When does death come?
At the end of a life?
What if I said you're wrong?
And told you:
That death always looms.
It is there from the moment you are born.
And until your very end.
At every birthday party.
Every class graduation.
Every late-night sleepover with your friends.
Did you know?
Death is your very friend, until the end.
But fate is worse.
It doesn't allow chances.
It breaks them.
Why do I speak of death?
Because I already died.
I'm just now starting from zero.
***
Step by step, Lexus and I moved forward.
Our gait quickened, and our hearts pumped with adrenaline as we rushed to our destination.
But we didn't run for too long. A nice older man in a wooden carriage offered us a ride.
He found us as we were jogging along the cardinal colored mud.
I now looked ahead, eyeing Lexus as the carriage took off.
I saw how tired she was from running.
I could feel my muscles and bones ready to crumble and deactivate, too.
Standing up, I moved ahead.
As I sat down next to Lexus, her head turned to me.
Our eyes locked in a stare.
"Hey," I said with a smile.
"Hey, Key." She replied.
Laughing softly, "You look totally out of it." I told her.
"Just tired. Aren't you?"
"Absolutely." I sighed.
Looking away, "The old me could've run all that way, and never have lost a single breath." Lexus told me.
"Seriously? I didn't know you were an athlete. Why can't you do it anymore? Mind telling me?"
With a slight nod, she parted her lips to speak.
"My full name is Lexus Hart Naiver. I'm a future representative of the Naiver clan. I was born to be strong, to lead my people to success, always."
I just listened, not wanting to interrupt her, taking everything in.
She continued, "From birth, 3 runes were placed over our bodies. These three runes support the powers of this world. The Authority rune represents strength, the Prescene rune represents Health, and the Grace rune represents agility."
"So... this is like magic?" I ask.
"Yes, I suppose it would be." She replied.
--"As I was saying, to activate these runes and to make use of them, one must be proficient in the use of the Vein circuit."
"Vein circuit. Runes. Okay, I think I'm understanding now. And I'm assuming you lost the runes? I ask curiously.
"Yes."
She removed the garments of her clothes from over her shoulder completely, revealing three ugly scars, resembling those of a vicious burning.
"Ouch," I exclaim.
"It doesn't hurt anymore," She told me.
She fixed her clothes, her eyes facing the floor of the carriage.
"You must be curious about the runes and stuff now, huh?"
Grinning, "It's magic, who wouldn't be?" I say with excitement.
"Fine, I'll tell you a bit more."
Time picked up, it felt like.
Our shoulders were touching one another, and she had been leaning her head onto mine.
As she spoke, I felt the tranquilizing warmth of her body.
The nonexistent luminescence of her voice fed my ears with joy.
It was here.
I no longer felt that feeling of limerence.
My once cold body, without a heart, was beating with warm grace.
***
Winds picked up in the Northern region.
The faint humidity was turning into a biting frost.
Covering the lands in a crunchy, hard sheet of ice and snow.
When the sun graced the ground, the white of the frigid winter could blind one.
The old man in the carriage could only take us so far.
About 3 kilometers out, he dropped us off with a wave and smile.
"You two lovebirds, be safe now," He told us.
Turning, he said:
"Ah. I forgot. It's a bit chilly up that a'way ain't it?"
Lexus nodded, as I wasn't sure.
"Well, those clothes on yer' backs ain't gonna cut it. Here."
He threw both of us a silver coat.
The mink along the collars and cuffs was surely enough to keep us warm.
Lexus walked over and handed the man something.
As we were walking away, I asked:
"What did you give him?"
"Compensation," She told me.
.
.
It wasn't exactly a blizzard, it was more like its child.
It threw itself onto our bodies as if trying to knock us off balance.
Yet we persevered.
Our fingers, nose, and ears were beet red.
Using the warmth of our breath, we slowly heightened the temperature of wintry fingers.
"Please tell me we're almost there," I said with a slight whine in my tone.
"Look no further."
Her hand plunged into the snow.
Startled, "Don't do that, you'll get frostbite!" I exclaimed with a yelp.
"It's okay," She told me.
Suddenly, she pulled on something from underneath it, the snow flying off.
It was a latch of metal.
It was warm, yet it didn't melt the snow on top of it.
"How does that work?" I asked, confused.
"Ask them."
"Who?"
I felt her hand on my back.
She then pushed, causing me to fall forward into the latch's hole.
Yelling, I expected a punishing fall.
"Bonk!"
"Huh?.." I said to the voice of a child.
"BONK!"
It was a kid, using their fist to lightly tap my head before--
"BONK!"
"Hey, stop that. Who are you?"
Then I saw it.
Along the boy's face was a dark, glass-like crack.
It was very real.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"Your face....?"
My voice fell flat as I looked to find at least 10 people around me in a circle.
My vision must've gotten lost during that fall, because the entirety of the place I now resided in entered my field of view.
"Wow."
Everything was brick and wood.
The pavement is a ruddy color.
Standing up, I looked around.
A contorted smile of nervousness on my face as I waved at the people.
I felt no hostility.
"Excuse my handsome friend, he's new around here."
It was Lexus's voice.
Yet all I could think about was:
'Handsome?'
Her hand patted my back.
"Sorry for the push," She told me, sincerely.
"It's fine. I'm not hurt at all."
Curious, "Who are these people, and where are we?" I asked her.
"Meet the split people. The name references the genetic cracks on their faces."
I waved to them once more as they said this.
Turning to Lexus, "And what're we here to do?"
"Study." She said.
***
He doesn't know it yet.
But I admire him.
His selflessness.
His kindness.
His bravery.
He's only 18 years young.
Yet he's a man.
The hope of tomorrow.
Maybe they'll wake up.
When they see him.