighed her decisions while millions of outcomes raced in her mind. What if he was a drug user, unable to shake off that awful addiction? What if he accidentally hurt someone, or worse- killed someone? What if his soul couldn't find its rest due to the crimes he committed? But what if he was joking? What if he was one of those people who enjoyed tormenting others with sick jokes? If that was the case, no sweet words would have been able to save him afterwards.

            She took a deep breath while wiping the tears from her cheeks. “Yes...tell me.”

            He slowly leaned over, all the way to her left ear. She could smell his minty breath and feel its warmth on her neck. After that day, she would never have forgotten that refreshing, gentle scent.

            “I'm dying”, Zack whispered.

            Alyssa's heart stopped once again. Her brain shut down; all those thoughts were forever lost by his short sentence. He sat back by her, but she didn't notice that. His words were echoing through her head. The girl felt like she was going to fall unconscious; she even wanted to fall unconscious, anything to save her from having to continue that conversation. Though the conversation needed to be continued.

            “I-I don't understand...please, Zack, tell me you're kidding...even though that would be a sick joke, please tell me you're kidding and I'll forgive you...I p-promise...” Her voice faded out and was replaced by another burst of tears. “I promise, Zack! I'll forgive you! Please!”

            The emotions took a firm grip of his heart too. His eyes were watery, his soul was screaming, his brain was telling him to stop it. I need to continue. She deserves to know.

            A tear rolled down his eye. “I'm sorry, Alyssa...I can't explain how much it's tearing me apart...but you need to know everything. No, you must know everything...you see, my dad's sickness was transferred through his genes...so the same thing's happening to me...” The tears rolling down her cheeks even faster, though she forced herself to be as quiet as possible. She understood it all very well. “My dad's sickness developed itself later in his life...but I got a significantly smaller amount of time...and I kept telling myself it was my savior, since I've always wanted life to be simpler than it is, so the approaching death would allow me to fully enjoy the rest of my days, with no limitations whatsoever...that was until I met you.” It became harder for him to stop himself from crying; more tears came out uninvited. “I've wanted to avoid becoming your friend or, no matter how unlikely it seemed for a girl to like me, your boyfriend, so that's why I was acting so harsh...I...I just wanted to spare you the suffering...were you to develop some feelings for me, all that would have been taken away after I died...but I've failed to keep the truth hidden...”

            “N-no...” She interrupted him. “You said it yourself, the chance exists...the operation will succeed and you'll be just fine! I'm sure of it...” Even though her words reflected courage and hope, her look reflected desperation. She knew the chances for Zack to get better were slim, but she couldn't even think of stopping to believe he will make out. It simply wasn't an option. At least those thoughts calmed her a bit.

            “Alyssa...I appreciate everything you're trying to do, but perhaps it's time for you to forget about me...go on with your life, finish your educa-”

            Suddenly, the girl tightly hugged Zack, holding him so firmly as if it would keep the reaper from collecting his soul. He was honestly amazed by her reaction, still believing he would have come across a hard rejection. Her nails dug deep into his shirt, but the pain was as sweet as the best candy in the world.

            “I already said it”, she began, confidently, “No! I won't leave you, Zack! I want to be next to you every step of the way. We will spend every moment of our time the best we can, and will continue doing so after the operation.” She looked at him while still holding tightly, her face pressed against his chest. “You're not alone anymore.”

            Those words meant the world to him. They made him feel like he could rip apart every other universe and leave just the two of them in that moment, in their own perfect world. A smile pushed itself onto his face, the biggest smile that visited his face in his entire life.

            He carefully laid her on the grass while still embracing her body.

            She was looking into his eyes with happiness bursting out of her very presence.

            Zack leaned once again.

            The gentle breath was still there when their lips clashed together.

            Part XI: Happiness Foundation

 

            Zack and Alyssa were deeply looking into each others' eyes. The whole ceremony was highly official- he was dressed in a black suit while she wore a beautiful white dress. She also had a fragrant wreath of flowers on top of her head, which, along with a crystal white smile, gave her the look of an angel. Zack's hair was even longer than before; Alyssa had told him she liked it that way. Lane was standing beside them, right in the center where their hands joined together, wearing some plain brown robes and reading a carefully composed text which was written on some fancy-looking paper.

            “Do you, Alyssa Auden”, he began, “swear to take great care of the man before you, nurturing him when he's sick, feeding him when he's hungry, comforting him when he loses a Mortal Kombat match because his friend Lane is better than him?” The girl smiled due to the comedy of the scene. Lane continued: “Do you swear you'll be there for him when he realizes how much his Xbox 360 sucks, because he won't be able to play Final Fantasy Versus XIII when it finally comes out? Do you swear you'll be there to play videogames cooperatively with him, helping him earn those cooperative achievements? Do you swear you'll fulfill all these requirements and even more than that?”

            Both Zack and Alyssa were trying hard to suppress the laughter.

            “I do”, the girl said.

            “I pronounce you Zack's permanent gaming partner.” Lane turned to Zack. “You may give her the joystick.”

            Zack went to the table in his room and handed Alyssa the brand new Xbox 360 controller, along with a short kiss. Lane satisfyingly smiled, watching the two “newlyweds”. He insisted they celebrate Zack and Alyssa's one-month anniversary by introducing her into the world of gaming; but he wouldn't have proposed that if she hadn't showed the interest for playing videogames. She said it looked rather fun and that it would have enhanced the connection between her and Zack.

            “Lane, I already told you”, Zack spoke, “it's not a joystick. It's a controller or a gamepad.”

            “Man, you always do this!” Lane said with a quirky tone in his voice. “Does it really matter how I say it if you understand what I'm trying to say?”

            “No, but other people could mock you. Besides, it would be disrespectful to the inventors of these beautiful controllers...” He wanted to tease his best friend; happy times needed to be cherished.

            “C'mon, you're ruining the ceremony! Is that what I get for making such a heartaching speech? Thank you, best friend!”

            “You better watch what you're saying!” Alyssa responded. “Or I might completely steal him from you, Lane! Just look at the beautiful controller he bought me.” They all laughed.

            “You too, Alyssa? Am I completely alone in this world?”

            They started descending the stairs and heading for the kitchen while listening to the continuation of Lane's dramatic speeches and heartaching statements.

            The month flew by pretty fast for the new couple, though, after that day on the graveyard, they decided to take things slowly. Even though the passion was great, neither of them was too experienced with relationships, but they meant a lot to each other so they didn't want to ruin anything. The boy was caring and protective, and the girl was sweet and gentle. They spent a lot of time at his place; his grandma was, of course, supportive of the relationship and didn't invade their private time. Sometimes she even baked them cookies, cakes and other delicious sweets only grandmothers knew how to make.

            The couple went to school together- Alyssa, fully convinced Zack's operation will be successful, wouldn't even let him think about not going to school. She kept telling him it's for his best, since he'd need education to find a good job, but he thought it was just an excuse for her to spend more time with him, but he had nothing against that. The love between them grew with every passing day, despite the fact that it originally connected itself through the darkness. Other students at their school whispered various rumors behind their backs and wondered why a girl like her would choose a guy like him, but they couldn't have cared less for those jealous tongues.

            Lane officially became Alyssa's friend, often spending time with the two. They enjoyed his company very much, since his entertaining nature lit up even the most sorrowful situations.

            The irony. Again. My clock ticks faster than the others, yet it decided to bring me utter happiness. I don't know, maybe I'm asking for too much. Maybe other people would consider it fair: get a short, happy life in place of a long, boring life. But doesn't the fact that your life holds so much joy make you depressed when you realize you'll only have a short time to fully experience it? You just know it isn't supposed to be like that, just like when parents lose their child. Where's the fairness in that? No, life isn't fair...it only seems fair to the person who manages to bend the rules into their advantage...but I...I was obviously born with hands tied behind my back, so that I wouldn't even be able to attempt the bending.

            Yes, the clock is ticking...but I have to pretend there is still some hope left...I have to believe. For her sake.

            Part XII: Burst Tranquilization

 

            The night coated his room with pitch-black darkness. There were no lights on, just absolute, apparent stillness. It was somewhere around midnight; most people were at their homes, with the exception of a few 24/7 partygoers. Who else wanted to be outside at midnight during a relaxing Sunday night? A new week of work was starting, so it certainly wasn't the time for fooling around. Despite that, one house, a couple of minutes away from the one we're talking about, still had a room lit by a TV screen and a teenager who was still awake.

            But the house that was covered with shadows had a room on the upper level, and in it were, not one, but two awake teenagers, laying together in a bed and cuddling. The boy was kissing the girl's neck while she giggled and kept pushing his head to imprint a kiss on his lips. Happiness could have been obvious on both their faces if the room had been properly lit; still, joyful sounds kept coming out of both of them.

            He ingested the sweet scent of her skin, lustfully kissing her while his inner-self was telling him to get a grip. He felt like he couldn't hold his insides together, like he was going to be torn apart by that love mixed with animalistic desires. The beast was clawing its way out and slowly overtaking...

            Zack pushed himself off her and managed to lay down next to her. He sighed and took a deep breath, noticing his body was mildly sweaty. The burst of hyper-emotions sometimes took the best of him: he wanted to hold Alyssa close to him, he didn't want her to leave his side, he just wanted to love her...

            “Is there something wrong?” She playfully asked.

            “No...” Zack responded, lost in the thoughts. “It's just...I care about you so much, but I feel like I'm not showing it the way I should...I mean, I know we've been together for only a little more than two months, but still...”

            She giggled. “Oh, Zack, darling, you always worry too much. Listen to me: I love you.” A shining smile was on her face the whole time, so pure it could lit up the whole room. “And I know you care about me too...but I don't know if you love me, though!” She laughed.

            “I hate you”, he played along. “You're the worst thing that had ever happened to me!”

            “Awwww, I'm sooooo sorry.” The tone of her voice impersonated one of those typical high school girls that spent their time buying new shoes and talking about guys. Low intelligence was included, of course. “How about I repay you with, like, a date, after which we can, like, totally get freaky.”

            Zack laughed. She was really good. But so was he. “Sure thing, babe. I'll come and pick you up on my motorcycle, but only after my gym training. Gotta lift five hundred pounds each day to keep this godlike shape.”

            “Awesome! Even better, let's skip school!”

            “Yeah, who cares about education? Brain is a weak muscle compared to these babies”, Zack said, pointing at his muscles. Even though she couldn't see it, Alyssa knew what he meant.

            Zack started thinking about skipping school. It's Monday tomorrow. A new week is starting, which means more work in school...but we could really skip school tomorrow. It's just one day. I haven't skipped a day of school ever since that week before me and Alyssa became a couple. Maybe I could finally let her experience something special, something she'll always remember after I'm gone...

            “Let's do it.”

            Alyssa was confused. “Do what?” She asked.

            “Let's skip school tomorrow.”

            “No! Zack, we've already talked about this. Education is important-”

            “It's not that”, he interrupted her. “I have something special in mind.”

            She curiously smiled. “Oh? And what would that be?”

            “It's a secret”, the boy whispered and gave her a streak of quick kisses on the lips. “Please? Pretty please? For the sake of out blooming love which conquers life and death?” Another giggle.

            “Oh, the love I feel for thee says yes, my sweet poetic Romeo!” She shifted into a more serious mode. “But only tomorrow, okay?”

            “Yes, ma'am!”

            Zack moved in even closer to her and gave her a long kiss. Their hands embraced each others' bodies once again while their souls completely gave in to the passion.

            Part XIII: Memory Installation

 

            A doorbell rang through the nearly-hollow house. Footsteps were getting closer to the brown wooden door. The boy was slightly nervous as he kept looking into the doorknob. Chilly air made him shiver a bit, so he tightly pressed his arms against the body in order to feel warmer. He expected sunny weather and light clothes, but all he got was a gloomy, gray day. The streets were almost empty, since some black clouds could have been seen and the weather forecast said it was probably going to rain.

            But the boy persisted with his plans. He got up early that morning and visited various shops; that's why he was holding a bouquet of red roses. His wallet suffered some heavy casualties, though. But what is money? Nothing more than paper. Sure, it's crucial to our survival, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't treat ourselves with something nice every now and then. We only get one life; if we spend it while constantly saving money for some unknown purposes, what will the time we get mean? Our existence will know no joy, just sacrifice. And isn't life supposed to be good?

            Upon opening the wooden door, Alyssa rushed out with her arms spread wide and fiercely hugged Zack. The style of her clothing matched Zack's new, dark one; she was wearing a black hoodie with tight black pants and black leather boots while his dark clothes were covered by his usual black coat. The glow of her pink lipstick, along with a black eyeliner and her usual blond hair, made her look like a beautiful angel of death.

            “Easy, my astonishing and hyper-excited sweetheart! You'll destroy these poor roses and also tear your clothes.”

            She let him go and noticed the bouquet in his hands, while covering her mouth with her hands due to excitement. “Oh, Zack! You shouldn't have!” Jumping on him caught Zack unprepared, but he instantly dropped the roses and caught her by awkwardly gripping her behind. She gave him an extremely long kiss which left him gasping for air afterwards.

            “Are you trying to suffocate me?” He was laughing. “Next time I should buy you something even bigger! Though it might leave some fatal consequences.”

            Alyssa gently slapped him on his shoulder and jumped back onto the porch. She took the roses and went back into the house to leave them in her room. Zack took a quick glance at the sky. More black clouds were gathering.

            “Hey, Alyssa, maybe it would be good for you to bring an umbrella”, he shouted. “The weather looks nasty.”

            She came out carrying a black umbrella in her right hand while reaching for Zack with her left hand. He gave her his hand, asking: “Since when do you like this full-black style?”

            “Ever since I met this awkward, cute boy in school. I started falling in love with him and he started dressing like that, so I grew fond of it.”

            He smiled. “Must be a satanist or something. I hate guys like that. And I can't believe you let him influence you!”

            They were walking down the streets while randomly chit-chatting, teasing each other, and often stopping to throw in a kiss or two to the mix. He wasn't going to say where they were going, so she was curious the whole way. All he told her was that their trip was composed of two parts, but he wouldn't say what those parts were. It was a secret.

            I can see she's happy. That means my purpose is fulfilling itself. Years later, maybe she'll remember the poor old Zack who left as fast as he came into the picture by some happy memories.

            One of his secrets was finally revealed when they reached a local amusement park. It was rather large, containing various entertaining activities, from roller coaster rides to those knock-out-all-the-bottles-to-get-a-prize stands. The radiance of Alyssa's happy aura made Zack feel warm around the hearts, as they walked through the amusement park and observed what it was offering. He told her he would pay for anything she wanted, though he also knew she would try to be as humble as possible.

            First they went to the most important place for anyone visiting the park- candy shop. Alyssa picked some jelly beans and cotton candy, all of which was rather cheap and modest, so Zack had to add some candy bars, lollipops, and other teeth-traumatizing goods. She even wanted to pay for it with her own money, but he wouldn't accept that, of course, so the woman working at the candy shop rolled her eyes multiple times while they were talking about it. The boy managed to win that one by giving her a few kisses as a reward for letting him pay.

            After that, they went to a typical roller coaster ride. Two persons fit perfectly into the seats, so they had no trouble regarding that. The girl was afraid of heights, so she hugged onto Zack the whole time, sometimes fearfully screaming if they were dropping down at a high speed. He found the whole situation rather entertaining, since he had never imagined himself in that situation. Having a girlfriend, going out with her, having a wonderful time, simply living the life...it had always been a thing from the movies for him. But it shifted into reality.

            Roller coasters were followed by some fast-paced chairswings which left Alyssa little less afraid, since the chairswings were relatively close to the ground. Though, the constant rotation in the air left them both dizzy afterwards, so they went to buy something to drink and visited the nearby carousel. Its slow rhythm made them grateful for these kind of relaxing rides.

            But a trip to an amusement park can never be complete without boys trying to impress their girlfriends. Zack wasn't exactly one of those guys, but he still wanted to do something nice for Alyssa. They approached a small cabin where Zack paid the owner and got three yellow balls. He was supposed to get one of them into one of the glass cups which were placed on various distances and heights from his position. The harder the attempt was, the bigger the prizes were.

            Alyssa told him to aim for something easy, but he wanted the best prize he could win. I'll settle down for nothing less, even if I have to spend the whole day throwing those balls. He carefully weighed his shot and threw the first ball towards farthest glass cup. It went straight beside it, not even scratching its surface. Hmph. The attraction owner seemed happy, as if he was thinking this one will get me loads of money! Zack measured his second shot and tried to throw the ball in a large arc. It went behind the cup, but he thought he could have heard it slightly hitting the cup. Come on! The owner mumbled something about Zack being awful at it, but he didn't let that ruin his last shot. He raised his right hand and threw the last ball slightly weaker than the last one. It hit the edge of the cup and slid into it. The boy jumped up out of excitement and happily hugged his girlfriend.

            The greedy owner was forced to part ways with a meter-tall brown bear that was holding a giant heart between the paws, while the happy couple continued onto the next attraction, leading their stuffed friend around the park. Zack took a quick break before the tilt-a-whirl to take a pill against the weak headache he was starting to feel. He brought a few pills with himself, to prevent anything from ruining the perfect day he had planned out.

            This is what it feels like...to be alive.

            Part XIV: Malevolence Initiation

 

            They had walked for quite a long time after the amusement park, but they finally managed to reach their destination. It represented Zack's second surprise for Alyssa, and she was very confused on their way there; Zack was leading her into a lowly-inhabited area, surrounded with nothing more than naked, withered trees. He explained that the whole scenery looked rather beautiful and relaxing during spring, with astonishing greenery and soothing bird singing.

            Coming in through the large iron gates left them standing in a courtyard of a massive Gothic mansion. It looked truly magnificent, with that royal feeling everyone got when they were admiring expensive mansions and castles. Though, traces of moss were covering its gray walls, revealing there were no actual inhabitants inside. The huge glass windows were dirty and dusty, and some metal doorknobs suffered from corrosion, along with the entrance gates. Alyssa had no idea why Zack brought her there, but she was as curious as ever.

            “This is my parents' mansion”, he explained. “I mean, it was. It's mine now, but I don't have much use of it considering the state it's in. I just come here every now and then, remembering the old times when I still lived here.”

            “This is amazing!” Alyssa said, astounded. “The whole...castle must have cost a fortune!”

            “My parents could have been considered rich, yes. I inherited the money along with the mansion, but I don't want to brag about it or anything. Especially considering the fact that I'm not allowed to use the money until  turn twenty one. By then, who knows what could happen...”

            Alyssa ignored his last sentence while he took another headache pill. Old memories came with the stress, so the headaches increased their magnitude. It had always been like that.

            “I wanted you to see the whole thing”, the boy told her. “C'mon, let's go inside.”

            He took a large key out of his pocked and unlocked the large entrance door. A weak smell of moist welcomed them, but other than that, it was pretty clean. They were standing in the main hall, circularly shaped and with many doors leading into the surrounding rooms. A large staircase was placed directly in front of them, on the other end of the hall, with two stairways on each side, joined together at their top into a round platform which led into another room, possibly the main chambers of the whole mansion.

            “Feel free to look around!” Zack told Alyssa and kissed her. “But when you're done, come back here, I have something in mind.”

            She went into the library to check what kind of books were stored there while he gathered his thoughts. This day has been good so far...but the hardest thing awaits. I've come this far...might as well do it anyways. She'll be shocked, of course, but I hope she doesn't get too scared or anything. Oh, what am I even saying, if I'm scared now, then she will be too. I wonder how grown ups handle the situation...I know ours is a bit different, but it comes down to the same thing. We shall see how it plays out.

            He awaited her for a few more moments and noticed her rushing out of the library with a pile of books. She was careful not to damage them, since they were highly valuable, but excitement could have been seen on her face.

            “Oh, Zack, my darling, you won't believe what sorts of books I found! And all of them are really old, some even the first editions...Crime and Punishment, The Divine Comedy, Hamlet...oh, I know they're precious, but will you please let me borrow some of them? I'll be extremely careful, I promise!”

            The warmth took over his insides again.

            “How can I not borrow you these books, when I see how much joy they bring you? Of course, sweetheart, feel free to take as many as you want.” She wanted to jump on him again, but she couldn't do that since she was carrying the books. “Follow me, now! You can leave the books by the door, we'll pick them up on our way out.”

            The girl did as he told her and took him by his hand. They climbed the staircase and entered a small hallway. Zack stopped halfway through it and pulled a chandelier on the wall. A loud sound could have been heard above them; the boy moved away from the wall and told her to do so too. After a few seconds, a square in the ceiling opened up and steel ladders slid through it, all the way to the floor. They started climbing them.

            Their little trip left them standing on a vast surface which turned out to be the mansion rooftop. The view was quite pleasant, as the city lights could have been seen shining in the distance. Nearby hills towered over the Colburn mansion, yet it still stood there proudly, despite its forsaken state. Zack circled around and watched the leaves on the roof crumble upon his foot.

            “Listen, Alyssa...” This is it! “I don't know how to exactly ask you this. But I know one thing- I love you.” He shifted his concentration onto her, approached her, and took her hands into his. She was smiling, fully unaware of what was coming. Will this cursed headache stop already? “I don't know how much time I still have left. The surgery may fail...” The smile on her face vanished; now she was worried. “But I also know it might work out positively, if Lady Luck decides to bless me. Even so, I wanted to ask you one thing...” He took the deepest breath in his life. “If the surgery turns out to go well, and we still continue to be a couple for a long time, is there...” He got on one knee. “Is there a chance you would consider marrying me?” While complete shock overtook her, he reached out to his left pocket and presented her with a white box. I need some more pills... “I bought you this ring,” he said while opening the box, “But even so, as I have already said, if everything turns out positive, we'll still continue being a couple until we see how it works out...argh!” He shook his head to chase away the pain. “But after a few years, if we stay together, who knows...”

            The world started to fade away from his sight. Her face was blurry, the ring was almost non-existent, the surroundings were muted. He could feel his face hit the cold floor as everything was spinning around him. Her face was still imprinted on his mind as his eyes began to close. The darkness overtook everything, leaving him trapped in a world of physical torture and mental bliss. Someone was shaking him; maybe that unknown girl that was still on his mind? He didn't know, but he felt like he didn't want to. Not...now...just one...more...moment. Those thoughts came uninvited, and he didn't know their meaning. Why would he need another moment? Maybe the time for his long awaited rest finally came.

            Sirens in the distance broke his deafness, but why he heard them, he didn't know.

            Part XV: Dirge Finalization

 

            It was still raining.

            The girl with the black umbrella navigated her way through the vile tombstones, and each step of the way brought her immense misery. She had been visiting that dark place every single day for a whole week; she knew he would have done the same. It was his place of peace, and perhaps guidance, as the monologues with one of those graves helped him keep his sanity, no matter how contradictory it may have sounded.

            The doctors told her the first phase had passed- the surgery was over, but it was up to him to do the rest. He was the one who needed to find enough strength within to wake up from the deep slumber he was cast into. They also told her to pray, but she wasn't a religious type of girl. Instead, she chose to keep visiting that place, the very same place where a new sprinkle of joy was infused with the same amount of sorrow in her life. And all she did there was beg and plead.

            The girl approached that grave where they shared their first kiss. She sat down on the wet stone and looked into the carved letters on the gravestone. She always did that, as it somehow helped her feel like she was actually talking to living persons.

            “It's me again, Mr. and Ms. Colburn...” Her voice was completely broken down. “I think I have already told you everything there is about him...and about my love for him...yet I feel the need to come here every day...I know how much you meant to him...” She was slowly starting to cry, as she did every day. “And I know how painful it has been for him to share it all with me...but he is the most wonderful person I have ever met! Even with all that hurting and suffering around him, he still kept a kind heart, every moment of his life!” Her speech turned into a series of desperate shouts, combined with nearly-suppressed tears. “And it's not fair! How can some people keep living, evil people who bring misery to others, while he is struggling for his life? I'd sacrifice a thousand of those lives for his, if I could. But I know I can't, so I'm begging you...you and whatever divine being there may be on this world...bring him back to me! Give him the courage he needs to keep on going and send him my sincerest feelings!”

            The fierce rain silenced some splashes and weak stomps that could have been heard around her. Even if it hadn't been raining, she wouldn't have heard anything due to her occupied thoughts. The girl felt weak from the sadness, but there was a trace of dormant power in her, a seed with the potential to bloom into a hefty flower. She was ready to kill somebody if it was required of her, just like Zack always used to say, an equivalent exchange.

            “Please”, she continued on. “Take my life in exchange for his...he would be able to do more good to the world...we would have started a life together someday...” The splashes were increasing their magnitude, but she thought she was going insane. “Is it too much to ask? To simply love and be loved in return? I don't care about money, I don't care about...I don't know, I don't care about anything materialistic!” She threw away her umbrella and shouted at the gray skies: “I JUST LOVE HIM!”

            And in that moment, the moment that changed the threads of fate, a soaking-wet hand touched her shoulder. Alyssa turned around, screamed with shock and fell to her knees.

            There was only one word she could have pushed out, a word she kept saying that day on the rooftop over and over again: “YES.”

Author's Note

As of 1st November, 2012, this story is officialy completed. That means no further story-related changes will be made, but I'm sincerely asking you to report any grammar mistakes and typos you find, so I can make the absolute final version of the story.
Thank you for taking the time to read it; I hope you had as much fun as I had while writing it and planning it out in my head. The true dedication some of you have shown will not be forgotten.
Cheers!

Reviews

[WhimsicalAutomatonophob..]

This is really good! I'm on the edge of my seat, waiting for the next bit to be released. Why is he so special? Who was the girl? Was she the girl in the beginning in the graveyard? So many questions, but I don't expect you to answer them, it might ruin the story. Keep on keeping on! Amazing!

[Tomislav Petricevic]

Thank you! It is much appreciated! And those questions will gradualy be revealed. :P
New parts will be released soon!

[Tomislav Petricevic]

Part V is up!

[WhimsicalAutomatonophobicHippopotamus]

Oh goody! I'm gonna read it! *scrambles to find part V*

[Invisible]

I've been putting off reading this sorry. i'm not big on reading books and long stories, you know...anyways, it sounds like a really interesting story, and i'll bet it's good and i'd enjoy it if I took the time to really read the whole thing word for word, i'm just too distracted and depressed by my own little word so I don't think I can really read it all, but I did read what I could of the first chapter and I liked it, keep it up man.

[Nick.B]

Interesting style, with a great storyline and the way you describe is superb...it took a while reading it, but after reading this it was all worth it...great job

[Tomislav Petricevic]

Thanks a lot! Not a lot of people want to invest time into reading stories, so it is greatly appreciated.

[Nick.B]

In modern world like this, yeah not many have the time to read anymore...sadly

[astronaut]

I LOVE this, the beginning few lines got me into it and I could really get the sense of everything going on. You have fantastic imagery when you write. Keep doing it. 100/100. :) -J

[Tomislav Petricevic]

Thank you very much! :D
I'll keep on going. :)

[Simmirose]

Speechless. there are no words to describe what an outstanding story you have written.the description you put into this is amazing, while reading it, i felt as if I was there, seeing it.The emotions are so raw throughout the entire piece, to a point that I got attached to them and have "feels". The way that you kept me guessing and interested is amazing. No matter how much I try to explain my review, it will not be enough to describe it's true essence. I'm sad to see it end but over all great breathtaking job. Thank you so much for posting this and allowing us to read it. :)

[Tomislav Petricevic]

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! :D

[Tea Boo]

This is just amazing :D I like it (Y)

[Magdalena Nuspahic]

What's to say? What sessage to mend?
That was amazing and I cannot wait to see what Zack has in mind about 'tomorrow' :D

[Simmirose]

O my freaking word. Tom, you need to continue this!! Wanting to know what is running around in Zach's head, is beating at me! This amazing as always, building up the mystery and suspense. I love how the last paragraph, you described the setting. And then the only three words he texts back, speechless. Amazing Job!

[Tomislav Petricevic]

Thank you very much, Maria. :)
Part X is here. :D

[Simmirose]

I can't believe he is going to die! I connected with the characters and to read thlse words and zach's stoty tugged at my heart. great job Tom

[Tomislav Petricevic]

Thanks! On one hand, I'm glad I was able to evoke the feelings, but on the other hand, I'm sorry if I made you sad!

[Simmirose]

nah, don't worry about it. It's a compliment, for I don't usually connect with characters or have "feels" for them unless the writing is exceptional!

[Tomislav Petricevic]

Parts XI and XII have been posted. :D

[Tomislav Petricevic]

Part XIII is here!

[Tomislav Petricevic]

The final two parts have been added.

[Magdalena Nuspahic]

Ffffuuu- It only lets me write two zeros.
I guess 100000/100 would be a bit much,eh?
I believe you already know everything I think about this. XD I basically made an account just so I can review your work,lol.
Please do continue this awesomepants tale, I love it, can't wait for the next part.
:D

[Tomislav Petricevic]

It seems I've learned a new word - "awesomepants" XD
And I believe you know how much I appreciate it! :D
Don't worry, I won't sleep until the story's finished. xD

[Magdalena Nuspahic]

That sounds awesome, but you need sleep. :P
Seriously, science research says teenagers would be the perfect humans if they got enough sleep. SCIENCE,MON.

[Tomislav Petricevic]

Yo, are you saying I'm not perfect? SAY DAT TO MAH FACE!
XD

[Magdalena Nuspahic]

I would :P
Ispričavam se,ekselencijo,naravno da ste savršeni.
Actually that came out wrong, 'you need your sleep' might've been better.XD I to mi je dalo odličnu ideju za priču. I actually might write something hnnnng :3

[Tomislav Petricevic]

Isprika prihvaćena.
Ah, zar sam ja tako nadahnjujuća osoba? xD
I'd be glad to read it if you start writing it. :D

[Simmirose]

This just doesn't stop to get better and better! I love how you cut it off just as he reveals his secret, and the relationship that is becoming to form between Alyssa and Zach is so interesting and entertaining! I love this Story! Can't wait to read more!

[Tomislav Petricevic]

Thank you. :D Though I feel Part VII is a bit forced, since I wanted to write it in one day and I didn't get up from my computer until it was finished. XD

[Simmirose]

Jaja! awesome

[Tomislav Petricevic]

Parts VIII and IX are here. :D

[Simmirose]

YAY!

[words at play]

Really good story writing! builds up the mystery really well which is rather hard to do without sounding cheesy or obvious. The only thing I can think of that needs work is a little more natural sounding dialogue at a few parts, but even then its barely noticable. I shall be watching this story eagerly >.>

[Tomislav Petricevic]

Thank you! I agree, dialogue could use some improvement, since I usually write fantasy/medieval stories where it is significantly different.
I just hope I can bring an enjoyable story while writing out of my usual area. ^_^

[Tomislav Petricevic]

New parts are here (VI & VII)! :D

[words at play]

OHGODIMSOEXCITED

[Tomislav Petricevic]

:D

[Tomislav Petricevic]

Parts VIII and IX have been posted. :)

[Tomislav Petricevic]

Part X posted!

[Tomislav Petricevic]

Parts XI and XII are here, if you're still reading the story!