Prologue
I knew nothing of medicine. But I knew enough to know that after coughing out that black tar from my lungs, and being able to breathe more clearly than I been able to for 3 years was definitely something above and beyond the norm. After being a smoker for that period of time, I never actually considered what my lungs might actually have looked like, but I knew now. For a brief moment I was consumed with disgust as I looked at the black mess in front of me, but that feeling quickly disappeared when I noticed I could see EVERYTHING. Before the black pile was dust, floating in the air, shining and dancing as the light reflected from each tiny particle... What exactly had happened to me? But more importantly, just what the hell had I turned in to?!
Life
I awoke in my big comfortable double bed. I loved this bed. The one I had before really used to hurt my back, and the springs were poking out in uncomfortable places. This new one was softer than I thought a bed had any right to be, and I was always reluctant to leave it. But, it was half 6 in the morning, light beginning to come in through my windows, and I knew I only had 2 and a half hours to get to work.
My name is David. I suppose you could call me a quiet person, but being 20 meant that you become rather different after a drink or two. I worked in a posh department store in central London, and although everyone I worked with constantly came up with a string of insults about the store, personally I loved it. It was an aim of mine since childhood to work there, probably because my mother did. She was better at retail than I was, but I was getting a lot better. Apparently I had a charisma when it came to customers that made selling just that tiniest bit easier.
I got out of my bed, and looked straight into the mirror. I never considered myself at all good looking, but I could admit to myself that I wasn't exactly ringing bells in Notre Dame. I slipped into a dressing gown, and walked downstairs to the kitchen. 2 slices of toast would do me this morning, and while I waited for those to finish, I walked into my garden and sparked up a cigarette. This was my favourite time to smoke, in the morning, when you haven't had one after a good 8 hours, it gave me a small head rush, but at the same time made me more tired. But the head rush was worth it. I threw the end into the drain, and buttered my newly popped up toast.
After finishing my toast, having my shower and all other normal things you do in the bathroom, I got changed into my uniform. Luckily for me, that pretty much meant wearing what I wanted. I never really wore baggy clothes, everything I owned was fitted. I have a good figure, I will admit that. Barely an ounce of fat. That, coupled with my extreme height, sometimes intimidated people. I'm not the type to really do anything violent, I can talk my way out of, and in to, anything. I have no idea how. My mother was confident with words at work, but in the home she stuttered a lot. My dad was a quiet man, but when he did talk, he always spoke the truth and I thought of him as probably the wisest man I knew. I couldn't figure out where I had earned this little talent from, but I stopped trying years ago. Not exactly worth my trouble, I should just be happy I have it.
After getting into my fitted shirt, jacket, and slim fitted jeans, I walked downstairs. Shoes on, hair done, time to go to work. The walk to the underground station was hardly far, but far enough to have another cigarette. This pleased me, it always did. The London underground system is very quick at 8 in the morning, so I arrived to work much earlier than normal. Half 8. Another cigarette and I found myself on the shop floor. Work was a tedious boredom to be sure, despite my happiness at actually being in the place I wanted to be in since I started retail, and I couldn't wait for it to end. It was Friday. That meant only one thing.
When the time came to leave work, I was jubilant. During my lunch break I had already phoned all my friends, and the arrangement had been made to go clubbing. We had all been paid today, which just made the thought of going out all the sweeter. I arrived home, changed into a different outfit, but still all fitted, and sprayed my favourite aftershave. After my hair was re-done, I quickly went out the door to walk to my best friend's house. James was always my best friend, ever since year 9 in school. Completely covered in tattoos now, and built like a Sherman tank, He and I were almost complete opposites physically. Every time we hung out, we always brought up old, and often hilarious memories about the pure insanity we got up too when we were younger. We had become inseparable, as two people who had done so much together would have.
"JAMES!!! YOU MUPPET!!! COME OUTSIDE WE GOT PARTYING TO DO!!!!"
When I'm back in East London, I guess my voice takes on its cockney roots. When I'm at work, I certainly don't sound like that. It's kind of subconscious, work in a posh area, talk posh.
"David, how are you today my good sir?!" James grin was massive, always on his face. Never really saw him without it.
"I'm great mate, is Jayne out with us tonight or... she staying in?" The last part was pointless, as Jayne quickly appeared at James' side. Jayne was my favourite of James' girlfriend's; she wasn't a clingy, over-possessive freak like his previous. And she liked me, and I liked her in equal measure. Again, a plus I hadn't expected. I treated her as a little sister, and she treated me as an older brother. Although I saw her like that, completely platonic love, I had to admit she was one of the best looking women out there, even on a bad day. Of course, she disagreed, always finding a fault with herself that no-one else could see. Typical female thing to do.
We all jumped into James' car, and arrived at the club in the middle of Essex, where all our friends were waiting, after many hellos and handshakes to the guys, and many kisses on the cheeks to the girls, we all went inside, and began our evening.
After 15 cigarettes and more money spent on drink than I could care to remember, I went outside for my final cigarette for the night. The smoking area was completely packed, full of Chav's laughing amongst themselves about how many birds they banged last week. I immediately chuckled to myself; it was so obvious they were lying. After I threw my end into the small pot on the wall, I saw her.
She was small. Her hair was a deep mahogany, and the lights on the wall bounced off her hair and made it shine in strange ways, I could have sworn I saw purple in there somewhere. Her skin was pale white, and her eyes were the most amazing shade of red I had ever seen. Contacts was my first thought. She was alone, in the smoking area, not actually smoking, staring straight at me, as if she had never seen a tall guy before. But of all the things I noticed about her as I took her in, besides the fact she didn't even slightly move, in fact I didn't notice her take a breath, I noticed that she was the most stunning women I had ever seen. But after having thought that, my mind wandered to how old she could be. There was no possible way she was over the age of 18. Impossible. Maybe old enough to be in here, but I doubted it. At least 20 other guys were looking at her, some of them with their mouths hanging open, but she paid no attention to them. She just continued to stare at me. This is a little... strange...
Our eyes broke from the stare, and I walked inside, a little unsteadily. It's the drink... don't worry David. I thought to myself. I always re-assured myself when I was tipsy, I hardly ever get drunk. I have quite a bit of self control when it comes to drinking. Never too much, but just enough to enjoy the evening a bit more. When it was time for us all to leave, I enjoyed going home alone. I got the lift with James to the club, but I enjoyed being alone for the journey back. Just one of those little preferences I had. Probably the only alone time I had.
It didn't last. Sitting on the bus was boring, but I didn't notice the boredom this time. My mind stayed on that girl with the mahogany hair. She was absolutely stunning, why in God's name was she looking at me? And what was with those eyes! What a strange choice of contact colour, if I was her I would have gone for a light brown, amber colour. Matched with that hair, it would have looked great. My thinking was interrupted by someone sitting next to me, but I paid them no attention. However, I could tell it was a woman, her arm brushed against mine as she sat. Damn, must be cold outside. She's freezing... I never do understand how women can wear next to nothing when they go out at night, I'd freeze to death.
I turned to look at her briefly, only to notice the same young girl from the club. The bus was empty; she didn't have any friends with her, so why choose to sit next to me when there are 25 other seats? Before I could complete my line of thought as to how weird she was, she spoke in a voice so gentle and soft it threw me off balance. It was the kind of voice a piano would have if it could speak. I'd never heard a voice like it.
"Hello, my name is Marie. What's yours?"
"Erm... David." She quickly smiled and started to bounce in her seat, which threw me off a little.
"Nice to meet you David! I've been looking all over for you, but you were quite hard to find you know? And I thought 'oh no he's gone already, I won't get to change him', which really upset me you know? But it's not like I can cry so I can't prove it to you, but I guess you'll learn all about that!" A massive grin came onto her face, showing off a row of brilliant white teeth.
"Look darling, I don't have a clue what you're on about, and I don't mean to be rude when I say this, but..." And her lips were on mine. It was strange; all of a sudden I felt this urge to keep on kissing her. Her lips were ice cold, which sent a small shiver down my spine, and I pulled away. Her expression was one of pure joy, but her eyes were a little wild.
"Me and you David, we are going to have so much fun together..." She whispered as she leant in to kiss my neck.
