Pain. That was the one word Nathaniel felt. The only word he knew, right at this moment.
Oceans of great pain enveloped his legs, sending bloody rivers of hurt all over his body. It was electricity that ran through him, singeing him, and jarring his essence, damaging what seemed like his soul.
His legs were being goaded, prodded, cut, burnt…they were killing his legs. Inflicting pain upon pain on him- oh god, did he look bullet proof? He was being tortured…and he had not an ounce of defence left in him.
The numbing oceans of pain, which had been slightly merciful, were replaced by huge, burning flames. Flames which he could hardly endure. Sweat was pouring freely out of him, trying to get away from him. His jaw was clenched as far as it could go. His eyes were shut- perhaps forever.
Through the manic torture, he had shut his mind off completely. But now, for one moment, one instant in time, he thought. And the first word, the first name that entered his somnolent, aching mind was, Rose.
And, instantly, everything changed.
Nathaniel blinked his bafflement, staring at this wondrous, new scene before him. Dark fields, under the luminescent glow of the moon light, long, uncut grass swishing to the calm lullaby of the cooling wind.
He looked down at his legs. Nothing. Not even a trace of the trauma he had just experienced. His legs seemed fine. There was an unexpected rustle, like someone walking on grass, and Nathaniel's head snapped up, expecting the worst. It was anything but.
She was there. Rose. It had been such a long time since she had come, since she had seemed real. Such a long, lonely time.
Nathaniel tried to walk forward, but couldn't. He watched as her delicate figure, shimmering in a thin, white dress came towards him in silence. Yes, this was the best Rose. Long, pale hair billowing in the secret night wind, rosy pink lips parted slightly in solemnity, soft blue orbs staring sincerely at him.
He smiled. Yes, this was the Rose he loved. He wanted to scream and shout his joy, but somehow it didn't seem right in this solemn setting. Instead, he reached towards her.
She looked down at his outstretched hand, then looked back up and shook her head. She smiled at his confused expression. And then she spoke, for the first and last time.
"She's coming."
She was slowly dissolving into dark shades of purple and black.
But not before Nathaniel saw the look on her face. And the silent message she sent him.
Goodbye.
"You know, its pretty weird. Our small town, in the middle of nowhere, is suddenly getting a rush of new people. Are we like the new hotspot or something?" Chia said, frowning, directing the slightly rhetorical question at Athena.
She didn't wait for her to answer, but drove straight into an explanation, one which was hardly listened to.
"Are you okay?" Paige asked Athena, slightly nudging her. It was the day after the 'huge revelation', and they were walking to school- together.
Athena noted the irony of the situation; she should have been asking the other girl that.
"I, uh, I'm fine," she replied, careful not to talk over Chia.
Neither she or Paige were much the talking type, but there were some things that just had to be said.
"I wanted to thank you, Athena," Paige began, and smiled humourlessly at her quirked eyebrows. "If you hadn't come to this town, then I wouldn't have had the chance to meet Theo, or to know him," she said softly, wistfully. "It was a great gift you unknowingly bestowed on me, and because of it I have changed, and now I see the world in a different way. I will feel forever grateful, Athena."
She didn't know what to say to that, but warmth spread through her like a glowing fire. It was almost as if she could glimpse her brother in Paige. And though, she doubted the 'soul mate principle', she would never doubt that Paige had met her brother and was his soul mate. It was too hard to deny. Too true to ignore.
"How- how was he?" she asked quietly.
She saw Paige smile almost dreamily. "He was like an angel, Athena. It was like I had known him all my life. He understood me, and even though I know he's gone, he's still here- and don't you forget that."
Though some things are unspoken, they are said through look and deed and it was obvious to Athena, that through a generous twist of fate she had landed herself next to two very caring people, one who now regarded her as a sister, for which she in turn was forever grateful.
Paige clasped her hand, and for a moment, the two girls bonded over the one thing they had in common, the love for Theo.
"….I mean first you came, then that new teacher, and there's been this gorgeous Spanish guy I've just started seeing, and I've just seen another stranger, with the whitest, most blondest hair ever- I mean what is….?" Chia trailed off at the way the other two girls were looking at her.
"What?" she asked defensively.
They shook their heads, but Chia saw their shoulders shaking in silent laughter.
"Hey, Matt. Matt." Chia rushed forward to a lanky guy, with vibrant reddish, ginger hair, and dragged him to where they were standing.
"This is Athena. Athena, this is Matt, this town's most accomplished photographer," Chia said proudly. The guy, Matt blushed, silently fiddling with the cameras around his neck.
"Hey," he said shyly. Athena greeted him back. She guessed with Chia around, you could not go without being introduced to people.
"Oh yeah, Matt, is there any new dudes in your year with really, really pale, white hair?"
Athena watched as his smooth forehead was marred by a frown.
"Uh, not that I'm aware of, no. But, listen, I've got to run now, so see you around," he said, and rushed away with a wave.
"That's weird," and Chia rushed off too.
Athena felt the strangest sensation in her mind, it was as if someone….no. But a subdued voice in her mind told her to look at the tree. So she turned.
And there he was. The new guy with the palest, blondest hair. He was very tall. Very tall. And his skin was extremely pale, as if it had never seen sunlight before. The light of the day gleamed of his smoothed-back locks, and only a few locks hung as curtains on his forehead. He was leaning against a tree, a nonchalant posture- and it was only then she realised why she had turned to him.
He was looking at her. Not out of the corner of his eye. Not sneaking small glances at her. But actually staring at her in a perturbing manner. Athena couldn't see his eyes, or what colour they were, under the shade of the tree, but she had a feeling, that his eyes had the same look that wolves gave meat.
Don't be stupid, Athena.
But just as she told herself that, the last day's events swept into her mind. Of course, there were people who looked at others like that.
She glanced at Paige, and nudged her. The other girl, also scrutinised him, but not in the way he was staring at them.
Paige frowned, and leaning in, whispered, "I don't like the looks of him. He seems to have a troubled aura." At any point in her life, Athena would have scoffed the ideas of people reading others' auras, but her life had changed now. Paige added, "He looks Night World to me."
Athena nodded, but didn't look back at him. They walked into the building. Athena breathed in cool air.
She had suffocated under his stare.
"Hi," Chia said to the blank, slightly dark and handsome face of a guy she didn't know.
"You probably don't know me, I'm Chia, but I had to thank you for what you did for my cousin the other day," she said sincerely.
His face was blank, but his eyes were telling a different story. They were stormy grey, cloudy grey, pale grey, dark grey. Every shade of grey imaginable, and in a way that made grey the most intriguing, most beautiful colour ever. His ash coloured eyes, looked like a haunted soul, as if he had lived through every worst thing possible, only to find there was nothing left for him at the other end of the corridor.
"The day of the storm, you carried her to the nurse. That was very nice of you," Chia said, trying not to stare at his eyes, the poor, hunted animal, that was so feebly calling for her help. She was drawn to him, and she felt pathetic for being such a hopeless romantic.
"It was hardly a problem," he said, and with an acknowledging nod of his head, he walked off.
It was only then, that Chia realised how his smooth walk was jarred by a slight limp.
She watched his classical handsome features walk off in grace, even with the limp.
The day Chia had glimpsed him, his beautiful long black hair, that he tied at the nape of his neck, those troubled grey eyes, that strong jaw line and the detached look on his face, she had been unknowingly captivated. Spellbound by the way he moved, the way he talked, the way he just was.
And she felt herself being even more drawn towards him, because she had seen the sizzles of pain behind those unfathomable eyes, and it was almost as if she had felt it for herself. And it was immeasurably sad. Infinitely sad.
He didn't even tell me his name, she thought with disappointment racing through her veins.
But something inside her, something that had just awoken, whispered delicately to her, You already know, Chia.
And it was true. She didn't know how, but it was true.
Maybe Nathaniel Gray had telekinesis and had told her his name through a mind connection. Or better yet, maybe she had read his mind.
Now, that was a thought.
Athena walked home alone. It wasn't really home, home, but it was where she was staying now, and it was enough.
The cold chill, slapped her brown hair onto her cheeks. Her lips were cold and blue, and her eyes were watering in the icy weather.
Yes, it was cold, but she felt much better than she had in days. Far from the pain she had felt when she had first arrived to the town.
Her questions had been answered. There was a reason now, and she felt her mind creeping comfortably back into the familiar scent of sanity.
Of course, the pain was still there. That would take more than a few days to go away. But, this town had given her a fresh start. It wasn't in the way she wanted. You couldn't run away from your past.
Your past was a rosebush full of memories, some prickling your skin with thorns, some the delicate brush of a petal on skin- but you could never run away from it. It grew and grew and enveloped you into the core, until you were surrounded with memories that made you smile or that made you bleed.
But, she was slowly learning to accept her past, with the answers she had gained, and now she had a new start to life, already with two friends who understood her the most in the world.
Athena was so lost in her, finally optimistic thoughts that she missed the tall, pale guy standing in front of her.
"Athena," he said, his white hair neonly vibrant in the darkening sky. He smiled slyly, as if he was talking to an old acquaintance, "Athena, like the Greek goddess of war?"
The tone of his voice was quietly mocking. Quietly dangerous.
He stepped forward, and his eyes glinted.
They were amethysts. Purple, with no emotions, that they resembled a cold, hard stone. An amethyst jewel. Beautifully unique, but cruelly cold.
Athena shivered under his stare. The feeling of suffocation welling back up in her.
She stared at the purple wall of his eyes, the gateway to his soul blocked by skilfully cut amethysts, and felt herself suffocating.
"Of course she was the goddess of wisdom as well," he carried on furtively, almost as if he were ignoring her altogether, "and a virgin goddess. Pure, and untouched."
He smiled, but it was not a smile of mirth, but one of predatory hate.
"Breathe, Athena. I won't touch you." He stared at her open neck.
"I promise I won't bite," he whispered silkily, threateningly.
It was only a second, and Athena just caught sight of milky, translucent teeth- no sharp, long canines; she just glimpsed the feral, terrifying look on his beautifully grotesque face, before he lunged at her.
And, when he did, the whole world went black.
Athena had suffocated. Drowned in a world of air.
Author's Note: I have surprised myself with this wonderfully quick update. Can't say its fabulous or long enough- but it is satisfactory. I vow to devote more time over the next chapter, and make it brilliant. But I'm ebntitled to some time off now. A quick thanks to Polished Gem for her inspiring reviews.
I hope you all enjoy the latest chapters, which aren't exactly the best. But, ah well, tell me honestly what you think.