Rue
Pit...Pat...Pit...Pat
The constant repetition of rain registered in my ears. My black suit, one whose color already faded from lack of use, was soaked completely; sending a cold shiver running down my spine—but I paid it no mind.
Taking a deep breath, I steadyed myself for what I was about to do...what I had to do. I trudged forward—left foot, then right. Each step feeling heavier than the last.
As I edged closer, the dirt crunched under my boots like an annoying reminder that she was now part of it. The rain seemed to increase even more, weeping in sorrow for her. It didn't deserve to do so, she was better than their cries.
Finally, I saw her...I paused, my eyes softening as I observed her.
There she lay, peaceful and just...perfect. Her long blonde hair still glistened, contrasting against the drewy atmosphere. Her smile still remained. Her face, almost like she was just sleeping peacefully and could wake up anytime soon. But I knew that was not the case.
My hands tightened around the bouquet of flowers. There were just simple dandelions, her favorite. Though, no flower could truly ever capture her beauty.
I released a breath, my eyes taking in her features—burning it into my memory, until they finally closed the lid over her coffin—sealing her image forever.
Another breath released from my mouth, as a memory resurfaced.
"Hahaha", laughter rang out, Emily doubling over herself. "God, Rue, how did you not know that..." She chuckled out, unable to hold in her laughter.
Rue narrowed his eyes, "I'm not in need of such knowledge. Now, leave me be I have work to do." Swiveling on his chair, he answered coldly.
Emily pouted, "Aww c'mon, that was pretty funny." She complained. Seeing his lack of a response, she simply smiled. Going to his side, the available chair at his side; she sat. She simply smiled at him, watching him work.
"Rue, let's get married." She asked suddenly.
Rue paused in his work, caught off guard by the question. His gaze shifted to her momentarily, before receding back to his work. "Remove such nonsense thoughts from your head, such will not happen." He resumed his work again.
Emily chuckled, "Oh, a challenge. Well, I'll keep asking until you say yes, even if it kills me." She smirked at him, though he had just ignored her in the end...
I shut my eyes, the pain of the memory too much to bear. I took a breath to steady myself.
A weight fell on my shoulder, I didn't even have to turn to know who it was.
"Rue-"
"It's Sterling to you." I cut him off, slapping his hands off my shoulder, I turned slightly towards him; his short figure coming to view. A slight anger passed through me, the resemblance between him and her were uncanny. He didn't deserve to even look like her.
"I...I miss her too. I know you're hurting. I am as well, she was my sister-"
"You cannot even begin to fathom what or how I feel." I caught him off." Turning back to her grave, I simply said, "The resemblance between the two of you, makes you that more unbearable. Leave now."
I didn't pay any more mind to him. I didn't need his pity. I didn't need anyone's pity. His presence left my side thankfully.
Hours passed by, and by now all the people had already left. Though, I didn't care either way. It was much better as their presence was starting to annoy me. I had lost feelings in my legs long while ago, but I didn't care.
I felt a presence beside me. He knelt down before her grave, delicately dropping a flower on her grave. He folded his hands as he offered up a prayer.
Standing up, I observed he was quite tall—much similar to my height, though a tad bit taller. A long black trenchcoat adorned his body, a black cane with what looked like a skull head, and a top hat rested on his head; completing the look.
He removed his hat, bowing slightly to me in greeting. "Good day sir." His red eyes stared at me politely, but I observed that he's greeting only felt genuine on the surface.
I stared at him for a few moments before returning my gaze back to Emily's grave.
"Oh, how rude. Kids this days—so dull." He commented.
I ignored him. His persona; obvious. I recognize the cheap pretense, trying to be more important than one actually was.
"She's gone you know. She's not going to come back even if you stare at her grave all day." He said once again, "But why are you here in the first place, it's not like you actually cared about her at all."
I snapped at the words. Rushing him, I gripped his collar. His body hitting the tree as I pinned him to it.
My gaze burned into him, my breath; sharp and ragged. My grip tightened around his collar.
"Don't you dare say that." I growled out, pushing him further into the tree.
He chuckled, seeming not to be bothered about being pinned to the tree. "Relax young man, I didn't mean to...insult your feelings for her. It was just a mere observation." He replied calmly which only seemed to annoy me more.
"Hey, hey, hey" he raised his hands to his sides, "Care to at least hear a gentleman out first before you throw some blows." He said.
I glared at him more. If he was trying to provoke me, it seems his strategy was already working. I did care for her. I did!
My grip tightened even more as my annoyance rose. Seeing that I didn't look like letting him down anytime soon, he spoke. The question shaking me to my very core, as this was the start...of my downfall.
"Would you be willing to hear her laughter once again child?
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"Now what did you mean by that." I asked him.
Sitting across from me, the man observed the house around him. "Hmm, when there said you were a recluse, there weren't lying; to say the least. " He said.
I ignored the observation. I knew it was correct. I had no use for cleaning, nothing was more important than my work...
My brows furrowed at the thought slightly. I narrowed my eyes at him, suspicion on why the thought came up as soon as he spoke once again. His smile was unnerving.
I pressed, "You said I could hear her once again, what did you mean by that?" My patience, wearing thin.
His red eyes focused on me, a small smile on his face. "It is as I said child. Would you be willing to see her again?" He repeated.
My brows furrowed at the question, my annoyance growing with each second. "If you won't answer my question-"
He cut me off. "Relax young man. I can definitely see the sincerity and willingness to see her, and you will." He answered.
Then the next moment shocked me to my very core. With a wave of a hand, a book appeared in front of him with a green shimmer.
My eyes widened at the display as the book floated towards me and landed in front of me.
"I...I..." I tried to speak, but the action that just happened left me too stunned to speak.
The man simply smiled, amusement in his eyes. "Hah. Well, what are you waiting for, you want hear her laugh again. Open it up." He said, conjuring a cup of tea. Stunning me even more.
My body felt mechanical as I looked down at the book in my laps. Part of me felt fear, fear of the unknown. This went against every scientific part of me. This was against laws and facts that man have lived by. I was sceptical when he told me I could bring her back, but with what he just showed. Maybe...just maybe...
The idea of seeing her once again made my heart beat that bit quicker. I quickly opened the book. The pages felt chaffy and looked to be goat skin texture. In it were many plans, calculations, and designs for a machine. Time. Temporal collapse. Quantum entanglement. This words echoed in my head. I felt my eyes widen, my heart beat even quicker. 'This!...this could work. I could see her..." He thought.
"Why..." I looked up, a question in his head. But stopped as the mysterious man was no longer sitting across from him.
There was a silence in the room. I gripped the book tightly, feeling that if I didn't; it would disappear.
Looking back into the book, I noted the materials I would need for the machine. Some were easier to get. The junk yard has those in excess. But the more delicate ones...
"The lab has them. I'll need to steal them from the vault. No matter." I concluded quickly. It didn't matter whether I had to steal or not. As long as I could see her once again, morality wasn't in my mind.
I started to get to work. My body moving with an extra energy. 'Emily, wait for me. We'll meet again.'
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I didn't waste any time. I quickly went to the junkyard, the items required for the machine, fixed in my head. Sneaking past the guards, I got what I needed and left.
Arriving back home, I immediately went to my lab and got to work. The calculations, the formula spiraling out.
The calender fluttered quickly, the months passing by in a flash, useless to Rue. Say in, day out. Lab was where he was, the machine the only thing on his min; the sole purpose—to being her back.
Six months had passed since the mysterious man had given Rue that book.
Alex got out of his car. Locking the door, he looked at the house across from him and couldn't help but sigh.
It was a mess.
The grass was overgrown and unkept, the cottage walls were wearing out and part of the roof seemed to be falling apart. Overall, it looked inhabitable for a human to live in.
Walking up to house, he knocked on the door. But as he knocked, the door collapsed with a loud crash; startling Alex.
Gulping slightly, Alex cautiously walked into the house. "Rue!" He called out. "It's Alex. Look, at the funeral, we ended things wrongly. And it's been months since the others have seen you, and were getting worried." He spoke out, but received no answer.
Knowing only one place rue could be, he looked for his lab.
Treading slowly, he carefully opened the door. His eyes widened to the sight before him.
The room was in a mess, like a tornado had arrived and decided to wreck it for a while day straight. The walls, which could barely be called that, were peeling and fades. Same with the ceiling. On the floor, coffee packets; a ridiculously unhealthy amount of them laid on the floor. But what drew Alex attention was the contraption that laid in the middle of the room.
It looked like a standing mirror. The frames were replaced with wires, thick and thin, running through it and into the ceiling. Strange symbols with what looked like... "Blood!" Alex spoke, his fear increasing more.
He turned over to the table, rue laid head first on it.
"Rue!" Alex rushed over towards him. Shaking him, he called out. "Rue, Rue, are you okay."
Rue shifted slightly, before raising his body. "Huh." Rue said, confusion on his face.
Alex sighed, relief in his face. "Rue, what's going on. What is all this? Why haven't you been answering your calls? The rest of us have been worried..." Alex bombarded rue with questions.
Rue furrowed his brows. "Will you keep quiet." He said, his annoyance tipping. Rue looked up towards the clock, seeing the time, his eyes widened as he quickly got up. But he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his back. "Argh!"
"Rue!" Alex called out, catching rue from falling. "Don't suddenly stand up like that. You look like you've not slept in days, let's get you upstairs; you need sleep and honestly food." He said.
Rue pushed himself off Alex."Leave me, I don't require your assistance. I have work to do." His body protesting in pain, but he ignored it, going back to his work.
Alex furrowed his brows, "Work? Work?! Rue, look at yourself. You're a mess. You look like you've not eaten in days, or slept in weeks." He shouted out, his frustration for his friend spilling over.
Rue paused slightly, glancing at a nearby shattered mirror. His face was darkened and chappy, his beard, unkept and messy. His hair, greesy and uncombed. Eyebags were underneath his eyes. Basically he looked bad.
Shaking his head, Rue got back to work. "It doesn't matter. I have to get back to work."
Alex looked at his friend, his eyes softening slightly in pity. He walked towards him, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Rue, I know you miss her. Goodness we all do. But throwing yourself at work won't be what she wanted. I...I know it's hard accepting it. I lost my sister, but life moves on and we have to..." Alex was caught off as a blow landed on his face, throwing him back.
Alex landed on the ground hard. Slowly lifting his hand, he winced as he touched his cheek.
"Don't you dare..." Rue growled out, "Don't you dare say that. You never knew her. All of you may have moved on, but I won't! Never! I will get her back!" He screamed out, his breath heavy, his eyes flashing red temporarily before reverting back to normal.
Alex was shocked. He didn't recognize his friend. Someone who was once calm and always collected, looked to seem he was going mad.
Getting up, Alex cautiously walked up to Rue. "Rue, I think you need to see a doctor. You're not well."
Rue looked down, his hair shadowing his eyes. He sighed, "You're...right. I just...I just miss her." He said.
Alex sighed in relief, he was finally getting to his friend. "I know, we all do. But you don't have to get through this on your own. Okay?" He placed a comforting hand on Rue's shoulder.
Rue nodded, "Thanks for helping me."
Alex smiled, "It's no problem Rue—" A sharp pain rang through Alex, as he was caught off. Looking down, he saw a dagger plunged into his stomach. He stared back up at rue, "R...rue, why?" He struggled to say, coughing slightly.
[Rue]
I coldly looked at him. "I don't need to give any explanations. Just know, at least with you're sacrifice was needed, Emily will be back with me." I felt my mouth widened slightly, a hint of craziness my eyes.
Alex eyes widened. He looked to be struggling to stand, no matter, his death would soon come.
I left the knife in his stomach, going back to my workbench. "Honestly, it was quite frustrating waiting for one you simpletons to come over and check on me. But I did narrow it down based on probability to be you..." I explained as I grabbed a large cable and connected it to the machine, "So all I had to do is wait. And the friend who wants to check on everyone shows up...." I finally walked up to Alex, who was now visibly struggling to stand.His breathing heavy and short. His eyes unfocused but seemingly locked on me, as I said, "...You."
"Well, that's enough chatter." I gripped the knife, the soft squelches of flesh sounded out. Twisting he knife, I pulled it out in one swift motion. Blood splattered out, as Alex buckled under his own weight—falling to the floor. He didn't scream out, he calmly accepted it; as his life gave out with a final breath.
I watched him fall, a calm gaze in my eyes. My mind calculating the time left, his fresh blood, the last ingredient—blood of a close one—the last ingredient for the machine.
I looked down at my hand holding the knife to see it...shaking. I held it with my other hand. "It was needed. Yes...yes." blile threatened to rise from my stomach, but I forced it back down. Removing a picture from my pockets. It was an old photo, one taken off handley and cared for as such. But became the most important piece of her, it was one of Emily. "We'll meet soon again. I don't care what it takes." I coldly resolved, immediately getting back to work.
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I looked at the now complete machine. My eyes felt heavy, threatening to close, but I forced them open. My legs, weak to stand, begged in protest for rest, but I forced myself to stand.
My heart quickened as I gripped the book in my hand. The last section was what looked to be an incantation, one needed to power on the machine. I began,
"Life's vow was broken by the quiet word...", The air suddenly chilled many degrees. I felt the lights flicker. I continued,
"My mind, my body, the debt I incurred...", A grinding sound started out from the machine. My heart quickened in anticipation of that.
"The price is here, fresh, vital, and done...", I observed the wires glowing a blood red, pulsing with heat. Contrasting with the chilling atmosphere.
"Let the threads of the past be broken and respawn...", The center of the mirror shimmered, pulling in light.
"One life for one sight: Let me see her once again!" The machine screamed. Electricity scattered and danced round. The building shook, threatening to collapse. Then silence, it all stopped.
I waited, but nothing. My heart threatened to sink, 'Did it not work. Was there a mistake in the calculations? No!No!No!...' I lamented in my head, but then suddenly...
BOOM!!!
An explosion rang out. The blast destroying the laboratory, the roof collapsing in itself. I was launched back due to the force. The house shook even more, struggling to stay upright.
After what felt like eternity, the blast stopped. I coughed slightly, blood flowing slightly from my mouth, but I ignored it. I got up with a struggle, my body shaking in protest.
I trudged forward, my chest heaving up and down. Dust covered my eyesight, but I continued forward. Until, I reached the machine.
There it stood, like a gateway to a better world, a better time. I looked, my heart hopeful and longing, and then I saw her. My eyes widened, she...was right there. Right in front of me. The machine worked. I rejoiced in my heart.
"E...Emily..." I called out. I saw her turn. She looked quite surprised to see me, and then she simply smiled. Oh how I've missed that smile. I stretched out my hand towards her, ready to finally tell her, finally tell her...
My hands touched the hers, and then I passed through it. My mind didn't register it fully. I slowly turned back, seeing the machine was no longer functioning. My eyes widened, "No!No!No!", I scrambled towards it, falling over in the process. "No...no...no. It has to work. Why?" I cried out, clenching my fists.
"Hmm, you look quite upset child, didn't you see her again?" A voice spoke out. A voice that I haven't heard in the last six months. The one who sold me this dream. The one who gave me this book.
I slowly looked up, staring at him. He was dressed the same way he was the last time I saw him. "Why...why didn't it work." I asked, tears streaming down my eyes.
He paused, his red eyes staring right into me. Then his smile widened, widened too ridiculous degree that no human could, should ever be able to do.
Fear started to sleep into me as I stared, my body wouldn't stop shaking. Then he spoke, his voice radio and screeching. "What do you mean? You saw her child. That was what you wanted."
"Noo, I didn't want that. I wanted to be with her. You...you tricked me." I screamed in deviance.
He laughed, "I did no such thing child. I simply gave you what you asked, to see her and hear her once again. And now you simply give me what I own." He said chillingly.
My heart dropped, "W...What do you mean."
He smiled normally this time, though his eyes were glowing a neon red. "Ah child, well that would be...your soul."
All I saw was black.