Chapter 3: "The Other Side"

 

“The Boundary of Life and Death, what is that? Also, how do you know my name?”, Lennox asked in a questioning voice.

“Well, it’s just a name I gave it but its official term is [The Other Side], Chelsea responded and ignored his last question.

“I asked what is it?”

“[The Other Side] is where the dead reside. I theorize it’s a ‘place’ where only the dead live yet exist in our plane but we as humans cannot interact with them. You, the humans that can see [The Other Side]are referred to as [Walkers]”, she spoke with confidence.

“ Wait ,wait ,wait , You are just a doctor  ,how do you know all this and you still haven’t told me how you know my name?’, Lennox was stupefied, bewildered to the point that slight drops of sweat began appearing on his forehead.

“ Oh. Well I like I said earlier ,you are the 5^th case. The 5^th person able to perceive [The Other side]. There were 4 before you and they always told me stories of ‘ghosts’ ,’specters’ and all these crazy concepts only depicted in fantasy. At first I thought that there was something wrong with them ,I thought they were delusional sometimes even crazy but I knew that an individual wont say the same over and over again without a purpose. No one would do something without a purpose.”, she said ,reminiscing of the 4 teens that happily smiled together.

 

“ I studied their stories and paid attention to each detail and finally I came across ‘it’.

“It?”, Lennox questioned again.

“ Yes, I discovered that their stories always connected with the legends,tales ,folklores and myths that we as a human race created. I was shocked at first and I tried getting closer to the teens and tried questioning them more about it but even before I got the chance to go in depth with this mystery they each  vanished ,except one. They seemed to have never existed in the first place.”, she said.

“They just vanished? Wait ,except one?  Was it because they exposed the existence of the [Other side?]”, Lennox said out loud.

“ Maybe… I cant say for certain but my guess is that they are dead. I also investigated their backgrounds and ironically I found that they were all orphans with no mother ,father or any family member which at the time led me to believe that perhaps the things we so thoughtlessly disbelieve are in fact true. Too many coincidences only mean that there is something that lurks in the shadows.”, she sighed and ignored another question from Lennox.

“ Then aren’t I next?”, Lennox seemed awfully calm but he was stringent of fear.

“ Yes ,do you know why I told you this?”, Chelsea said in sad tone.

“ …..”

“ You may end up the same as those 4 teens  I mentioned because as long as you are a [Walker] death will seek you. What I said may be cruel but I need to tell you all this so that you are prepared for the inevitable.” ,she said in solemn voice.

“ …..”

“ Tell me ,do you even know how you landed here ,in this hospital?”

Lennox racked his brain trying to remember how he sustained those gruesome injuries and who it was but … he could not remember. It’s as if it never happened and that memory seemingly vanished into thin air.

“ I … cant remember anything”, he said.

“ While its true you suffered head injuries they were only cuts and scrapes thereafter I examined your brain for any tumors or injuries and there was nothing. So the only answer is that ,whatever is on [The Other Side] has already taken note of you and is coming for you. Do you recall all your misfortunes?

“ Yes, I can never forget about all that. It’s ingrained in my bones”, reminded of his past, Lennox’s eyes widened as he had completely forgot about his revolting voice and many flaws. Society would always mock him for his voice and appearance, bully him for his weaknesses and treat him like his existence was not needed and so it him…. This woman, Chelsea, never once said anything insulting towards him even after hearing his voice earlier or found him revolting by his appearance but responded like any other person would speak to another human being. Lennox obviously detested Humanity to the point it seemed like he didn’t belong to the same species. Noting all this Lennox remained quiet and looked at her.

“Must’ve been tough, huh?”, she lightly smiled and rubbed his head treating him like a mother would to his son.

“Thank You…. “, he was truthfully grateful for such kindness which remained foreign for his whole life.

“Although I’m destined to die, I at least don’t want to die now. Is there any way for me to live peacefully before my life forfeits?”,

“Well, I do have something to suppress your [Walker] status but it will only last for a maximum of 4 years by my estimates.”

“What is it?”, Lennox seemed hopeful.

Chelsea reached to her neck and removed a necklace shaded in silver imprinted with a shape reminiscent of a ‘Dyson Sphere’. The center was occupied by a cubicle object the glowed when it was exposed to moonlight.

“Here, take it”, Chelsea gave it to Lennox with a smile.

Lennox took it and put it around his neck. A refreshing feeling soon permeated through his whole body giving him inexplainable comfort and safety. The aura of death and misfortune as a [Walker] that accompanied his whole life seemingly grew thin to a near imperceptible level but he knew it was all an illusion and would soon face whatever it was on the [The Other Side] yet that didn’t mean he mustn’t feel at least a little relieved. He took his time relishing in this new feeling.

Chelsea observed Lennox with a smile on her face as a memory of her past soon flashed in her mind. It was images of her 3 friends who she laughed with, read tons of different books, novels and fantasies with. Who she competed with and did almost everything together with? Multitudes of emotions accompanied her and these 3 friends of her who in fact were not related by blood but had a sisterhood so deep that they could lay down their lives for each other.

“C’mon, Chelsea we have to go or the bus will leave us”, a squeaky yet cute voice echoed.

“CHELSEA !!!”, a voice of anger soon accompanied.

“She’s always like this”, this voice seemed to hold maturity and eloquence that would attract the hearts of young men.

“Just WAIT a sec”, this voice belonged to none other than Chelsea who was in the spring of her Youth running downstairs to meet the girls outside. She was attired in a blue plain dress, formal T-shirt accentuated by a black bow tie which was accompanied by a black blazer imprinted with the glyph of a sparrow at its right-front pocket. She wore black socks and shoes which all tied together to give the imagery of a high school girl in formal uniform.

Chelsea met with the other girls downstairs and looked at all 3 of them with a widely arced smile revealing her starlike white teeth that glimmered when the sun shone upon them.

“You even have the nerve to smile like that, huh?”, the girl with the squeaky voice approached Chelsea. She was at least 140 cm in height and had a European skin tone and was at least 10-15 cm shorter than Chelsea. She had blonde hair that ran down her upper back, and shoulders. Her attire was exactly the same as Chelsea as her pink lips arced in a devilish smile and brown eyes widened in craziness ready to expose a terror so terrifying it sent shivers down Chelsea’s spine.

“YOU!!!!!!”, the angered voice was a girl with the exact same height as Chelsea, her short yet spiky blue hair almost rose into the air reminiscent of a very familiar anime that increased their energy output and changed form through sheer anger. Her blue eyes gleamed in frustration but weren’t as vivid as Chelsea’s so it didn’t seem too intimidating. She had an Asian skin tone which glistened in beauty upon its exposure in the sunlight. She still had her own feminine charm that 

“We are going to be late for the graduation Ceremony”, said the girl exuding an aura of maturity far above Chelsea and the other 2. She had long cascading hair that ran to her lower back. Smooth defined just how her hair felt if one laid their hand upon it and sheen of splendor that sent eyes blind. She had a height slighter shorter than Chelsea but remained 2^nd in terms of height in the pack. Her black eyes complimented her black hair and translucent lip gloss to mimic the sheen congregated around her hair. Her skin tone was quite similar to Chelsea but had Oceanic blend with it.

It was evident that Chelsea’s friends were a decorated bunch which was what this world ought to have but unfortunately seemed quite rare due to many particular prejudices against race, ethnicities and religions. For this group such complicated matters did not exist in their vocabulary and only believed in the bond they created together, a sisterhood.

 

They all wore formal uniform to go for the graduation ceremony as it was their last day in high school before finally leaving the orphanage to explore what the world had to offer for them all. Mary, Akame and Rosella. My only three friends in this World.

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“Let’s go”, Rosella said as she smiled at Chelsea before turning around and walking ahead of the group.

“Hpmh”, Akame pouted angrily because usually, Rosella would scold Chelsea for her blunders but it seemed that Rosella was quite lenient to Chelsea today and she understood why thus she could only change her countenance into a friendly expression, smiling lightly at Chelsea thereafter following Rosella.

“You are quite lucky, Chelsea, seems big sis won’t be scolding you today”, a mischievous grin occupied Mary’s expression as she stood next to Chelsea. She proceeded to hook her arm around Chelsea’s arm and then stick out her tongue to tease her.

Chelsea responded with an even wider smile.

“Let’s get going, after today we will able to do whatever, we want. I really want to taste some chicken and waffles”, she giggled as she unhooked her arm from Chelsea and began skipping, catching up to Rosella and Akame.

Chelsea stood for a moment to admire her sisters, she was extremely proud to have them as sisters and grateful that she met them. She couldn’t have asked for anything else in this world. She giggled under her breath and began running ……… catching up to them as the 4 sisters looked forward to the future.

 

Chelsea’s memory came to an end as a cigarette now occupied her lips. She inhaled the tobacco embedded in the cigarette before puffing out a cloud of smoke that diffused into the entire room, suffocating the young Lennox who just reveled in the feeling safety. She continued smoking, stimulating her nerves to bring her to a calm.

Lennox gazed at Chelsea and asked,” Are you alright?”

Chelsea didn’t answer but closed her eyes for a moment and then returned the gaze.

“Listen…., Lennox. You asked me a question I didn’t respond to yet, right?”, she said.

“Yes…”

“You asked me how I knew your name, well that’s because I’ve been investigating people like you. [Walkers] tend to be able to sense one another’s presence because the ‘Death’ that follows them.” , she said while smiling as the cigarette held between her index and middle fingers grew smaller and smaller. As she continued to speak the vicinity grew dimmer and a chilling darkness bloated out the moonlight that occupied the room. Chelsea and Lennox soon weren’t even able to see each other visually.

“Wah….”, Lennox grew frightened by what was happening as the statement Chelsea made seemed to not register in his mind. His eyes widened in disbelief; he could feel his own heartbeat accelerating in fear. His palms and feat began to sweat and every muscle in his body tensed up.

“Listen …. Lennox. Remember what I said earlier that the 3 teenagers vanished except one?”, Chelsea was calm about the situation. No fear was present as she spoke those words.

Lennox listened to her voice; he could already guess who was that ‘One’ person was.

“I’m sure you’ve guessed who that one person is, correct”,

“Yeah ……., it was you, right?”, Lennox said in a sad voice.

“Yes. Lennox, the necklace around your neck is called [Dream]. It was a gift from my three sisters on my 18^th birthday. They made it using a special stone my sister discovered called [Adder Stone]. This Necklace has the power to ward off the [The Other Side]’s influence on you. It will keep you safe but as time moves on the stone will slowly begin to lose its influence and you will eventually have to face [The Other Side].”

Lennox stayed silent listening to all this in disbelief.

“Wait a minute, doesn’t that mean you will…”, Lennox said as he voices grew shaky understanding the consequences of her removing the necklace and giving it to him.

“Don’t worry too much about me, Lennox. That necklace lost its effect on me a while back and was only delaying the inevitable.”, she sighed as she exhaled a cloud of smoke from her nostrils.

“Hey, Lennox, can you do me favor?”, she asked.

“Yeah….”

“When [Dream] loses its effects on you, make sure you commit suicide on that day. I guess you’ll do it anyway because of what you will experience along the way.”, she chuckled in pity, sadness and pain

“Yeah……”, tears streamed down Lennox’s cheeks.

The darkness grew abysmal and within it stood a creature whose glimmering white eyes made Chelsea and Lennox shiver. Chelsea knew what ‘being’ it was as it was the same one that took her sisters from her. It remained shrouded in the darkness but was absolutely terrifying, even though the second time she saw it. More white eyes began to appear, multiplying until they occupied the whole room. Above, Below, Right, Left, they were everywhere. Chelsea had more eyes on her, they were right before her and while she was terrified, she put on a brave front and took the last puff from her cigarette.

 

“Lennox, I have one more favor”, she said in a stiff voice.

“Hm”, he made a soft sound

“If by some miracle you happen to live beyond the 4-year mark then find out the truth behind our existence. Why we had to be different if our only purpose is to live miserably. Find out why, alright.”, Chelsea said as the cigarette fell from her grasp.

“I will”, Lennox replied.

“Then I am relieved”, Chelsea stated as she closed her eyes. The creature in the dark was known as Puca, it had come for her. Chelsea lost all feeling in her body as her existence grew thin. Crunching sounds echoed in the silence. Lennox remained in shock and simply sat there hearing the audible sound of chewing and swallowing. Tears continued streaming down his cheeks as he heard a soft voice “Bye, Lennox”.  

 

Moments later the eyes all gazed at Lennox, startling him. The [Adder Stone] glowed ever so subtly and soon after the eyes began to vanish one by one as the darkness thinned out until moonlight shone once more. It luminesces shone upon the chair Chelsea had once sat on. There was nothing there…… not even a speck of blood. She vanished into nothingness. Lennox dwelled in his sadness and heartache as his sobbing reverberated in the room unceasingly. The first person to ever show him kindness had to die. It seems like he was never meant to be happy. Those were his final thoughts.

The door opened to reveal a man in his early thirties who watched Lennox sob and then diverted his gaze to the chair. He walked towards it and stood there in silence. He remembers her smile, sometimes her laughs and anger when he teased her. He didn’t cry or show emotion because he knew this was going to happen when she found another one like her. He knew it would happen and she would leave him forever and he believed that he would ready when it happened but now all he felt was pain and sadness. He couldn’t comprehend why he felt this way even though he knew this was her eventuality. He was in a daze, subconsciously his vision grew hazy and right there and then uncontrollable tears fell down his cheeks.

Love. That was all.  

 

 

{Author Note: You can fully research what a [Puca] is on Wikipedia. It is a creature of Celtic ,English and Channel Islands Folklore. It can take the shape of various animals etc.}

 

 

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