The sewer isn't as bad as people tell you. Sure it smells like shit but it's not like I expected any different. The long tunnels and networks of drain pipes and opening had become my home, I hadn't known any different. It was among the foul smelling water that I made my home. In a part of the wall tucked away you can find an opening, inside that opening is a fairly normal looking home if you can even call it that. It looks like something straight out of the ninja turtles, I know but it's wicked anyway. There's only one entrance into the hive and it's about a half a mile out from the first entrance back to the surface. That's where I am now, taking this… This… Well hell if I know what it is, my sister had just dropped a bomb on my mental health.
I am now the lowly demon staring at my sister in horror at what she's just told me I'd thought she was the smart one in the family, but evidently I'd had been wrong. She looks so confident through those pursed black lips and cynical smirk. I can't believe she'd even think about this, she's nuts and she needs to see someone about this whole immortality obsession. I could care less that she wanted to live forever, that's her choice. No, I cared that she was willing to get herself killed over a chance to live forever.
"You can't be serious Rose, this is ridiculous. It's dangerous and honestly really stupid." I blurted after she had told me her plans. Rose thought she could just waltz up to the graveyard, kill the witch, cut her heart out and eat it, gain immortality and go on her way. What a load of crap.
She just shifts her weight and looks at me through uncaring eyes. It's the same kind of look an annoyed person would give to a little child. "David I've already made my decision. I appreciate your concern for my wellbeing but your words won't change my mind."
"ROSE." I say trying to keep my voice calm, saying her name through gritted teeth. If my eyes weren't hidden behind shades she could appreciate the killer glaring. "She's staying with a NECROMANCER. Do you need me to spell it out?"
"I'm aware of the fact and the risk involved. But I will have the witch's heart." Rose's tone doesn't change, she sounds quiet, uninterested and maybe slightly annoyed at my concerns. "I'm sorry you don't agree David, but you really can't stop me."
The truth of it was I can't stop her, she isn't more powerful than me when it comes to battle but she does hold a lot more sway in our hive. There's not too many of us, maybe fifteen at most but Rose is one of the top dogs and I… I'm just the lowly demon, I only have authority over John and he isn't even a demon. So if this came down to it, she would just tell the others I'm trying to stop her and they would restrain me. Because when princess Rosie says yes it doesn't matter what I say. The hive supports her ambitions to live forever, they don't care about the risks like I do. So when she starts walking away I'm not really sure what to do. I kinda just shrug and hope she doesn't die I guess. It's her funeral, I'm her brother not her father. I don't have any sway or power over Rose.
She's about to climb up the latter to escape the sewer when I feel my deep voice start to grumble.
"Rose." She stops infront of the latter to give me her attention but doesn't bother to look back.
"Please don't do this, I have a really bad feeling about you going to that graveyard." Rose scoffs and begins climbing up the latter before I can even finish. There's a ray of light as she opens the entrance and climbs out but it is smothered only a few moments later when she pushes it back in place from the other side.
I start walking back to the hive after shoving my hands in my pockets.
It's her funeral.
Back in a certain graveyard, hidden inside a small mausoleum not too far from the edge of town I perched on the edge of a coffin most comfortable. Sitting across from me is a dog eared witch, also enjoying the comfort of a coffin. I am now the extremely amused necromancer who just found out that Jade had never seen someone transform before.
"Roxy! Please just do it one more time!" She whined stomping her feet with a huge grin on her face. My grin was equally wide, it was hard not to smile when she was around.
"Ok, ok fine." I laugh. Gathering a little bit of energy I focused and spread my arms muttering the incantation under my breath so quiet I didn't even think Jade with her dog ears could hear it. Next my skin felt a little tingly. I looked down at my hands and sure enough they were slightly wrinkly, I could feel the globs of makeup now coating my face and a new stiffness to my bones. I smiled at Jade and she was jumping up and down.
"You look JUST like her! Ahhhhhhh! I didn't even know necromancers could do that!"
Mustering my best southern bell voice I tried to mimic the waitress from last night. "Sweethart you ganna run us out of coffee or what." The spell worked perfectly and I looked just like her, my voice copied her pitch although my tone was a little off. I'd have to work on that.
It had been only a week since I'd met Jade but her being there had changed me. If someone had told me a week ago that I'd be mimicking a mailman for standup comedy, well I might have just added his body to my collection. But last night the mailman cloak had been our source of entertainment. Everything had just changed. Jade said she was more herself now, she said she usually just laughed and giggled most of the time. I shrugged at that, laughing seemed foreign to me a week ago but now I'm all too familiar with the joy and stomach pain it brings.
Yesterday I had also showed her my book of summoning cards. My summoning cards holds and preserves bodies I collect. It's nice in a pinch, I don't have to run and dig up somebody from a graveyard and I can still keep the corpse moderately fresh so they weren't all bones and rotting flesh. One drop of blood on whatever card I want equals one body of any kind I had collected. I liked to call it my body book, Jade thought that was morbid and pretty terrible, she actually found the whole thing pretty morbid and terrible but in the end I think she understood. We just agreed not to talk about the summoning cards in the future.
After the two of us calmed down Jade began talking about her brother, where she was from and how she became a witch. It was all pretty new to me but I just smile and nod. It had been so long since I'd had anything close to a friend, so even if she decided to ramble on I still wanted her to think I cared.
Jade kept talking until her stomach growled and stopped her mid-sentence.
"Oh." She mumbled, not even bothering to finish the story about messing up her brother's hair indefinitely. Jade looked from her stomach to me and giggled.
"I think I'm hungry."
"Gee Jadey, really?" I smirked and tried not to giggle with her.
She hopped down from the coffin she was sitting and brushed off the back of her gown.
"You want to come to the diner with me?" She asked, buck teeth showing at her slight grin. "I bet that waitress would love to serve you more coffee."
I roll my eyes. "Oh come on Jade, do you want me to get kicked out for drinking too much?"
"Can they really do that?"
"Uhhh. Idk, I guess we'd better find out."
Jade flashed me a smile as she starts heading for the passage out of the small mausoleum. Each step she took kicked up dirt, after only a week of staying here her ruby shoes were looking pretty dingy. When she was at the door she looked at me expectantly.
"Well Roxy, you coming?" She quizzed.
I bite my lip for just a moment, maybe this would be a good time to ask her.
"Hey, you know I was thinking…" Jade's ears perk up at the sound of my more serious tone. "Well, you know necromancers move around sometimes like I do and…" I twist the end of my skirt anxiously, ugh. What's taking so long? Spit it out Roxy! "Well whatever, here it goes. Jade you're the coolest person I've met in at least three hundred years. Do you wanna come and travel around with me?"
Jade looks surprised, maybe even shocked I'm not sure. "I know witches usually travel around too right?" I blurt. "We could just explore and be the coolest best friends, a witch and a necromancer, nobody would suspect it. Uh, shit. Best friends? Where did that even come from. I mean, I consider you my best friend but you probably have other, better, friends than me and uh…" She's staring at me with a slight smile and relaxed face while I stutter on and on. When I stop I look at her expectantly.
Dang it my social skills really suck.
There's silence for only a moment before her sing songey voice rings out.
"Sure."
My ears perk up. Wait what?
"Roxy you saved me when you didn't even know me. I have no doubts that you are a good person… Even if you keep a book of dead bodies which is sorta weird." She mutters with a nervous laugh and side glance. "But all in all I would love to travel and explore with you." She smiles. "It will be really fun! And you are sorta my best friend too, even if it's only been a week."
Words can't express how happy I am. My smile must be scarily large. Jade's sitting there with a calm expression and I look like an idiot about to burst with excitement. I leap up and give that witch a bear hug.
"Jadey we are going to be the best of besties!" She giggles.
"Watch out world!" She squeaks, "Roxy and Jade are coming your way!"
Sorry this chapter took so long to get out, I had some creative block for a while there but it's gone now so this story should update regularly. I'm thinking Thursday would be a good day. Anyway, please remember to review, fav and follow! It means the world to me. See you next chapter.