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Chapter 5

True Intentions
    A tall man wandered through a world filled with nothing but pitch-black darkness that swirled around him. He seemed to be looking for something, although what he expected to see in such absolute darkness was unknown. Voices reached out to him, many of them, each haunting and malicious.

    “Do you have what we asked?” They spoke in unison.

    “No, I don’t.“ The man spoke to the darkness around him as if it were an entity of its own.

    “We said do not return without them.” They hissed.

    “I know something that concerns the both of us.”

    “Tell us!” The entity demanded. The man cast a twisted handsaw onto the ground before him.

    “A human girl did this. Appeared a couple days ago near the river at Westminster. Got some strange powers, she does. It’s like she can make walls out of nothin’. Could she be who you warned of?”

    “We know of her. She is a problem. Kill her!”

    “That problem is already taking care of itself. The reapers are already afraid of her. Them old fools wouldn’t recognize a real threat if it slapped ‘em in the face.”

    “Good, good. Do not fail us then, Slingby.”

    I shut the door behind me, with shaking hands, and rested my back against it. “Stupid.” I muttered, letting myself slide down to the floor. I let my emotions run wild, just as they expected of a human like me.

    “Eliza, I hope this is not what it looks like.” My heart squeezed at the sound of Alan’s voice. He was holding his death scythe loosely in one hand. From that position it would have been impossible for him to attack effectively. Perhaps he was hoping he wouldn’t have to. I wanted to tell him everything, about his fate, about Eric, but somewhere between my mind and my lips the signal fell short.

    “I’m so sorry, Alan. Everything’s so messed up,” I said instead, folding my knees against my chest, “And I can’t do a thing.” Alan let go of his scythe, and it vaporized into thin air.

    “Did anyone see you?” He asked.

    “Eric did.” I said, tilting my head towards the ceiling so that I wouldn’t have to meet his overwhelmingly innocent eyes. I heard him sigh with relief. If only he knew what happened between us, perhaps he would be less relieved.

    “You got off lucky.” Alan scolded me, as he helped me up from the floor. “Anyone other than him, and you would've been dead before you knew what happened.”

    “You really trust Eric, don’t you?”

    “Like a brother.” Alan answered.

    “Don't stop, okay Alan?” I smiled, and wiping my eyes with the sleeve of my nightdress. One day Alan would figure it all out, and as soon as he did, the end would begin. Today though, was not that day, and I felt better knowing that he didn't have to worry, at least for now.
"Why are you being like that?"
"Like what?"
    "So cryptic,” His narrowed eyes, seemed to be searching through my very soul for an answer, "Where did you really come from Eliza?"
  "It's… a little difficult to explain." I thought awhile in silence, until finally I came up with an answer that was satisfying. "Where I come from, humans can communicate in the blink of an eye, cross whole oceans in less than a day, and do things the people here can't even dream of, but in the end there's really no difference. Society changes from place to place, but human nature will always be the same."
  "You… sound like you've been through a lot for a person your age." He remarked. I couldn't remember what exactly was running through my mind at that instant, but what came out of my mouth next surprised even me.
  "Aloe."
  "Pardon?"
  "That's what they used to call me before my father died. After that, I changed my name to Elizabeth." With the sleeve of my nightdress I wiped away the tears in my eyes, and scolded myself for being such an emotional wreck. My father had given me that name, never thinking it's meaning would become too literal for me to bear. "In the language of flowers it means grief."
  "Aloe is a pretty name." His comment made me smile slightly.
  "You would be the first to say that." I stood up and stretched. "Thanks Alan, for everything. I think I'll head to bed now." I curled up on the bottom bunk, and for the first time since I got here, I fell into a sound sleep.

    I awoke to someone shaking me vigorously. Blinking away the blurriness, I realized it was Alan. “Get up. We’ve got to go.” Something about the way he spoke was strange, like he was holding something back.

   “Why?” I asked groggily, rubbing my eyes.

   “I’ve got morning shift, and you’re coming with me.” He replied, his bright eyes, periodically flicking towards the door. “We should hurry, I’m running late.”

   “Okay.” I had been sure he didn’t have morning shift, but did not question it, and hopped out of bed anyways.

    The streets were eerily void of sound. No birds called, not even the ravens I often heard. Even the wind stopped whistling in my ears. It was as if the entire world had stopped moving. “Alan, why are we running?” I asked. “What is going on?”

    “Nothing, I just have to find Eric.” He answered calmly, yet his eyes flit this way and that. There was no doubt about it anymore. He was holding out on something important, and I intended to find out what. I came to a halt. “What are you doing?” He urged me on with a wave of his hand. “Let’s go.”

    “No, I’m not stupid Alan. I’m not moving until you tell me what’s going on.” I demanded. Alan let out an exasperated sigh.

    “A reaper was killed last night. In our realm.” He said. Something dropped in my stomach, something horrible and sickening. I had been out that night, without permission. Somehow I knew what was going to come out of his mouth next. “They think you did it, but I don’t believe them.”

“Who told them I did it?” My head was still reeling, unsure how to process what he said.

    “I don’t know.” He replied. “They’re holding a trial in an hour, and we need to get you to the human world before then. But I can’t get you there so I have to find someone who can.”

    “What happens if they find me guilty?” I asked, my palms sweating from the fear that began to solidify itself. He looked me dead in the eye, a most solemn look on his face.

    “You die your final death.” He continued to walk, and I followed, too stunned to object.

    I don’t know how I failed to see him as we neared the tree. After all, a tall blond man like Eric would have been pretty difficult to miss. He was leaning against the tree, a lit cigarette hanging out of his mouth, death scythe resting on his shoulder.

    “Eric! I need your help. I don’t have my pass and-”

    “And just what d’ya plan on doing with mine Al?” He blew a puff of smoke and tossed it aside. Using the tip of his shoe he smothered it into the ground. Something about him alarmed me. It wasn’t the saw swung over his shoulder, or the cigarette he was smoking, but his eyes, so petrifyingly cold as he stared me down.

    “We need to get out of here, Eric. If she’s tried they’ll sentence her to death.”

    “We’re s’pose to escort her to the trial, Board’s orders. Unless, that is you’re goin’ against ‘em.” Eric readied his scythe, and Alan called upon his.

    “Maybe I am.” Alan spoke defiantly. I was rooted to the spot; my hands in a tight fist still trembled. This couldn’t be happening, I told my self. Like brothers he said, but brothers didn’t fight, not like this. Eric’s saw sliced the air, and that moment when Alan realized what had become of Eric, the end began. Alan seized up, his death scythe falling to the ground with a clatter, but it was too late for Eric to stop now.

“No!” I screamed, throwing myself between them. With my hands I bent the world to my will. No more did I struggle to feel them, the fibers of the world, as I shaped them into a wall that halted Eric’s saw mid swing.
There was no remorse in Eric’s eyes, as Alan collapsed to the ground in pain. The Eric I was familiar with would have rushed to his side, taken him into his arms, and comforted him. But this was not the Eric I was familiar with. Not anymore. “Stop!” I panted, struggling to maintain the wall under the crushing force of his death scythe. “I’ll go with you. Just stop this madness.” Everything about this was wrong. Eric was supposed to care about him. He let up his scythe, and I was more than relieved to let the wall between us dissipate. I propped up Alan on my shoulder, just like Eric once did for him. “Lead the way.” I said.

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Chapter 5

True Intentions
    A tall man wandered through a world filled with nothing but pitch-black darkness that swirled around him. He seemed to be looking for something, although what he expected to see in such absolute darkness was unknown. Voices reached out to him, many of them, each haunting and malicious.

    “Do you have what we asked?” They spoke in unison.

    “No, I don’t.“ The man spoke to the darkness around him as if it were an entity of its own.

    “We said do not return without them.” They hissed.

    “I know something that concerns the both of us.”

    “Tell us!” The entity demanded. The man cast a twisted handsaw onto the ground before him.

    “A human girl did this. Appeared a couple days ago near the river at Westminster. Got some strange powers, she does. It’s like she can make walls out of nothin’. Could she be who you warned of?”

    “We know of her. She is a problem. Kill her!”

    “That problem is already taking care of itself. The reapers are already afraid of her. Them old fools wouldn’t recognize a real threat if it slapped ‘em in the face.”

    “Good, good. Do not fail us then, Slingby.”

    I shut the door behind me, with shaking hands, and rested my back against it. “Stupid.” I muttered, letting myself slide down to the floor. I let my emotions run wild, just as they expected of a human like me.

    “Eliza, I hope this is not what it looks like.” My heart squeezed at the sound of Alan’s voice. He was holding his death scythe loosely in one hand. From that position it would have been impossible for him to attack effectively. Perhaps he was hoping he wouldn’t have to. I wanted to tell him everything, about his fate, about Eric, but somewhere between my mind and my lips the signal fell short.

    “I’m so sorry, Alan. Everything’s so messed up,” I said instead, folding my knees against my chest, “And I can’t do a thing.” Alan let go of his scythe, and it vaporized into thin air.

    “Did anyone see you?” He asked.

    “Eric did.” I said, tilting my head towards the ceiling so that I wouldn’t have to meet his overwhelmingly innocent eyes. I heard him sigh with relief. If only he knew what happened between us, perhaps he would be less relieved.

    “You got off lucky.” Alan scolded me, as he helped me up from the floor. “Anyone other than him, and you would've been dead before you knew what happened.”

    “You really trust Eric, don’t you?”

    “Like a brother.” Alan answered.

    “Don't stop, okay Alan?” I smiled, and wiping my eyes with the sleeve of my nightdress. One day Alan would figure it all out, and as soon as he did, the end would begin. Today though, was not that day, and I felt better knowing that he didn't have to worry, at least for now.
"Why are you being like that?"
"Like what?"
    "So cryptic,” His narrowed eyes, seemed to be searching through my very soul for an answer, "Where did you really come from Eliza?"
  "It's… a little difficult to explain." I thought awhile in silence, until finally I came up with an answer that was satisfying. "Where I come from, humans can communicate in the blink of an eye, cross whole oceans in less than a day, and do things the people here can't even dream of, but in the end there's really no difference. Society changes from place to place, but human nature will always be the same."
  "You… sound like you've been through a lot for a person your age." He remarked. I couldn't remember what exactly was running through my mind at that instant, but what came out of my mouth next surprised even me.
  "Aloe."
  "Pardon?"
  "That's what they used to call me before my father died. After that, I changed my name to Elizabeth." With the sleeve of my nightdress I wiped away the tears in my eyes, and scolded myself for being such an emotional wreck. My father had given me that name, never thinking it's meaning would become too literal for me to bear. "In the language of flowers it means grief."
  "Aloe is a pretty name." His comment made me smile slightly.
  "You would be the first to say that." I stood up and stretched. "Thanks Alan, for everything. I think I'll head to bed now." I curled up on the bottom bunk, and for the first time since I got here, I fell into a sound sleep.

    I awoke to someone shaking me vigorously. Blinking away the blurriness, I realized it was Alan. “Get up. We’ve got to go.” Something about the way he spoke was strange, like he was holding something back.

   “Why?” I asked groggily, rubbing my eyes.

   “I’ve got morning shift, and you’re coming with me.” He replied, his bright eyes, periodically flicking towards the door. “We should hurry, I’m running late.”

   “Okay.” I had been sure he didn’t have morning shift, but did not question it, and hopped out of bed anyways.

    The streets were eerily void of sound. No birds called, not even the ravens I often heard. Even the wind stopped whistling in my ears. It was as if the entire world had stopped moving. “Alan, why are we running?” I asked. “What is going on?”

    “Nothing, I just have to find Eric.” He answered calmly, yet his eyes flit this way and that. There was no doubt about it anymore. He was holding out on something important, and I intended to find out what. I came to a halt. “What are you doing?” He urged me on with a wave of his hand. “Let’s go.”

    “No, I’m not stupid Alan. I’m not moving until you tell me what’s going on.” I demanded. Alan let out an exasperated sigh.

    “A reaper was killed last night. In our realm.” He said. Something dropped in my stomach, something horrible and sickening. I had been out that night, without permission. Somehow I knew what was going to come out of his mouth next. “They think you did it, but I don’t believe them.”

“Who told them I did it?” My head was still reeling, unsure how to process what he said.

    “I don’t know.” He replied. “They’re holding a trial in an hour, and we need to get you to the human world before then. But I can’t get you there so I have to find someone who can.”

    “What happens if they find me guilty?” I asked, my palms sweating from the fear that began to solidify itself. He looked me dead in the eye, a most solemn look on his face.

    “You die your final death.” He continued to walk, and I followed, too stunned to object.

    I don’t know how I failed to see him as we neared the tree. After all, a tall blond man like Eric would have been pretty difficult to miss. He was leaning against the tree, a lit cigarette hanging out of his mouth, death scythe resting on his shoulder.

    “Eric! I need your help. I don’t have my pass and-”

    “And just what d’ya plan on doing with mine Al?” He blew a puff of smoke and tossed it aside. Using the tip of his shoe he smothered it into the ground. Something about him alarmed me. It wasn’t the saw swung over his shoulder, or the cigarette he was smoking, but his eyes, so petrifyingly cold as he stared me down.

    “We need to get out of here, Eric. If she’s tried they’ll sentence her to death.”

    “We’re s’pose to escort her to the trial, Board’s orders. Unless, that is you’re goin’ against ‘em.” Eric readied his scythe, and Alan called upon his.

    “Maybe I am.” Alan spoke defiantly. I was rooted to the spot; my hands in a tight fist still trembled. This couldn’t be happening, I told my self. Like brothers he said, but brothers didn’t fight, not like this. Eric’s saw sliced the air, and that moment when Alan realized what had become of Eric, the end began. Alan seized up, his death scythe falling to the ground with a clatter, but it was too late for Eric to stop now.

“No!” I screamed, throwing myself between them. With my hands I bent the world to my will. No more did I struggle to feel them, the fibers of the world, as I shaped them into a wall that halted Eric’s saw mid swing.
There was no remorse in Eric’s eyes, as Alan collapsed to the ground in pain. The Eric I was familiar with would have rushed to his side, taken him into his arms, and comforted him. But this was not the Eric I was familiar with. Not anymore. “Stop!” I panted, struggling to maintain the wall under the crushing force of his death scythe. “I’ll go with you. Just stop this madness.” Everything about this was wrong. Eric was supposed to care about him. He let up his scythe, and I was more than relieved to let the wall between us dissipate. I propped up Alan on my shoulder, just like Eric once did for him. “Lead the way.” I said.