251Chapter One
Take me instead.
You will be forgotten.
I don't care.
There is no going back.
I don't care!
Are you certain of your request?
Yes.
It is done.
"Doctor!"
"What's the situation?"
"The patient! He's…"
"I don't believe it…"
"Doctor, what's going on?"
"This…this is almost a miracle…Call the patient's family here!"
I had been staring at those irritating dead skins around my nails for quite a while now. Mrs. Meyers told us, Aaron and I, that we must not peel them off because it would bleed and hurt a lot. You could only clip them off with a nail clipper. I didn't have my nail clipper with me now, so I guess I had no choice but to peel them off, since staring at them won't do anything.
"What the hell am I doing!?"
I swung my hands back and slammed my fists into the wall I was leaning on. A few nurses passing by turned to look at me in confusion. Really nice Effle, now people would really think that you're a lunatic.
I dug into my pockets for some change and headed for the vending machine round the corner. I needed some carbonated water, Aaron always said that all the gas and fizz would clear one's head no matter when.
The thing about this hospital was that it looked so nice and clean, more like a home than anywhere else. The walls were painted all so smoothly, and the corridor outside Aaron's ward was even scented! But as nice as the hospital may be, I hate it.
Because it was downright useless.
Because those stupid nurses and that idiot of a doctor couldn't save Aaron.
They ran around injecting this and operating that like some insane headless chicken, sometimes even bumping into each other. They could even spare the time to say 'sorry' when they did bump into each other, and still had the guts to tell us that "We couldn't save him in time, we're sorry." And they were sorry because I kicked each and every one of their butts. The security dragged me away before I could do any serious damages, which was really my intention.
They left me in a waiting room, and that was where I started losing my sanity. I was just sitting there, all blanked out as if I was a freaking stone statue, before I started talking to I heard a voice. Before I was convinced I was really mad, I realized that I was replying to the voice.
Slotting a few coins into the vending machine, I pressed button for a coke. Recalling the 'conversation', I frowned in confusion, "What's being 'forgotten' anyways?" The coke can fell out noisily, as did the change. Staring at the drink, I took a deep breath and sighed, "...Aaron look what you did to me..." I felt for tears to fall, but none did. Maybe because I had cried for so long, the muscles got cramped or something. All I felt was numbness, everywhere, as if was a dream, as if I was still asleep dreaming. But my head was clear, that there was a truth, and the truth was that Aaron had moved on.
I shut my eyes."Please let it be a dream...Don't let Aaron be gone..."
"Maybe he isn't."
I turned around to the source of the voice. Standing leaning against one of those smoothly painted walls was a boy who looked not much older than me, but a lot taller. (but still shorter than Aaron) He had his arms crossed, and a little playful smirk was on his face. I would love to get rid of it using my knuckles.
"You know, you need to learn to be more sensitive." I told him absentmindedly, picking up the can and collecting the change. Stuffing the change into my pocket, I fumbled with the can and tried to open it. My fingers were trembling without realization, and it was difficult to gather up enough energy to pull the tab. After fumbling for quiet a while and getting fed up with it, I brought the can to my mouth and got the tab between my teeth, ready to pull it.
"Let me help you with it." The boy walked towards me and motioned for me to hand the can over to him. If you knew me, you won't offer to help because you would know that I hate being underestimated. Then again, hardly anyone knows me except Aaron.
However, before I could say anything else to decline or simply to get rid of him, the boy snatched the can away from me.
"I guess you're just as stubborn as I thought you were." He commented, while he pulled the tab and released the sizzling sound of gas. "Eww…saliva!" He jerked his fingers away from the tab as if it was on fire and rubbed his hands against his pants riddled with patches, belts and buckles, which looked ...nothing like something made in this century. Then again, fashion these days...
"Deal with it." I snatched the can back and gulped one mouthful down. "And I don't know you, so don't talk as if we're friends." I turned away from him and continued drinking my coke. He swung round and came to stand in front of me.
"Look at me. "
I did but gave him a glare as well. He was starting to get on my nerves. "Are you sure you don't know me?"
"I know what I know. And yes, fortunately, I don't know you, and not intending to. Can you stop bugging me?"
"Ouch...and a moment ago you were still crying to me like a little girl…" The boy ran a hand through his spiked up white hair, which he must have bleached really badly because it was really white. "That's cruel, Effle." He smirked again.
I raised my eyebrows in confusion. How the hell did he know my name? "How the hell did you know my name?"
He withdrew his hand and frowned. "You can stop playing games now, Effle. Don't tell me that you have absolutely no idea who I am!" When I nod my head in confusion, he slapped his forehead. I wished that he could do it harder. "Effle! We made a deal!"
Deal? What deal?
"That you would give your own life to me in exchange for Aaron to live? Man you're slow."
What?!
"You mean the voice was real? Everything said back then was real?" I asked in bewilderment.
"I was the voice, girl. I know I sound better in person but-"
I dropped the can in my hands with a loud clang as my eyes grew bigger and bigger upon approaching realization. "That means…Aaron…Aaron's alive?"
"Of course he is! And I thought you were not crying because you knew…"
I ran off, lightning speed if that's possible for me, to Aaron's ward before the boy could finish what he was saying. Sure he could be bulling, but I wanted to make sure.
But if the conversation was real, wouldn't I be dead by now?
And who was that boy? Weird punk looking guy.
Whatever it was, I just have to make sure if Aaron's alive or not.
When I reached Aaron's ward, Mr. and Mrs. Meyers were both crying outside the ward, but they were laughing at the same time. The doctor was standing still, outside the ward, writing something on his clipboard. He looked…amazed. I approached him to ask him about Aaron, highly doubting that he would answer after the black eye I gave him.
"Excuse me sir, erm well…how's Aaron?" I asked.
Surprisingly, he smiled cheerfully at me. "You know this kid? He's fine now, more than fine, he's GREAT! I don't know what happened, but he just… resurrected! You're his girlfriend? Go in a little later, he needs to rest." With that, he walked away.
Huh?
What was that all about? First he seemed to forget who I was, then he said that Aaron resurrected, lastly he seemed to forget about the black eye I gave him! And it was meant for him to remember!
"Confusion?"
It was him again. That irritating white-haired boy with sleeveless black leather vest and weird pants. I glare at him. "If you know something, spill it. Don't go talking in circles like you did just now."
"Hmm…where do I start…" He scrunched up his face, as if thinking really hard.
"Start with who are you." I glared further.
"Alright then. I'm J809. Please to meet you, Effle."
"J825? What kind of name is that?"
"It's J809, and it's a cool name. You heard of 007?"
"Fine! J809, who are you to me? How did you know me?"
"We're business partners."
I rolled my eyes. "Yea sure I so understand that. No talking in circles!"
The boy now known as J809, laughed. "I think I'll just tell you something that I think will clear up everything." He put both hands over my shoulder and against the wall, cornering me as he towered over me a lot of inches. Weird position, weird guy (with weird pants), weird situation. I was about to push him away when he smirked and said,
"Girl, I'm a Soul Reaper."