Darkness falls on me so suddenly that I can't even figure out what's going on. Panic sets in almost instantly. I can't begin to explain to you what it's like not being able to see, or not being able to tell what's happening in front of you. I bring my hands up to feel around and gasp in fright as someone talks as if they're standing on top of me. "That man troubles you, doesn't he?" I scan through my memory to identify the voice while I try to control my nerves, wanting to smack myself on the forehead as I figure out it's Lawliet. "Lawliet, I can't see. What's happening?" A rush of cold air chills me to the bone; I shiver and bring my hands up to rest on the sides of my shoulders. My eyes go from seeing black to seeing red in a quick flash, then all at once my vision returns to normal.
I move to rest both of my hands against the wall, closing my eyes and steadying myself as I manage to get out "What did you just do?". I inhale and exhale harshly, getting my wits about me before I open my eyes. He just stands there, head cocked to the side and thumb pressing into his lower lip. For a moment I almost find it adorable, but chide myself because I'm under the impression I was just attacked. "I was inside of you so to speak. I did not mean to upset you or cause you stress." I narrow my eyes, scowling as I turn to make sure the door is locked. I jiggle the doorknob a few times, then make my way into the kitchen, brushing past him as if he isn't there. "Why did you do that?" I stop in the doorway, wanting to hear an answer more than I want to eat. It feels like hours pass before I get a reply, but I'm sure it wasn't more than a minute. "I wanted to watch him carefully and you just happened to be there. I do not like men like him." Well there's a shock.
"Don't do that again." I say firmly, but feel bad slightly after it's out. "Please." It feels like tacking on please almost always makes things better. He doesn't reply and it's only then that I can feel he isn't showing himself to me anymore. I turn to see if I'm right and find that there's nothing there. Shrugging my shoulders I walk out of the kitchen and into the living room, giving up on eating for the rest of the day. It isn't until I even sit down that it occurs to me he's never shown himself unless it was two in the afternoon, and that I had never noticed him outside of my bedroom. "Huh..." I breathe out softly, letting it linger in the air for a while before following up with "Lawliet? I know you're here..so let's talk.."
It's the middle of the night and there's a man sitting at the foot of my bed. He stares into my eyes with a hint of amusement and I stare back with nothing but curiosity. There are tons of questions I should throw out there first, but I start off as simply as I can. "Are you here all of the time? Or do you go somewhere else during certain hours?" His head tilts from side to side, which I'm sure is his way of letting me know he's debating what to tell me. "I'm here most of the time. When I leave I can only get a half mile away from this building." I take that in for a moment before I ask gently. "Why don't you show yourself to me more often?" He smiles widely, but I never get an answer. It takes me a good, long moment before I get what the smile is for.
My face goes bright red and I sit up straight, though I'm much shorter than him. "Do you watch me while I undress?" I didn't think it was possible, but the smile grows wider on his face, then disappears just as quickly. "Now, you must understand, I am a gentleman. But I am still a man, so I have seen you more than once." The look on my face must have taken a serious turn, because he reached out to lightly pat my shoulder. "You look incredible if I do say so myself. Simply scrumptious curves."
Our conversation had escalated so quickly that I decided to just change the subject, clearing my throat to warn him I was. "Besides that then, what is it about Beyond you've decided you just don't like?" He shrugs his shoulders and his face falls into a soft frown, his sunken eyes looking even more tired than usual. "There are men in this world that we all must be careful of, and I believe he is one of them." While this doesn't entirely answer my question, I let it go.
We don't speak of anything significant after that, just sort of try to make chit chat before I turn in for the night. He slowly moves up off of the bed as I slide beneath the covers, keeping my eyes trained on him just to air on the side of caution. He stands there with his head tilted back to wards the ceiling for just a second, then he's gone. If he were to tell me next he had been a magician in life, it wouldn't stun me.
The next day drags on without any sign of Beyond or Lawliet. But I'm never free of everything or everyone in my day to day life. I head out to the market to finally stock up on groceries and run into a specter before I can even step foot in the building. I let out a soft sigh as I observe the woman standing before me in a cream forty's styled dress. Her hair is short, blonde, and crimped tightly. She doesn't look at me as if she knows I can see her, she just takes in the way I stare. I guess it doesn't take her too long to figure out I can though, because she gasps and clasps a hand over her mouth. I don't even get to say 'boo' before she poofs away in a dramatic cloud of burgundy smoke. Every ghost has a signature way of disappearing, but some stick to simply vanishing. You can't beat the classics after all.
I leave the store a half hour later with enough food to last me the next couple of days. I'm just starting to feel good for myself and what I've accomplished during the day when I hear a voice calling my name. People typically only call out to you when it's something important, or that's what I've found anyway. "Light!" The deep voice calls out again. I turn just in time to see Beyond making his way across the street. I give him a slight wave to be kind, and everything goes down hill from there.
Tires screech loudly and several pedestrians scream in absolute horror. My eyes widen in shock and I feel myself letting go of the bags, so stunned I can't breathe much less move. The car hits with the force of fifteen brick walls and all I see is wild raven hair as Beyond soars through the air. I feel someone latch onto my arm and squeeze, but I can't take my eyes off of the scene before me.
The police show up. Sirens wail. Blood sprays the cement. Have I just watched a man die?
What have I done?! That's for you to find out when I update this baby next Tuesday! XDDD I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and you're all pumped up for the next one. A secret or two will be revealed and (depending on Light) the seeds of romance may be sown!