XXIII

Death Is A Kind Mistress

Don't worry, Daniel. It will be alright.

How can it be alright now? My life is slipping away, I… I can barely breathe; I don't have the strength to even twitch a finger. The Shadow is literally eating my body away, I've- OH GOD! It hurts so much! My side… How can I still be alive? Is this some kind of morbid joke that's being played on me? My-my side is gone! I'm… God, it feels like millions of teeth biting at my flesh. I… I can't take it anymore; I can't fight any longer.

Am I… am I crying? Feels like so, unless it is blood that's seeping through my eyes… which wouldn't surprise me. I don't know why I have this much time to reflect. Pain clouds my judgement and my vision, and the Shadow keeps advancing.

"Please… kill me or leave me alone, but…" I'm coughing up blood now like a bloody fountain. I'm pitiful. I'm here, lying helpless on the ground, accepting death as she should come: painful. Can I at least…? Barely, though I can still lift it up slightly. Oh, no… what in God's name-?

"Why like this…?"

My hand is… is just bone! I'd-I'd better calm down; it was to be expected. I don't know why I'm smiling so bitterly: it's like… I'm waiting for Death to blow out my candle like it did with the physician as if it was the most commonplace thing in the world.

I never thought bone would feel like this. It's an odd feeling I can't describe entirely; I can only say one thing: it's freezing and strangely soft. But I can't hold up my hand much longer; I'll let it drop now.

"A-Agrippa? Are you-?"

No, no, no, no! It can't be happening! It just CAN'T! My-my face! The Shadow's eating away my face! Please, somebody! No, anything but this pain!

LET ME GO!

[*]

Wait. This… this is a different place!

Am I awake? Am I still dreaming? I'm-I'm not at Brennenburg anymore! What is this place? And what am I doing here? Hm, the bed is too comfortable for all of this to be true.

"You're awake!"

A boy? Even though I'm still paralyzed with shock, I can't help but feel a slight amount of relief. He's smiling more widely every second that passes, and… he's not scared of me.

Wait, why should he be? Oh God… that-that dream! But was it really…? Just a moment, let me- My face is just fine! I-I can't believe it! God, what a relief…

Someone's coming; maybe I can get some answers from them. It's that boy again but he's with someone… someone that looks awfully familiar. Oh, no… it can't be. I'm not this paranoid, am I? But- but it's just… Long white hair, icy blue eyes and an outfit similar to mine. He's like a younger version of…

"Welcome back, Daniel."

Why am I still alive?

A/N: First things first, sorry for the late update. Been busy and all of that, but now summer's here and I have a lot more time to write. Second, this is the oddest thing I've ever written. The whole thing came from James Joyce's "flow of conscience" and, at the same time, the idea I had of writing in first-person perspective, but in REAL TIME, as things are happening and the thoughts you get at every second. I suppose you understand what I wanted to do after reading this thing.

Credits go to: 1) Heinlein's "The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress" (from where I got inspiration for the title); 2) Grimm Brother's "Godfather Death" tale (to which I make a reference in this shot); 3) "Shadows of the Damned" Soundtrack by Akira Yamaoka (particularly the song "Clawing at the Veil").

Reviews are appreciated!