L Is For?
L Is For Life
Life. It's a simplistic word. However those four little letters wield immense significance. Life, it's the very essence of this world. Every plant, every insect, every animal and every person breathes in the wild winds of life. Every day is a desperate struggle against the tumultuous breeze, lest life's fickle aura deigns to erase someone from the glorious road of life.
Life is fragile. Not a soul knows when the God's shall choose to claim them. Thus, humans believe in seizing the moment. You only ever have that one opportunity and once it's gone, it's gone; forever spirited away into the abyss of time. So before the end arrives they strive to fulfil their wishful dreams so as to engrave their legacy onto the minds of the next generation. Everything is for the sole purpose of insuring their brief existence held some meaning.
Life is an irreplaceable treasure meant to be cherished with the utmost respect. That's what the average person articulates, anyway. What about the unlucky clan cursed by the arctic air? The tortured victims stalked by the devil's breath. Yes, some of these misfortunate people probably deserved all the pain they received, what with karma and all. Still, the morose life is also unjustly bestowed upon creatures without a sin etched across their hearts.
These wretched, innocent beings perpetually suffering thanks to the burden of life. Powerless to retaliate against the heavy chains lashed upon them, they have no worth. With absolutely no purpose to their pathetic sham of a life, they can only look forward to their inevitable demise.
But what if the unthinkable occurs? When you are finally blessed with the chance to stare straight into Death's eyes but he refuse's to grant you the salvation you had constantly prayed for. What then becomes of the lost, little lamb?
My name was Nagi and this is the story of my death.
"Nagi, you're free, right?" Naguro Maya questioned, with crossed arms perched beneath her ample bosom. Without bothering to wait for an answer, she continued. "I'm stuck on cleaning duty today but I already promised the girls that I'd hang with them today. Can you take care of it for me? Make sure you work hard, 'kay. I'd hate to be lectured for tiding up improperly. Well, see ya."
As per usual, Nagi hadn't been able to squeeze out even a syllable of an answer to Maya's flowing commands. And like always, she silently watched as her boisterous classmates headed off to enjoy the rest of their day, while she alone remained in the empty classroom.
Sighing to herself, Nagi cheerlessly began tending to the maintenance tasks that befit her role as the class slave. She knew that she could easily walk away but doing so would only incur the wraith of Maya and co. Showing aggression was too much of a hassle, with little to no reward. She had already long since resigned herself to this dismal, solitary fate.
"Mm," Nagi let out a restless groan. Blinking her violet eyes for a short moment, the monochrome world sent alarm bells ringing amidst her petite frame.
Instead of returning to the hostile environment she called a home, Nagi's destination had been the school library after successfully accomplishing the job given to her. She'd been sleep deprived for the entire day as her mother and step-father's intense argument had forced Nagi to suffer a bout of insomnia the night before. Her exhaustion had caught up with her whilst in the middle of reading a novel penned by her favourite fantasy author.
Stretching her stiff limbs, Nagi stuffed the book in her schoolbag and hurried out of the building. Stepping out onto the dull streets, Nagi travelled down the footpath at a snail's pace, while contemplating how her overtly strict mother would punish her for her tardiness.
Turning a corner, Nagi's gaze took in the silent road. There, in the centre of the street, idly sleeping without a care in the world; was a calico cat. Searching her surroundings, Nagi couldn't detect any other signs of life but that could utterly change in an instant. It would weigh down on her conscience if she failed to wake the napping kitty before a metallic vehicle crushed the life out of it.
That reason is why Nagi found herself kneeling beside the slumbering feline, in the middle of a deserted road. "Kitty, wake up. This isn't a safe place for you to rest." When verbal instructions resulted in failure, she resorted to shaking the cat awake with her palm.
"Ouch," she complained, as the freshly awoken kitty roughly scratched its sharp claws against the back of Nagi's hand; before dashing away into the night. Using the glow of the crescent moon, Nagi examined her stinging hand, frowning at the droplets of blood leaking out of her torn flesh.
Suddenly, the world instantaneously became illuminated. Raising her head, Nagi noticed two bright lights speeding towards her and then the world started spinning.
For some unfathomable reason, her back was unexpectedly lying against some kind of hard surface. She attempted to get up and discover what exactly was happening but her brain refused to comply with her whim. Her entire body shivered with a colossal amount of agony, the likes she had never experienced before. Her breathing mutated into an irritating wheezing noise and one of her eyes was gradually becoming contaminated with crimson-brown liquid.
Am I…dying? That idea popped into her delirious mind. Nagi felt that she should of undergone bursts of regret and despair from her conclusion, but no emotions surged up within her. Her heart had already been obliterated long ago. All that remained of Nagi was a hollow shell that had repeatedly wished for her feeble life to cease to be.
Finally. I can finally rest in peace. A miniscule smile flittered upon her delicate face and she gracefully welcomed the invading darkness that was swallowing her whole. The faint trace of laughter resonated within this deathly night.
"Ku fu fu."
A/N: Thanks for reading the first chapter and I hope you enjoyed reading it. Please try and leave a review as it would really make my day. Thanks again. :)