Close Yet Far
By: Destiny Musso
Who said that I wasn't right?
I've lived for years without a life,
Don't have a soul on my side.
Still ridiculed despite how hard that I have tried
Don't take me under your wing
I don't need a hand, don't need anything
I've got a roof over my head
as if I'd rather be alone with me instead
Mason hadn't always been so dark, so brooding. It had been a steady decline as he got older, life had been getting darker and darker for him since his 16th birthday. It wasn't anything his family had done, it was his own doing. He had sold his soul, he sold it without even thinking about it. Most people that had heard the rumor about it believed it did it for fame or something like that. It was more meaningful than babes and money, it was Marc's, his youngest brothers, life. He was dead at birth, tearing up Mason's young heart and leaving the middle child, Mitchel hurt and confused. He had made his way to the crossroads that were just down the road from the hospital, he didn't have the right information but he begged and pleaded for it anyway. Lilith, the first demon, appeared before him, a smirk on her lips and a deal in her mind. His soul in ten years for Marc's unborn life, Marc's soul was still in limbo barely to the gates of heaven.
Mason's eyes welled with tears as she considered her options, "Please?" he begged softly as she walked around him, her white dress billowing in the soft summer breeze.
She laughed softly, "You haven't even met this child, why should I listen to you?"
His eyes got a little wider, his tears falling to his chubby innocent cheeks. She faltered seeing the young boy cry, she was a heartless bitch most of the time but seeing this boy cry honest tears broken her heart. She had seen real anguish, she knew what it was like to lose someone you only just began to know or understand. She got on her knees before him and wiped the tears from his cheeks.
"Hush, Mason, don't cry. I'll give you 13 years, at the end of the thirteen years I'll be back. You won't die and Marc won't die. I'm only going to collect your soul." Lilith said her voice velvety soft.
She stroked the young child's head as his tears subsided. She carried him back to the hospital, his head was buried in her blond curls. She left his sleeping form on the small wooden chairs in the play set that was in the hospital waiting room.
"Don't forget our deal," she whispered her voice soft but caring.
Mason's eyes slowly opened to see the smiling face of Mitchel, holding small baby Marc. Marc was a perfect baby, a quiet calm replacing the screams of Mitchel and the cries of their parents. Marc's eyes slowly opened as Mitchel placed the youngest Musso in the arms of the oldest. Mason smiled, his grins spreading wide over his face, he was happier than he could ever remember at that moment. He cradled the small baby close to his chest and smiled wider than he ever knew he could.
close yet far
drop me a line and tell me how the hell you are
and I'll tip my hat to those who can't believe it's me
though I never never never ever wanted this to be
Fast forward 13 years
Mason had hit adolescence and he really had grown. He spent most of his time since that fateful night in his basement room, his life was getting steadily darker. He was trying to bed every girl and guy that he ran into. One fateful night he was trying to talk a girl into bed when she bit him. He reeled back but the change was nearly instantaneous. He was changed into a vampire, a blood thirsty but in control vampire. He looked at everyone in a new light, the names he would be called if he lost control plagued the back of his mind. Freak, leech, and a few others were already flung at him by his extended family. It was a mistake to tell them, they didn't get him like he thought he did. He spent even more time away from his family. Mitchel missed his brother, he had been down in his room for over a month. Mason was laying in his bed, his eyes closed but not really asleep. He never really slept anymore, everything was too depressing in his life for him to actually sleep. Mitchel nervously opened Mason's door and tiptoed down the curving stairs, he looked around and stepped over Mason's pet snake. It hissed at him but didn't move after him like normal so Mitchel breathed a sigh of relief. Mitchel sat on the corner of the bed and looked at his feet. He screamed as Mason moved quickly to his neck and bit down gently. Mason moaned softly in the back of his throat and slowly drank Mitchel until he started coughing. Mitchel fell from the bed and backed away from Mason.
"Mitch?" he stuttered out, the innocence rising inside his soul caused his voice to crack.
Mason looked away from Mitchel, bile rising in his throat causing him to gag. He hadn't meant to bite Mitchel, he had meant to bite Marc. Marc was so weak at 13 he needed the extra boost of health blood could give him. He gulped as Mitchel sat there, no shakes, no convulsions. He was confused as he crawled off the bed, Mitchel should be lunging for any warm blooded animal, mainly himself or the cat in the corner.
"Mitch?" he stuttered out crawling over to his younger brother. Mitchel sat there holding his feet, he was looking away from Mason, and sighing softly.
Mason looked over Mitchel's body looking for the obvious signs of vampirism, the paling of the skin, the deep purple bags under his eyes, blossoming of his pupils to fill his brown iris's, but none of them were showing up.
"Mase? I love you brother." Mitchel said flopping on top of Mason.
Mitchel's body was still a little space heater, his heat radiating from his slender frame. Mason let his finger intertwine in Mitchel's hair, calming both himself and his brother down. Not long after that the young boy fell asleep, a small puddle of drool forming on the patch of skin visible from his white v-neck. He looked at Mitchel's calm sleeping face and slowly picked him up. He carried him silently, the only sound was of his feet padding up the stairs slowly. He laid Mitchel in his bed before he pulled the covers up around the small boys frame. He looked away from the bed and rubbed his face, he could've sworn he heard someone outside.
I can hear the sounds of the city
sunrise and set are the same to me
a hesitating pulse is good company
and my reflection offers no apology
but who said that I wasn't right?
I've lived for years without a life
don't have a soul on my side
still ridiculed despite how hard that I have tried
He slid out the door and ran downstairs. He slid down the banister and stopped as he saw his cat cower in fear at the foot of the stairs.
"That's right kitty, be afraid," she said with a laugh as Mason scooped up the small tabby.
"It's okay baby, she won't hurt you again," he cooed softly glaring at the blonde haired women that lounged on his bed.
He set the tabby carefully on the stairs and watched as she scampered up the stairs.
"What the-?" he yelped as the women came up behind him and grabbed him.
She threw him to the bed, "You owe me something, birthday boy," she said with a laugh.
"Who are-? What are-? Why are-?" he started.
"Lilith, demon. I've come for your soul."
He looked back at her his eyes wide as she ripped his shirt off. His eyes widened, he didn't want it, not like this. She straddled him, forcing herself on him.
"Stop resisting," she barked at him, her voice cold and cruel.
Her touch was rough and cruel as she began raping him.
"You agreed to when you made your deal," she whispered her body moving fluidly over him.
He clenched his eyes shut as he started crying softly, his body going limp. He willed himself to sleep, ignore the pain inside of him and just pass out. He woke up hours later tangled in his sheets, "Was it a dream?" he said softly, under his breath.
He looked around and he felt suddenly numb and hollow. He looked at his chest and saw what looked like claw marks going down his chest.
"Kitkit?" he said softly.
He looked around the floor for his cat, he believed that he had been dreaming. It felt way too vivid to be just a dream but that wasn't what he had on his mind. He got out of bed and looked around, he wasn't noticing it but he was emotionless, he wasn't scared for Kitkit but rather just looking for him. He walked a few steps farther and felt his feet hit concrete. It was unnaturally cold but it really didn't bother him very much. He heard the door open at the top of the stairs, he ran to the bottom of the stairs and watched as Trace jumped down the last few stairs.
"I did it!" he screamed grabbing Mason's shoulders.
Mason looked at him, his eyes widening with confusion.
"Did what?" he murmured softly.
"Got my first tattoo!" he shrieked his voice completely joyful.
Mason shook his head as Trace ripped his shirt off exposing his upper chest tattoo. Mason's eyes traced over the script, 'Songs of Victory', he murmured it out loud as Trace started shaking.
"You okay?" Mason asked his voice soft.
Trace smiled, his mouth wide as he looked at Mason.
"I've never been better." Trace said as he flopped down on Mason's bed. "Could I sleep in your bed tonight?"
Trace flashed him what everyone called his 'puppy-dog smirk' and laughed softly.
"Okay. Does your dad know you got that inked?" Mason said, his disbelief creeping into his voice.
Trace looked scared for a moment, "Holy shit, he's going to tear me a new one."
"Who did you go with?" he asked, scratching his neck casually.
"Mommy Tish." he said softly.
Mason rolled his eyes, Tish was a sucker for Trace's horsey puppy dog eyes. Mason flopped on the bed and sighed, he couldn't believe how Trace had gotten a tattoo. First he started smoking and now the tattoo, he was worried but not as much as normal. He frowned to himself and then shook his head as his friend started snoring slightly. Mason rolled his eyes as Trace clutched on to his arm, Trace had night terrors so he always needed something to cling onto. Trace panted softly and whimpered as he buried his face in Mason's chest. Mason started humming softly as he ran his fingers through his friend's hair. He knew it comforted him down, calmed his heartbeat, if he didn't do it Trace would soon be clawing away at his chest. Mason remembered one night Trace came over, his chest coated in fresh and dried blood, long slashes from Trace's nails covered his torso. The blood had gotten everywhere, Mason salivated with a groan remembering the amount of blood and they slept.
close yet far
drop me a line and tell me how the hell you are
and I'll tip my hat to those who can't believe it's me
though I never never never ever wanted this to be
Fast forward 13 years
Mason looked back at his life thus far, it had been long, hard and painful. Everything had been rough and he remembered when he met his wife, Kelsey. She had been hanging out with Mitchel and when they saw each other he could feel a fire ignite deep inside him. He hadn't felt this way in years, it was all so new but old. He could feel himself falling in love with her. The first time they talked he couldn't stop wondering what it would be like to be with her. He built up the courage to ask her up over the months that she was around. About 10 months later he finally got up the courage to ask her out, they dated steadily, fighting occasionally but always making up, until the day they got married. They day they got married was beautiful, he was surrounded by his family and he realized she was the reason he got his emotions back. She woke up the emotions that had been buried deep inside him, from his years of teen angst and depression. He knew from the very first moment that she would be the last person he would ever kiss. She meant the world to him and he knew that they would always have their fights but in the end they would always make up.
I want you so bad, can you feel it too?
You know I'm so, I'm so in love with you
I want you, so much
I need you, so much
I need your, I need your, your touch
And I'll swim the ocean for you
The ocean for you
Whoa, Kelsey