Close your Eyes
By: Beloved Kitten
Chapter One: What you've left behind
The air was frigid. Cold gray winds played with the hems of white curtains as they wavered in the breeze through the open balcony window. A mahogany side table was over turned, an oil lamp and its contents spilt onto the white carpeting. Shards of glass as if flakes of snow were scattered in the corner. Their white – pearl color gleaming. Wine stained the carpet and soaked into the throw of the over turned mattress. Blankets spilled at the bed frame. Feather's ripped from pillow's bellies lay across the floor surrounding.
A dresser was covered with fragments of perfume bottles that had once been whole. The mirror's cracks stretched forth like webs. Chunks of it lay on the dresser top and on the floor. A single bottle of translucent glass lay at the dresser's feet. Its liquid sent pulsing softly into the air.
As if materializing from the air itself orbs of black light dripped from the ceiling. A pulsing burgundy core of light at their center. Breathing into the room poison as they vanished with each object they touched.
The room cried out in agony; each splinter of wood was carved with a dark tale. The walls silent from the horrors they had seen. Claimed by spirits…something had happened here. The air was frigid with it.
A pale, delicate hand could be seen from behind the other side of the bed. It's wrist concealed by the tumbling piles of sheets. The fingers stiff.
Mint shot out of bed, her heart pounding, sweat beading on her forehead. She took deep half ragged breaths, her dark brown eyes wind in fear. Leaning over she slowly placed her head in her hands. She had been having the same dream for over three years. Yet this was the first time she had gone close enough to see the pale hand that lay limp on the fine carpet.
She shivered even though she was warm, drenched with sweat. It seemed that of lately the dream was building into something more. Holding her eyes tightly shut she swallowed the non-existent knot in her throat.
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The next morning Mint yanked back the curtains that framed the towering window. Light stuck the room baking the girl's face with warmth as her back faced her shadow that stretched across the wooden floor.
Light danced on the dresser top, flickering in the mirror. Baking the empty bed in warmth. The girl lifted her hand pushing back her dark blue bangs; shielding her eyes from the sun's intensity.
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Standing in front of the long slender mirror that hung on her wall looking at her reflection she saw what time had changed. Her hair was slightly longer; a few locks slipping from their loosely done buns. A couple of inches were added to her height. Her dark blue dress snuggly curved to her from flowing outward at the skirt. White laced cuffs where at her wrist of her long sleeves. Pearl white buttons streamed from the collar to above her chest.
She fingered the pendant that hung from a fine chain at her neck.
Her eyes going out of focus as the swirling memories came to form.
A hand came out, reaching through the rain and cradling the pendant in her palm. Reaching into her pocket she pulled out a long, thin, gold chain and linked it onto the pendant. A smile came to the girls face as she held it out in front of the other by the chain. The blue haired one lifted her hand and gently took it placing it over her chest where her heart was. Both the girls smiled at each other as the rain slid down their faces.
Rubbing her thumb over the heart in the center of the power pendant Mint bent over and picking up her brown leather bag.
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Walking out the front double doors to her family's mansion she made her way down the long drive way and through the front iron gate. As she set off a figure stood upon one of the stone columns that the hinges of the gate were mounted on. Draped in a dark clock, hood pulled up, cape enclosing the body as its head slowly followed the dark blue haired girl walking down the street.
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Lettuce was looking longingly out the heart shaped window, her hand held a silver tray in front of her. Long, silky aqua green hair plaited in two braids that dropped down to her waist. Her sea blue eyes a lovely contrast to her hair. The front door to the café opened. She blinked then turned to face Mint as she stepped into the café. A smile spread across the porcelain face as she stepped up to her friend. She noticed Mint looked a little pale.
Lettuce bent forward looking into Mint's distant hazel eyes.
"Mint, you ok?" she asked. Mint gave a weak smile as she started around her.
"Just some old memories…that's all."
Lettuce followed her into the back room. As Mint opened her locker, pulling out her uniform Lettuce closed the door and turned to face her. A fleck of worry in her eyes. Her voice came out soft but clear.
"Mint…What kind of memories?" Mint stopped what she was doing and looked off at nothing. A vision of a face bordered by falling droplets of rain came to mind.
"Of her," she said simply. A pained look flashed through Lettuce's eyes. She knew exactly who "her" was. She swallowed back the lump in her throat and took a step forward.
"Who's her?" The room was silent; Mint's arms limp at her side. Her eyes covered by dark blue bangs.
Lettuce sat at the pink cushioned, white bench that sat below the lockers and slid a bit towards Mint. Her hand tentivly reaching out to brush against Mint's.
She blinked then looked down to face the solemn face framed with green hair and innocent blue eyes.
"We all miss her Mint."
She sighed then sat down beside Lettuce looking down at the row of lockers across from them. Mint hated it when the memories swelled back in an agonizing pulse. But she always held back the true pang of the emotions….never let herself cave in. Lettuce's voice came out shakily.
"Don't worry…we'll find her…Someday…We'd be all back together again along with-
Mint cut her off with a shallow chuckle as she looked down at the polished floors.
"Together…that's nothing more than an ever fading hope. After more than three years do you really think we're going to find her?" She looked up into the glistening sea blue eyes. "Do you really think we're going to find any of them? There gone – both of them...There not coming back." Lettuce bit her lips as tears brimmed in her eyes. She shook her head.
"Mint, don't say that. Some day I'm sure Keiichiro would be able to make contact with Ryou. I'm sure-
"Would you stop it Lettuce…please just stop..." Mint's head was down. Her pained voice broke Lettuce's heart. As she held back her tears she reached out and wrapped her arms around Mint's shoulders embracing her into a tight hug. As Mint looked out into the distance. At a vacant nothingness as the girl held her… she felt numb.
Chapter One: End