IMMORTALITY
The letters were red, bold, taking up the entire space of the front side of the card. On the back however, merely stated a date, time and place:
10/30/08
11:59 PM
The stars.
It was the strangest invite Ariadne had ever seen; it seemed like a stupid joke but this was an opportunity she didn't want to pass up. It was too late to turn back now.
* * *
Ariadne wasn't the most popular person at school nor was she involved in any social circles. She was normally alone, a book in her hands, going wherever she needed to be, doing what she was told—Ariadne was a loner; she didn't like it.
It was October, a day before it was time to bust out candy and costumes but that wasn't the subject most of the student-body was all atwitter about. It was an invitation to an event that only happened once a year. A student was giving it out—the kind of people Ariadne didn't like to associate with; the one person she thought to be her moral opposite, Odette. It wasn't always like this, for once, Ariadne had thought she'd found her first friend but Odette had turned her back on her. Still, Ariadne wasn't the kind to hold a grudge but Odette was. In a way, Ariadne was jealous of this girl, because she was everything she wasn't—it was what she wanted to be.
The halls were putrid, a stink bomb was set off, students rushed to their classes hands over their noses. Ariadne hated the halls the most. It was crowded and home of awkward moments such as: bumping into people, getting caught in the bell-rush (when students fill the halls right after the bell rings) and tripping by 'accident.' Ariadne knew her predicaments were no accident—she had the slight feeling that eyes were always watching her. She disliked being judged the most, though she was 'normal' in the case of the attire she wore, so there shouldn't be any reason for the spotlight to shine onto her. Then again, there was Odette.
"Move."
Her strides were confident, nails as sharp as her eyes, she was smiling but her eyes said otherwise. She flashed a card-size envelope in Ariadne's face, waving it around as if a treat for a dog, then, she continued her way out the fragrant hallway. Ariadne was glad that school was over; she wanted to go home, snuggle in her sheets and cry. She wasn't entirely sure why Odette hated her but she was sure that she'd be better off without it and, simply, didn't want to deal with it. Ariadne couldn't stand people hating her so she'd blame herself instead—their 'hate' channeling through her, making her miserable.
This was what she believed.
* * *
A knock was on the door.
Ariadne set her notebook down, making her way to the door, pencil in hand, and opening it. She was surprised.
"What are you doing here?"
Odette had her arms crossed, her lips curved in a grin but her voice was far from joyous nor was it malicious.
"What do you think?"
Ariadne was feeling uncomfortable. I don't want to deal with this. Her grip was tight over the handle. Not now.
"Too bad," she said, indignation flaring in her voice. Odette held out a hand, Ariadne flinched. "Take it."
It was the invitation. Ariadne swallowed hard. If she were to take this would it mean that their friendship would be restored? No. She thought about how long she had been made fun of, teased. She thought about how many times she cried, her feelings hurt, their hate—her hate. Her hate towards this girl. I hate you. Ariadne bit her bottom lip, there was a taste, salty; she couldn't recall when she'd begun to cry. I hate you. She couldn't recall anything now, except for her hatred. I hate you so much that I—
Enraged, blinded, her hand moved without a second thought.
It was quick, swift.
Her hands lightly felt at the pencil lodged in her neck. She couldn't speak, pain making her limbs slack. Odette fell to the concrete floor, one hand at her wound, the other gripping at the rough welcome mat, crumpling the corners of the partially bloodied envelope. Ariadne felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her.
Now she too felt weak; sliding onto the floor, her body trembling. For the first time now, their eyes met dead-on. She was dying, yes, that was the truth, but Odette was smiling, red streaking from her mouth. She coughed, her outstretched hand reaching the inside of the house; her fingers were no longer tense.
Ariadne had killed Odette and she never felt more better in her entire life.
Ariadne set her notebook down, making her way to the door, pencil in hand, and opening it. She was surprised.
"What are you doing here?"
Odette had her arms crossed, her lips curved in a grin but her voice was far from joyous nor was it malicious.
"What do you think?"
Ariadne was feeling uncomfortable. I don't want to deal with this. Her grip was tight over the handle. Not now.
"Too bad," she said, indignation flaring in her voice. Odette held out a hand, Ariadne flinched. "Take it."
It was the invitation. Ariadne swallowed hard. If she were to take this would it mean that their friendship would be restored? No. She thought about how long she had been made fun of, teased. She thought about how many times she cried, her feelings hurt, their hate—her hate. Her hate towards this girl. I hate you. Ariadne bit her bottom lip, there was a taste, salty; she couldn't recall when she'd begun to cry. I hate you. She couldn't recall anything now, except for her hatred. I hate you so much that I—
Enraged, blinded, her hand moved without a second thought.
It was quick, swift.
Her hands lightly felt at the pencil lodged in her neck. She couldn't speak, pain making her limbs slack. Odette fell to the concrete floor, one hand at her wound, the other gripping at the rough welcome mat, crumpling the corners of the partially bloodied envelope. Ariadne felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her.
Now she too felt weak; sliding onto the floor, her body trembling. For the first time now, their eyes met dead-on. She was dying, yes, that was the truth, but Odette was smiling, red streaking from her mouth. She coughed, her outstretched hand reaching the inside of the house; her fingers were no longer tense.
Ariadne had killed Odette and she never felt more better in her entire life.
* * *
It was mere minutes before the date specified on the invitation. Ariadne tried her best to make do with her wardrobe, though she didn't see the point in dressing up when she was just going to look at stars but she had to convince herself otherwise. Though it was difficult since her body lay in the denizens of her closet.
11:58 PM
The window was open, the invitation in her hands, her eyes closely watching the dark sky. Just one more minute, if nothing were to happen, Ariadne was to die. She didn't like the idea of prison and rotting, guilt racking her brain, people would hate her again and again would she feel pain—she'd rather kill herself than let that happen. No more pain.
11:59 PM
She continued to stand, the sky was blank, the stars faint due to the streetlamps that lined her street. Ariadne was near tears when a noise made her jump. It seemed to come from the closet. Slowly, Ariadne tip-toed to it, her heart racing within her chest. A dead person can't move but what was making that noise?
Ariadne pried the door open, hesitant due to that fact that it had been hours since her body was placed there.
Nothing.
Another noise. Ariadne turned, it was a doll, or it seemed like one. It was beautiful, it's face, eyes, Ariadne couldn't tell whether it a women or a man—it seemed like a dream. Suddenly, softly, the doll had embraced Ariadne, smoothing her hair. She felt safe in the doll's arms and closed her eyes, the light it emitted was blinding.
I can save you, it said, a soft lilting voice, You will no longer feel any of this pain. Put your faith in me and I promise I will never leave you my child.
Ariadne didn't have time to answer. Her eyes were open, the doll was not in her arms anymore but a body as pitch black as a starless night. She couldn't pull free, she was sinking into the mass, distorted screams and cries of people ringing in her ears. As her body couldn't pull free, her eyes couldn't stop staring into the dark oblivion ahead of her. Thousands upon thousands of eyes, faces, were looking at her. The faces overlapped each other, rippling if she were to breath upon the creature—they were reflections, the souls of the people that created this thing; this monster. She sunk within the blackness, her eyes shut tight as she did so.
Then it was gone. The feeling of sinking disappeared, being replaced with the assumption that it was just a nightmare.
It was morning, sheets placed over her eyes, blocking the sunlight that peered through the blinds. The alarm clock had been ringing. For how long? She slipped out of bed, struggling towards the clock, and shut it off. Suddenly realizing that she had ten minutes before school started, she rushed for her school things, stuffing them inside the bag and setting it off to the side. she then reached for her towel and headed into the restroom. She paused, dropping the towel onto the floor.
She looked at her hands, they were the same, she looked at the mirror, her hands, the mirror, her hands one last time. It didn't make any sense. A knock on the door, her step-brother. She admitted she felt scared from the sound; she glanced at the mirror for a brief moment. Ariadne was relieved, believing that it was just a hallucination.
She thought she saw the creature in the mirror for a second there.
11:58 PM
The window was open, the invitation in her hands, her eyes closely watching the dark sky. Just one more minute, if nothing were to happen, Ariadne was to die. She didn't like the idea of prison and rotting, guilt racking her brain, people would hate her again and again would she feel pain—she'd rather kill herself than let that happen. No more pain.
11:59 PM
She continued to stand, the sky was blank, the stars faint due to the streetlamps that lined her street. Ariadne was near tears when a noise made her jump. It seemed to come from the closet. Slowly, Ariadne tip-toed to it, her heart racing within her chest. A dead person can't move but what was making that noise?
Ariadne pried the door open, hesitant due to that fact that it had been hours since her body was placed there.
Nothing.
Another noise. Ariadne turned, it was a doll, or it seemed like one. It was beautiful, it's face, eyes, Ariadne couldn't tell whether it a women or a man—it seemed like a dream. Suddenly, softly, the doll had embraced Ariadne, smoothing her hair. She felt safe in the doll's arms and closed her eyes, the light it emitted was blinding.
I can save you, it said, a soft lilting voice, You will no longer feel any of this pain. Put your faith in me and I promise I will never leave you my child.
Ariadne didn't have time to answer. Her eyes were open, the doll was not in her arms anymore but a body as pitch black as a starless night. She couldn't pull free, she was sinking into the mass, distorted screams and cries of people ringing in her ears. As her body couldn't pull free, her eyes couldn't stop staring into the dark oblivion ahead of her. Thousands upon thousands of eyes, faces, were looking at her. The faces overlapped each other, rippling if she were to breath upon the creature—they were reflections, the souls of the people that created this thing; this monster. She sunk within the blackness, her eyes shut tight as she did so.
Then it was gone. The feeling of sinking disappeared, being replaced with the assumption that it was just a nightmare.
* * *
It was morning, sheets placed over her eyes, blocking the sunlight that peered through the blinds. The alarm clock had been ringing. For how long? She slipped out of bed, struggling towards the clock, and shut it off. Suddenly realizing that she had ten minutes before school started, she rushed for her school things, stuffing them inside the bag and setting it off to the side. she then reached for her towel and headed into the restroom. She paused, dropping the towel onto the floor.
She looked at her hands, they were the same, she looked at the mirror, her hands, the mirror, her hands one last time. It didn't make any sense. A knock on the door, her step-brother. She admitted she felt scared from the sound; she glanced at the mirror for a brief moment. Ariadne was relieved, believing that it was just a hallucination.
She thought she saw the creature in the mirror for a second there.
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