Knives ran his tongue over his cracked lips. There was no more moisture in his mouth, and his dry, spongy tongue whispered across the sensitive flesh. He winced as some of the skin came apart. He knew his lips were bleeding now, but not enough to wet his tongue, and he could not taste it. He tripped on his own feet and fell into the sand, feeling the sun sear his back. What a funny way to commit suicide, he figured. But in his troubled mind, he thought that this method was best. He was wasting away slowly, the pain eating into him second after second, but never harsh enough to make him loose consciousness. That is until now. He was slipping, and he knew that if he slipped this time, there would be no waking, not to his failure, and not to his painful memories.

He rolled over, the heat swirling into his delirium. He wondered what would greet him upon death. Surely hell. "I'm sorry Vash," he whispered, words gouging their way up his stiff, parched throat, and past his numb lips. "I love you.." He choked on the words.

This was hell, he realized. He was already there. A wind suddenly swept over him and he coughed as he breathed in sand. It was washing over him. He felt as if the world itself was burying him, as if it was sentencing him to death, rather than he himself passing judgment.

Sweet moisture stung his tired eyes and trickled down the side of his face. Was he crying? He couldn't quite remember the feeling.

"Sound life…" came a song on the wind. The sweet tune swirled through his ears, and those hot tears trickled on. Rem? Was that her? He couldn't distinguish the voice, his mind was too weak to process it. "Rem…" he rasped. "It hurts…" And he fell; into such impenetrable darkness, with that song following him down. He had one final thought. Rem was singing him into the Devil's arms.

"Knives," she whispered, raven hair billowing in the wind. "Why? Didn't you love me?"

The sky was blue. Such a pure everlasting blue, that went on forever and ever, into the distance. It was such a familiar blue. It was a sky of pain and betrayal, and the memories echoed in his head, bouncing against his skull like fluttering creatures. Was this his hell? This moment in time? Where was Vash?

And there was blood. Blood everywhere. "Knives!" came his voice. "I hate you!" And it was his blood, on his hands.He heard Rem, so far away, as she cried, and begged, tears falling, sky blue, not a cloud in sight, no judging sun, but the blood, oh it burned him, her tears, burned like fire.

"Please..." he cried. "No more!"

And the darkness came again.

"So... On the first night, a pebble falls to the earth from somewhere." she sang, and all was quiet.

a/n: ok, i decided to start writing on the story. this idea has been in standby for a while, but i think it might be received well. and no, this isnt the end ; the lyrics are the english dub of "sound life". if theyre wrong, blame the site :D