I felt them, her last thoughts; they grew from a simple emotion into powerful images that submerged my mind in a collage of her memories. She knew what was about to happen to her even in her deep slumber and she was showing me exactly what she wanted me to know.
I was in my own body in her memories. I did what she remembered me doing, no control over any of my actions. I lost control of even my conscious thoughts as I went back the times when I believed that she was fine and everything was normal – as it could be for a guy like me.
'Just one more step,' I thought to myself, proceeding to climb up the next step. Unfortunately the attempt was met with resistance as pain raced up my right leg, causing a reflexive grimace. Word was it that someone had twisted their ankle in gym, again. Carefully, I continued to walk up the stairs, repressing the pulsing pain in my ankle... I passed by a girl that was in the 12th grade. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying; she had just been dumped by her boyfriend. Everyone can see that not just me, a total freak. I stepped into biology class and walked to my table. Already sitting there was my lab partner, Sayuri Miyura. Her light auburn-ginger hair sprayed across her shoulders concealing the bare, pale skin that her azure tank top couldn't cover.
Sayuri turned around and saw me coming, she smiled and waved. A rare sense of ease fell over me as I approached her. There was something about her that consoled the demons within my mind. I wanted to be there with her, forever. I smirked slightly at her cheerfulness and pulled a stool out from beneath the lab bench taking a seat beside her.
'No!' I fought back, momentarily regaining consciousness. 'I don't want to relive the past... I wanted to spend the last minutes of her life with her!
"So," she began, "how was your day Ryoichi?" She took out a small square piece of paper and began to fold it.
"Horrible," I replied as I took out my textbook and skimmed through it. "Somebody just sprained their ankle in gym."
"Really?!" she said, "Wow it must have been painful" she continue to fold the small piece of paper. I didn't reply. She then stopped her paper folding to reveal an expertly crafted paper crane. Taking it by the head and tail, she pulled on it making the wings flap up and down. A lop-sided grin appeared upon my face.
Sayuri's thoughts continued to stain my consciousness. Despite being overwhelmed by her memories, I could still feel her flame flickering as she drew closer to the clutches of death.
We walked towards the small cafe. Sayuri skipped and danced, so carefree and happy, her scarlet tresses bouncing about. Oblivious of the afflictions that would befall her, she continued her joyful march. I walked beside her having troubles keeping up with her pace. My mind was consumed with dark feelings and thoughts. Somebody died in his family. I wondered, if death would be the answer to all my problems, it seemed to have worked for a relative of mine. They are going to have a divorce. I wonder how their children are going to feel. She just wants to commit suicide. Maybe I should do that. I sighed and quickened my paceto keep up with Sayuri and at the same time, making sure that she did not slip on ice covering the sidewalk.
We walked into a nearby coffee shop and ordered drinks before grabbing a table and sitting down. Sayuri raised her Chai-latte to her lips and took a sip, scalding her tongue.
"Ow," I murmured, Sayuri glanced at me with some concern, "don't drink your latte when it's still hot, I can feel it burning my mouth." Sayuri giggled, whispering a quick apology. The cafe was pretty quiet, not many people wanted to come because of the freezing, cold weather created by Mother Nature. Knowing this gave my mind a little peace; it meant that I would have to endure less of their pain and anguish.
"So Ryoichi," she began, while blowing on her Chai-latte in hopes of cooling it before taking another sip, "tell me about your ability. I want to be able to make your life..." She stopped, trying to find the right word. "Happier."
Sayuri! Stop it! Stop showing me what I don't want to see! All this agony and pain, I can't take it!
"Well," I started, "it's hard to explain." I fidgeted, "I was born with this...curse, should I say. It forces me to share the grief, sorrow and, in general, the pain of the people around me. When I was old enough to realize and understand the curse that was bestowed upon me, I told my parents, naturally they tried to help me, but nothing they did worked." I stopped, stealing a glance at Sayuri, hoping she would be able to comprehend all of this nonsense. "After that, I became conscious that nothing I did would rid me of this horrible curse. So I went on with life." I spun the spoon around the cup, careful to not make a sound and ruin the silence. Ten minutes passed in utter silence.
"How can you be so calm and not lose your mind?" Sayuri asked, breaking the silence, as she took a sip of her cooled drink. I didn't reply. She pressed on. "What does it feel like?" I stopped spinning the spoon and placed my hands in my lap. She looked at me with a bit of concern. I took at deep breath and decided to speak my thoughts to someone that finally would want to listen.
"See that man over there?" I pointed to a figure outside the window; he was slightly hunched over walking with a slight limp. "He is suffering from heart cancer," I said dully, "right now I can feel the burning pain in his limbs, how hard and unbearably painful it is to walk and how he worries about his family." She glanced at me, taken back by how much I knew and turned back to him, trying to process all the information I had just disclosed to her.
"That woman over there, with the black hair," I pointed my chin towards the female standing at the cash register, lowering my voice at the same time. "She is having difficulty with her husband and children; she wants to have a divorce. I suffer what she suffers. I feel what she feels, right now she's thinking about her children, how hard it would be on them if she gets a divorce." I took swig of my own drink, now distastefully cold. Sayuri opened her small, round mouth, probably to ask another question.
"Do you know what it feels like? To see someone die before your eyes?" I asked. She didn't answer. "I feel it every day. Someone over there has a cousin that was in the army and lost his life." I clenched my fists, "Those residual emotions are easier to deal with. Sometimes I have to be the one that actually dies. For example, if I was near a car accident with someone dying, I would feel myself dying. The terror and shock of death is almost unbearable!" I cried. Some people stared at me, as if I was mad. I don't blame them; I am mad, mad and insane. "And when they pass, entering the final darkness, I feel like I want to join them. The darkness is......calming and stops all other emotions I feel. Just at that time, but it doesn't last." I gazed into her bright emerald eyes as she fixed her eyes upon my lifeless grey ones. Another five minutes passed like this. Abruptly, a peal of laughter broke the silence between us. Sayuri laughed loudly, her high, clear voice filling the dead silence that surrounded the small coffee shop. I sighed and got up, shaking my.
'No! No more!' The beating of her heart was already slowing down to an unnatural pulsation. She was going to die in seconds. Please, let me out of this torture; let me be with you for your last moments in this world.
I stared opened mouthed, gaping at the gorgeous scene that sat before me. We were at the Kitsilano Beach of Vancouver. The sky was pure, with no clouds covering the never-ending, clear surface. At our feet the white sand was warm, bathing in the sun, further up the clear cerulean waters of the Atlantic Ocean rise and fell in deep majestic waves. I never had given a thought to spending my summer somewhere as astonishing as this.
Beside me, Sayuri took at deep breath of the fresh salty air. She was right, I needed go outside more often, get more sunlight. Being around Sayuri I learnt that I can block out thoughts that threatened to destroy the strong hard wall that I created in my mind. The days that I spent with her are the days that will forever be branded into my memories. I tried not to think about the days that she won't be there. Before her, everything I did didn't have a meaning, everywhere I went was agonizing. Being inside my own home was painful being outside the house was even worse. But with Sayuri, it was different, she made less dreadful. I look forward to spending time with her.
We sat down on the sandy beach, quietly enjoying the cool breeze and breath-taking scenery. A razor-sharp, piercing, jab punctured my left arm, just below my elbow. I hissed and grabbed my arm. Sayuri jumped to her feet and hopped to my side. Her long copper red hair wove through the light breeze. The knee length, lavender dress she wore swayed with the wind.
"Did someone get hurt?" she asked lightly. I nodded and took a deep shaky breath closing my eyes; I took the dark, excruciatingly, painful thought from my mind and pushed it to the deepest, smallest corner of my brain, locking it up. The pain within my left limb subsided. I released a shuddering but relieving sigh. I slowly opened my eyes, I soundlessly gasped in shock. Sayuri face was astonishingly close to my own. Our noses so close to touching, she leaned in a bit more, slowly and cautiously. My heart was pounding, threatening to burst through my rib cage and through skin, out my chest. Then I felt her lips lightly touch my cheek. She pulled away gently, a delicate smile danced upon her red lips. I felt the blood rush up to my face, I looked away slightly, casting my eyes upon the blue waters. Sayuri giggled, and stood up, brushing the sand from her dress. I gazed at her through the corner of my eye. Slowly I felt a small smile grace my lips. "Come on," Sayuri said, beckoning me with her small delicate hand, "let's go for a walk".
Everything disappeared; everything in my mind blacked out, going down into black waves of agony. I knew what had happened, Sayuri Miyura was dead. I couldn't comprehend all of this. I couldn't accept the fact that she was dead. The nurse forced me get out of the room, because I wasn't a family member. Sayuri's mother is at this moment crying and sobbing over her dead daughter. Sayuri's father slammed his fist down upon the bed – Sayuri's death bed. Even though they knew she was going to die sooner or later, they didn't realize it to be so subtle. The nurse shut the door and went back inside, to comfort the broken family and preserve the corpse. My body felt weak, I couldn't handle being in a hospital anymore. I stumbled my way down the hall and out the door. The sky was crying, crying for the beautiful life it has lost. I raised my head to the heavens and screamed. "Why did God have to take her away?! What has Sayuri done to deserve this?!" People stared, I didn't care anymore, like I did to begin with, nothing mattered anymore. I staggered my way across the street, cars honking and drivers yelling at me to get off the street. People calling me insane, mental, and stupid.
"Is he trying to get himself killed?!" a woman said. I paid no attention to her just continued to walk. Then I heard a louder more vivid honking and turned my head, before me a car was out of control, couldn't stop, it was going to hit me. I slowly shut my eyes and waited. Readily I waited for death. An image of Sayuri's face flashed behind my closed eyelids. Her bright smile and intense emerald eyes shown at me, I smiled, and then my entire world disappeared in a flash of black.
The last heir of Elva's supernatural abilities is no more.