The Art of Dying

I emerged in a sort of meadow and the first thing I noticed; was how big and bright the moon was, over the trees up ahead and also the fact that I did feel warmer than on the other side of the portal-tree-thingy. I then I saw our little ‘group’ huddled together between two rows of candles leading to the forest up ahead where I could already hear the bass thumping up ahead from here.

Chris was looking fondly at Jade who was looking around in wonder while Oliver had his arm around C.C. and they were talking to some sort of grey/green, foggy, floating shapes. I walked closed to them. “No, they don’t come to these sorts of things.” C.C. was saying to the cloud thingies. “They say they’re too old for that.” Both clouds laughed, one with a light laugh and the other with a deep one. As I got closer I noticed that the foggy shapes held blurry faces, one masculine and one feminine.

“Too old!” The masculine cloud exclaimed, still chuckling a little. “That’s a good one. We’re older than they are both physically and in actual age, and we love ‘Mertell’ parties.”

“It’s the best holiday of the year!” The feminine cloud said. “And we’re not only saying that because we get to come back for a night…” So that’s what the ghosts look like. “But even before we died it was our favorite holiday.”

“I know, right!” C.C. said.

“Oh, hello.” The female ghost said to me as she saw me approaching. C.C. and Oliver both turned to me. A big smile appeared at C.C.’s lips and she grabbed my arm, dragging me forward.

“Del, I would like you to meet Demitri and Frederik Saxton, Blake and Zane’s parents.” C.C. said, without the disgust she usually has, when saying Zane’s name. Oh, man I’m meeting my boyfriend’s parents for the first time and my boyfriend’s not even here. Ok, Del, don’t panic they don’t even know you’re dating their son. Just smile and shut up. “Mr. and Mrs. Saxton, I would like you to meet my roomie and best friend: Delphine Valiquette.” She said, while I tried to smile despite the uneasiness I felt at meeting Zane’s parents without him there.

“Nice to meet you.” I said, shyly.

“Valiquette…” Mrs. Saxton said slowly, appearing deep in thoughts. “Sounds somewhat familiar, does your family comes from ‘Leuranf’.” ‘Leuranf’? What’s that?

“No, she was adopted.” C.C. said as she noticed that I had no idea what Mrs. Saxton was talking about. “She just found out recently that she’s from our world, she doesn’t even know what species she is yet. This is her first taste of what ‘Ellithia’ is like.”

“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry.” Mr. and Mrs. Saxton both said at the same time, sympathetically.

“It must be so hard knowing that you’re from another world and yet not knowing what you are… I hope you find out soon.” Mrs. Saxton said as she gave me a sweet, blurry, ghost smile that showcased all of her teeth.

“Thanks.” I said softly, not really knowing what to say.

“We should probably get going.” Oliver said. “I don’t know about you, but I would like to eat some of the ‘Hoco’ before they’re all gone… And I’m sure you want her to get the full experience… ‘Hoco’ included.” He said looking intently at C.C. ‘Hoco’? What’s that?

“You’re right, Olly.” C.C. said. “Mr. and Mrs. Saxton if you would please excuse us, we have to go introduce Del to all the wonders of ‘Mertell’.”

“Of course.” Mr. Saxton said. “You kids go ahead.”

“We’ll wait here to see our sons and perhaps we’ll see you later.” Mrs. Saxton finished, jovially

“Bye.” C.C. and Oliver said at the same time while I just gave them a little wave before being dragged away by C.C. I noticed that Jade and Chris were already gone. They probably went up ahead, since Chris already celebrated one ‘Mertell’ with Zane, after he was turned.

We stopped at the entrance of the forest, where there were two trees covered in creepy jack-o-lanterns that also held big glass bowls among the carved pumpkins. The bowls were filled with miscellaneous trinkets of all kinds and up ahead, I could vaguely see the outline of several bodies through the trees dancing to the alternative/pop/punk beat.

Oliver unclipped his pocket watch from his waistcoat and let it drop in a bowl among the other objects. His eyes turned slivery-grey matching his suit but I could see none of the stripes since they were all covered. At my questioning look C.C. said: “You know sometimes at party, they have this bowl where everyone puts their car keys in… well this is similar but totally different at the same time. It’s for everyone’s charmed object so that they are in their true form, while at the party.” As she finished her sentence, she unfurled her big, black wings from her back. “Ready?” She asked me with a big smile. I nervously returned it as Oliver grabbed her arm and lead her to where the music was coming from, with me in tow.

We walked through the woods a bit more till we joined the other people on a sort of giant, glass dance floor between the trees. Green and purple lights illuminated the people dancing and a slight fog was at our feet. Everyone was in their true form but also wearing some sort form of eccentric costume, and they all had some designs painted on their faces and visible body parts. There were a couple of people in ‘Steam Punk’ attire, with pointy ears, or curled horns on their heads ─which, I’m pretty sure they aren’t fake. There were a couple of lizard-looking people. Some wrinkled, little goblins milling about. I think I even saw a couple of very tiny, shiny fairies flying by really fast, and lots of other weird-looking creatures. It was really overwhelming but at the same time kind of magical.

“Happy ‘Mertell’, Delphine.” C.C. said to me as I looked at all the weird but intriguing-looking people in wonder.

“You too,” I said, distractedly, trying to take it all in. She giggled.

“Come with me, I want to go make a request to the DJ.” She took my arm and started to drag me along, before I even had time to answer her. We walked through the crowd of what I used to think was characters of fiction and to a circular desk with lots of control panels and a laptop, at the west end of the dance floor.

The station was operated by a red man with two little horns on his head and a long pointy tale wearing a big, necklace of feathers around his neck and different kinds of painted design marred his naked chest in different colors. He had black makeup around his black eyes like a sad clown and a green Mohawk atop his head. He looked like the devil ─if the devil was a punk.

C.C. leaned forward and shouted something to the DJ that I didn’t get but the DJ smiled ─a creepy smile made of hundreds of tiny, little, pointy, white teeth─ as he continued to bob his head to the beat and then the beat gradually switched to some song that I didn’t know, but made C.C. squeal in delight. As we were about to go join back Oliver, I saw something that caught my eye ─a muscular, blue/green man with lots of sparkles on his naked arms and torso wearing a flimsy pair of white pants. He also had Black and white design painted on his skin but that’s not what caught my eye, it was the fact that he danced like a god. I walked closer as if in a trance and as I approached him I started to recognize his face.

I turned to C.C. who was saying something to some neon, glowing butterfly-looking girl. The butterfly-girl nodded, then left and I asked C.C. while pointing at the blue/green man: “Is that…?”

“Shawn, your dance teacher? Yes.” She said with a big smile and I looked back to where Shawn was doing pirouettes as if he were floating, it was beautiful ─even more so then the demonstration he did at the beginning of the year. “He’s part nymph and part siren.” That explain why he’s so attractive… She then squealed and I turned to see what made her react this way only to find her stuffing her face with what looked like a small mountain of chocolate little squares piled in a sort of pyramid, on a floating carpet.

Floating carpets ─nice touch. I stared at her with a raised eyebrow and feeling my gaze, she looked up with a surprisingly clean mouth. She then smiled and her teeth were all brown with chocolate.

“Here Del, you must try these they’re called ‘Hoco’ and they’re like the Easter eggs of Easter, or the turkey of thanksgiving, …or you get the drift…but of ‘Mertell’.”

She then handed me a small one and I gently put it in my mouth. It tasted like milk chocolate but different with a fruity taste that I couldn’t seem to identify. “Mmmm, it’s amazing.” I said to her and she beamed back at me. I helped myself to another one.

“It’s coconut-milk chocolate with ‘Lushberries’.” ‘Lushberries’? At my confused expression she elaborated: “They’re sort of a cross between raspberry and strawberry. But it’s good, right?” She asked as she ate another piece.

“Yeah, they’re awesome.” I replied as I took a bite out of my second little square.

“I knew I’d find you where the ‘Hoco’s’ were.” I heard a voice ─that I would recognize anywhere─ say from behind me.

“Blake!” C.C. screamed happily as she let the flying carpet float away and she threw herself at Blake for a big hug. Another flying carpet passed by me but this one was carrying green drinks in skeleton hand glasses. I grabbed one and took a sip; it was really good and tasted like sour apple candy.

C.C. pulled away from Blake and looked at his costume. He was wearing his usual black smudged makeup though it was darker this time and more heavily applied around his beautiful blue eyes and he also had white paint designs on the sides of his face. He wore a silvery top hat and a grey, open, long, ringmaster-style jacket with lots of necklaces. There was a long red line painted on his naked, chiseled torso from collar bone to where his black pants began. He also had some sort of very deep-black mist around his hands, up to his elbows but otherwise his body seemed to emanate a soft white glow from the inside-out. I didn’t think it was possible, but he was even more beautiful in his true form then when I first met him.

“I like your outfit.” C.C. told him appreciatively. I finished my drink and put it back on the carpet, who flew away with it.

“Thanks.” He said smiling warmly at her. “I like yours too.” He then looked up at me and our eyes locked, making my stomach do flip flops. Damn.

“What do you think of Del’s?” She asked him while we maintained eye contact. “Blake?!” She questioned him more forcefully and he seemed to have to tear his gaze from my own to look at her.

“Huh?” He asked her, not having heard her previous question.

“Del.” She repeated the question. “What do you think of Del’s outfit?”

He gave me a once-over, starting from the bottom, up and muttered: “Beautiful.” I could feel myself blush but thanks to the green and purple lightening, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t noticeable. We resumed our eye contact and I could feel those damn butterflies, again, in my stomach doing somersaults.

“Thanks.” C.C. said taking credit for her hard work. “She’s supposed to be, like, my opposite, you know? Anyway, I should probably go find Olly while my song’s playing, so bye. Have fun.” And then she was gone, leaving me alone with Blake.

“So, what do you think of C.C.’s party so far?” He asked me.

“It’s great.” I said. “Very unexpected.”

“I would imagine so, for someone that never went to one.” He said with a small crooked smile. Fuck, he’s so hot. Ok, time to change the subject.

“So that’s what a ‘Gladow’ looks like.” I said as I looked him up and down again, starring for a little too long at his abs.

“Yeah, well I dimmed my glow, but yeah.” I smiled.

“You can shine brighter than that?” I asked already amazed by the beauty of his glow. As if to prove his point, he made himself shine just a tiny bit brighter before going back to his soft glow.

“I can shine to the point that if someone where to look at me directly when I do, then they’d turn blind.” He said, seriously before smiling again.

“Wow.” I said, impressed. Something then seemed to make him smile wider.

“I want to show you something.” He said looking deeply into my eyes, playfully.

“Ok…” I said not knowing what to expect.

“Follow me.” He said, excited like a little kid on Christmas eve, before he took off away from the party. I followed him and soon we reached a small, deserted clearing. I looked around and could still faintly hear the beat from where everyone were dancing even if I couldn’t see the people or the dance floor.

“So…?” I asked as I turned to look at him. He brought his hands together and the black mist from both his arms; slowly fell to the floor and seemed to fuse together to create a black, floating, animal-like shape with two tiny amber eyes. What the …? I observed in wonder as ‘it’ got closer to me and rubbed itself on my legs, like a cat, but much bigger.

“That’s Hendrix.” He said. “My shadow. He seems to like you.” I gave a small nervous chuckle and slowly brought my hand down to pet it but hesitated. “Don’t fret. He won’t bite you.” Reassured by Blake’s words, I brought my hand down and petted the shadow pet. Its fur was soft and silky but weird to touch ─similar to water not wet─ and as my hand passed through it, Hendrix appeared to purr. Blake laughed and walked closer to where I stood with his pet. “Now, I know that he definitely likes you.” He said as he too started to pet Hendrix.

Our hands unintentionally brushed against one another and I felt a small shock go through me starting from where his hand grazed mine. It’s probably just static Del, I mean you were petting a furry animal (kind of). I looked up at Blake and he had a surprised expression on his face, as if he too, felt the same shock, I just felt. Maybe it wasn’t just me.

Our gazes locked and I felt the same pull as I did the night he sang for me. He leaned in towards me and just as our lips were about to brush, we closed our eyes. His soft lips found mine and gave them a gentle kiss, starting out light before he wrapped his arms around my back bringing me closer to his body as he deepened the kiss turning it more passionate. I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned into him. It felt like I was on fire, fireworks were bursting behind my eyelids, my heart was beating erratically and if I were to die in that instant, I would die happy.

We kissed like for a while before we had to pull away to breathe, and that’s when what I just did, hit me. I kissed someone’s boyfriend. Someone that’s meant, to be with someone else. I’m like a mistress in the making. First I was like a black widow, when I killed my previous ‘boyfriends’ and now I’m like a mistress. Great, that’s just great ─not.

Also, I basically just cheated on my boyfriend… with his brother! Oh, gosh, how can I be so stupid? I pulled away from his arms and stepped back, away from him. Blake was looking at me in wonder. I turned away from him, and rapidly began to, kind of, run away but in high heels and on tip toes ─so that the heel of my shoes didn’t dig into the ground─ made me run quite slowly. I didn’t even get ten feet away from Blake, that I stopped as I heard him say: “Del, wait!”

I stood still where I was, not turning around to face him. I then felt his hand on my arm, gently turn me around to face him. I looked deeply into his deep blue orbs as he looked intently in my green ones. So many emotions seemed to flash through his eyes but the main ones seemed to be wonder and confusion.

“I…─” He began to say but didn’t seem to know how to go on from there.

“I’m sorry, Blake.” I said as I tried to get away once more only to be stopped by his hand once again.

“Wait.” He repeated. I looked back up at his face and again, got lost in the dept of his, light but at the same time dark, eyes. He then muttered: “How could something so wrong, feel so right?” He stared deeply in my eyes trying to come up with an answer but didn’t seem to find any. I felt the same and so without a word I stepped away from him, ─still looking in his eyes─ and he let me go this time.

I walked back to where everybody were dancing and moved my body along with the crowd to the beat playing as I tried to forget about what just happened. But my lips were still buzzing from his kisses, making me unconsciously bring my hand up to touch them and the butterflies in my stomach didn’t seem to want to leave me alone.

I danced alone for a while and soon there was a pair of hands creeping over my hips, a body flushed himself against mine and followed the movements I made. I pushed the unknown hands away and turn around to face who it was that had grabbed me.

The person had slicked back, black hair and a skeleton face painted on his own. He was wearing all black and a smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. I went to get away from this guy that I don’t know but he grasped my wrist and tugged me closer to him. He then whispered in my ear: “You don’t even recognize your own boyfriend?” Zane said sexily in my ear. “I think, I’m offended.” I chuckled but then I felt the guilt of what just happened, prior, with Blake wash over me. “Now what are you going to do to rectify that?” I threw my arms around his neck as he put his hands back on my hips, and I kissed him with all I had.

I couldn’t help but compare them as I kissed Zane, like Blake was more soft in his kisses even when he kissed fiercely while Zane’s were more aggressive. But even if Zane’s were more aggressive they didn’t make my stomach do somersaults like Blake did, sure I had some butterflies with him, but they paled in comparison to the magic I felt with Blake, earlier tonight. That didn’t stop me from trying to take my mind off things with Zane though.

After I pulled away (out of breath), Zane said, with his usual smirk: “Wow! If I knew that’s how you would react, I would have faked being mad at you sooner.” I laughed but it was forced as I still felt guilty for cheating on him. He seemed to know that something was wrong and looked at me curiously and gently.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” He whispered in my ear.

“Nothing.” I said trying to reassure him with a big smile. He seemed unconvinced but before he could he could question me more on the matter, I changed the subject.

“So, why aren’t you dressed like a classic vampire?” I asked him as I lightly poked his chest.

“To tell you the truth, I prefer Halloween to ‘Mertell’ and so I dressed for Halloween instead.” He said with a charming smile. “Also, I can avoid my parents more easily, dressed like this.” I was about to tell him that I met his parents earlier but a girl with all black eyes with no whites surrounded by orange eye shadow walked up to us, before I had a chance to tell him about it. She had on a golden bustier-leotard made of itsy-bitsy, tiny scales with a sort of blue, long feather trail in the back. She also had green vines looping around her arms and on her head was a headdress made of gold framing her face, surrounded with green and blue feathers at the back.

“Delphine, I need to talk to you.” She said looking at me with her creepy eyes ─creepier than Oliver’s.

“Abbigail.” Zane muttered almost reverently. She looked at him and gave him a sweet smile before she led me away painfully, by my arm. Her gigantic claws were slightly digging into my skin but not enough to draw blood.

Once we were in a secluded area she looked at me fiercely. “I don’t know who you think you are… but Blake is MY, boyfriend.” She said with a snarl. “I don’t appreciate you trying to steal my future husband/your future king by the way, from me, your future queen.” She looked at me haughtily. I so, want to bitch slap her right now but I’m a little weary of her big claws. “Since Oliver saw me marrying Blake, we all know that him and I are meant to be. And I won’t let a bastard, who don’t even know where she comes from, try to steal my man.” She said with an air of superiority.

I could ignore everything she said, and I did but there was one thing that stung: the fact that I didn’t know who my parents were or even what I was. That was a low blow on her part but she didn’t seem to care as she was smirking up at me. I was seething inside and willed myself not to cry angry tears.

“Now, you will leave Blake alone or I will find a way to get rid of you… permanently.” She said with an evil glint in her black eyes. Is she seriously threatening to kill me? “And believe me… I can, since I’m royalty… and I will. So you will leave my boyfriend alone, are we clear?”

“Crystal.” I answered, gritting my teeth. She gave me a derisive smile and strode away. I stayed where I was for a moment and took a couple of deep breaths to reign in my temper. I hate Abbigail! I’m not trying, to break her couple, it’s just… Argh, I don’t know…! It’s just, there is something about Blake that just calls to me. Anyway let’s try to forget about this and enjoy the rest of the party. After I calmed down, I made my way back to the party and on the way, I crossed Mrs. Saxton.

“Oh, hi honey. Are you enjoying the party?” She asked me sweetly.

If I put what just happened with Abbigail behind me, as well as the guilt I have for kissing Blake when I have a boyfriend already, then sure the party is fun.

“Yeah, it’s fun.” I answered.

“That’s good.” She said smiling warmly at me. “I talked to some of my friends and I’m sorry but I couldn’t find your parents or someone who knew of someone who lost their child, sixteen years ago.” She looked at me sympathetically.

“It’s fine… Thanks though.” I haven’t expected her to try to find out anything or even look, but it’s a sweet gesture none the less.

“My pleasure, I’ll keep looking and if I find anything, I’ll find a way to contact you. Now if you’ll excuse me I’ll go see if I can find my husband.” I smiled my thanks at her and then she floated away, in search of her husband.

I walked back to the party and spotted Zane he seemed to be talking to someone that I couldn’t see behind a tree. I walked closer and heard: “You’re only going out with her because you know it gets to me.” It was Blake talking, and about me apparently.

“Of course, why else would I go out with her?” Zane said maliciously and the small happiness Mrs. Saxton brought back as she talked about looking for my parents, vanished with his words. “I saw it the moment you set your eyes on her that you wanted her. But since you couldn’t have her…” I walked closer still.

“Don’t you care about her at all?” Blake asked angrily. “Toying with her feelings like that…” I finally stepped up to them and Blake was the one to notice me first. He looked at me while I looked at Zane with sadness mixed with disappointment ─like I should have known better. He’s had all the characteristics of a player and I just got played. Bravo, Del. You’re so stupid.

Zane turned to look at what his brother was looking at and found me looking at him. The smirk dropped from his face and I turned around, to run away from there as fast as I could.

When I was far enough away from the Saxton brothers, I slowed down and walked in the direction of where the portal through the two trees was. I emerged from the forest and almost ran face to face with someone I never thought I would see there.