Death of the Princes
JAKE
Benicia Chiang
All I remember before I walked into the Flame of Sacrifice was that Alice was crying rivers. I knew that if I looked back, I wouldn't be able to leave her. I turned my lips inwards and rushed into the fire. I felt a tear leaking out of my right eye. When I emerged from the inferno, I was stepping on a dark blue tile floor that was dotted with shining white dots. A girl with dirty blonde hair and a small mole under her warm brown eyes tapped me on my shoulder. "Jake? Is it really you?" She rushed at me faster than any half being and tried to hug me. In a flash, I realized it was Aria. I had arrived at my destination. Thinking for a solution to escape the eyes of a spirit, I remembered that spirits watched over the person they loved most in their lifetime. She must know that I love Alice, I thought to myself. Then I remembered her power that she had gained as a half being: she could erase memories. Her smile disappeared. "You don't... remember me?"
"I never knew you in the first place," I acted out. Aria's mouth formed into a snarl and grabbed my arms.
"Jake, kiss me!" she demanded.
"Never! I love someone else!" I protested. That ought to get her riled up a bit.
"Who is it?" my ex- girlfriend looked into my eyes which sparked momentarily.
Carefully carrying out my act, I made my eyes blank and stared straight ahead stupidly. "I... don't remember."
Aria's lips curved upwards in a smile. From her uniform pocket she brought out a thick yellow envelope. She brought out a few glossed sheets of photos. "Jake?"
"Hmm?" I said, my face still blank.
"Tell me who these people are," she said as she held up a portrait of the Clans at their annual picture day. She pointed to each one and I read them off. She brought out a photo of Alice sitting on one of the couches in the PheonixClan common room and said, "Jake, do you recognize this girl?"
"Nope. Care to tell me who she is?" I said blatantly.
Aria smirked and hugged me. "Jake, this is your enemy. Make sure she doesn't get near you. She will try to kill you," she whispered into my ear. "Now let's go to my room." She dragged me down the starry hallway and into a maroon bedroom that had three floor- to- ceiling windows that showed different scenes in the living world. The other walls were occupied by a television, a whiteboard, and enlarged posters of me and Aria while we were both in the living world. The bed closest to the windows was clothed in vibrant pink sheets while the other bed, which was perpendicular to the TV, had a blanket that was drawn on with a fabric marker to form a collage of manga volume covers. Aria had recreated her last present to me with her artistic talent. She walked over to the door that was embedded in the wall next to the TV and disappeared momentarily before walking out again in hot pink sweats and a long white t- shirt, complete with a pink eye mask."Jake, you can stay with me tonight. Tomorrow..." Aria's brown eyes stared into mine. The spark came again. "We shall put an end to Alias' new star." I stared blankly ahead and let my head fall forwards limply.
"Yes, master," I murmured in monotone. She smiled at me again. Though I allowed no emotion to settle onto my face, tiny emergency vehicles were blaring alarms while driving around my brain. Still in my soot covered uniform, I slipped into the covers and stared at the ceiling that was covered in pale pink wallpaper.