''Roza, is that you?"
His voice was calling for me. That same familiar and impactful voice. Somewhere in my mind, I knew this was merely a dream.
"Oh! Dimitri? Is it really you? Where are you? Where?"I asked frantically.
"Yes, it's me. I'm here, Roza. Behind you," he whispered softly in the darkness.
I twisted my body around and Dimitri materialised in front of me. He was in translucent form and he still portrayed a stoic face same as before. He was the same old Dimitri I knew. But this time was different. He communicated to me with his.. soul.
"Dimitri! You're back! Tell me, you're not a Strigoi right? Tell me!" I demanded, even though I knew technically he's dead. I paced slowly towards him, but he stepped back.
"Calm
down, Roza, to what I'll be saying," he pleaded.
I
nodded reluctantly. Then he continued, with each word sounded like a
thousand knives ripping through my heart.
"I
know it's hard for you to accept the truth. But what's done cannot be
undone. I'm a Strigoi now. A merciless and dangerous one. I'm not who
I was. You can't come kill me Roza, you can't. I won't risk you. I
don't want to hurt you anymore. "
It was as if I could feel
his pain. But his pain was all for me. He had hid it so well that it
almost had me fooled.
"No,if you are a Strogoi, I can't just leave you like that. I have to fulfil the promise we made long ago. Iwon't allow others beside myself to do it. Even if it means costing my life, Dimitri.." Tears began to well up in my eyes. I could not restrain it anymore.
"Roza, please don't say that. I beg you.. No recklessness for the last time." His words were so convincing that my heartached. But it did nothing to soften my heart in the end. Mydecision was made.
"Look, what would you do if I was the one being turned instead? You would do the same right? I would do anything for you. I won't make you suffer. So stop worrying about me."
I felt a huge lump in my throat and finally tears trickled down my cheeks. I used my hands to rub them off. He held out his hand too, to reach for me. But he seemed so far away. He started drifting muttered something too low for me to hear. With one last agonizedlook on his face, he was gone.