Chapter 22

Death

I looked at Vincent’s time two more hours and at four in the morning his time will forever fade.

“Are you going to warn her?” Jasmin asked, sitting next to me on the couch with a cup of herbal tea in her hands.

“Why would I?” I asked, dangling the pocket watch in my hands.

“So she can say her last goodbye.” She said,

“I don’t do that. It’s not my job to warn about the death coming, she already knows he is going to die anytime soon,” I said and I had never even tried to warn anybody with signs when someone is dying.

“And yet you will warn her because you care for her even if you don’t realize it,” she said, smirking.

“I realize it, I just didn’t think it was that obvious.” Now she was looking with a little side smile at me, not those mocking smiles she usually had but a genuine smile this time.

“You aren’t hiding it anymore.” She pointed out.

How could I hide anything when I felt her? She was right there and she moved with me. Let me mold her. She let me have her.

How can I hide anything if I knew everything I wanted to do to her?

My mind didn’t usually work like it did now. My memories usually fade quickly. Our moment didn’t. she kept staying in my thoughts. Our moment kept repeating. But with each moment the memories of a physical touch faded. I was scared to forget. Her scent wasn’t at the tip of my nose anymore and her taste wasn’t on my tongue.

“I have known you for too long time. She means something to you, it’s not a secret, and I also know that you will do anything in your power to protect her...” she rested her palm on my shoulder. “Even if it means completely isolating yourself from her. But... not always what seems the safest thing to do is the best, or what you should do,” she tilted her head to my side. “Does she love you already?” She asked and I had no idea, she liked me but it’s not the same.

I told her I loved her… after the kiss… did she realize I told her? Maybe it’s best if she didn’t.

“I hope she is not that stupid,” I answered her, and I truly hoped that she didn’t, I wanted her to be happy and I couldn’t complicate her life with me in it. I should have left a long time before she got to know me.

I halfway regretted that I stopped thinking sense with her. Not because I didn’t want that. There was nothing I wanted more. But I hate that I now knew how it felt. And it will kill me knowing I can’t have it anymore.

“You have never been scared to do anything. Why not try this? Why don’t you want to take the risk this time?” She asked me.

“Because nothing has ever been this important to me. Nothing has made me fear this much of losing and breaking someone,” I chuckled. “How desperate would it make me if I was with her? She would think I am only with her because she is the only one who can see me.”

“Stop!” She rolled her eyes at me. “It’s not about it, it’s about the fact that you are scared of what she might make you feel. Of what you already feel. You are scared that you are wrong for her but how could anything that’s so wonderful be so wrong?”

“It’s not that I am scared” I spat back at her because she didn’t understand anything. “It’s because I don’t want to take life away from her, she won’t be happy with me. She is not meant for the life I live, I will destroy her. I will take every bit of light away from her. She needs to live here with people like her.”

“Maybe that’s why she doesn’t fit in here!” She said, confusing me. “Maybe being with you is exactly what she needs?”

“How stupid can you actually be?” She was always the sensible one but now she couldn’t understand the one thing that was the right thing for her.

She just shook her shoulders. “She is not as happy as she seems. I saw her thoughts. She is lonely, you too are lonely. If you don’t do anything you will lose her and she will get married to that Xavier guy,” she said.

“She won’t marry him...” I said confidently. “After Vincent dies... she is running away from the pack and from everyone,” She looked shocked at first but then she started laughing hysterically. “What’s so funny?” I asked.

“You are so selfish!” She accused me. “You hang on by the fact that you will meet her again! If she marries it’s over for you but if she runs away you have a chance with her,” she kept on laughing...

“Aren’t witches supposed to be smart and wise?” I said. There was no point in talking about this with her... but... I didn’t want her to marry, I wanted her to run away, but I didn’t want her to hurt herself being alone. I didn’t want to be with her, but I didn’t want her to be with anyone else. I hated the point I was at. I cared about her... and like Jasmin said I will warn her before Vincent goes because for her I was ready to do anything, even walk away.

I stood up and with the blink of my eye I was standing in the corner of Vincent’s room. He was sleeping and breathing very faintly.

All his life Vincent had given his precious time for others, he was living in a house that he would never buy with his own money because his money was something he didn’t need. He lived all his life for helping others, all the money he had he gave away keeping himself only the most necessary. And Meredith... he didn’t need to be her friend or even now let her stay at his house but he did, because that’s how he has always been. Learning all his Life and giving his life to those in need.

I took out a glowing dime out of my coat pocket. I tossed it in the air as Vincent woke up by the blast of inhale he was having.

He shot up from his bed breathing heavily. He looked at me shocked. “Who are you?!” He asked. And to be fair this was even interesting for me to see him being so lively and talking with such energy. I was used to seeing him weak sleeping in bed all day and night, it seemed like he has been like that forever.

“I’m Death.” I simply waited for his reaction. And at first he looked surprised but then his breathing evened out.

“It’s true what she said…” he said deep in thought. “You are just like Meredith explained... How could she?” he started to question but continued with the one I could answer. “Am I dead?” He asked. Meredith actually told Vincent that she saw me? That was interesting... she told him and he still didn’t consider her crazy.

“Not yet,” I answered his question. “You will soon be.” I looked at his time.” In exactly one hour, now you are in a hallucination I created for you, except it’s not exactly a hallucination, it’s real but if anyone else was about to enter this room they would see you sleeping,” I gestured to the body that was on the bed.

Vincent looked back and saw himself sleeping lifeless, he quickly shot out of the bed from the position he was sitting in a lap of himself. He was shaking a little now. “I am just spending my last minute sleeping.” He stated.

“Then I guess I better make this faster,” I said and tossed the dime a little, getting his attention. “To people who have been good in their lives, whose souls are not tinted black. I sometimes reward...this, “I held up the dime and threw it at Vincent, he barely even caught it. “This is a Death wish. Last wish you will ever get. You have a chance to do anything in this life you want, but I can’t make you live or bring someone from the dead... of course there are a few more requirements, but I hope you will wish for something that is actually sensible and try to think of something that is possible for Death to do.” I explained waiting for his wish.

He watched me for a few seconds before speaking. “When was the last time you Saw Meredith?” He asked, but it was completely irrelevant.

“That’s not a wish,” I said instead of answering.

“You’ve seen her recently!” He assumed and he wasn’t wrong as I recalled our early meeting. “That’s why she is no longer scared of Death?” He asked more like a statement. He looked at the dime, “I don’t know how you are here. What you do, or why you see her and yet it doesn’t matter to me, but I am asking you not as a wish ... if you can look after her for a little.”

“That’s sounds like a wish?”

He shook his head. “No... I love Meredith with all my heart but she is capable of protecting herself. If you can. Just make sure she gets on her feet. But I won’t wish for it.”

“What is your wish?” I asked. If not for Meredith, for whom will he wish?

He smiled through his mustache. Devilishly sweet smile. “I’ll let you keep it.”

“I am giving you wish and you refuse it?” something that never had happened before. “I am not bargaining. I am rewarding your good deeds.”

He nodded understandingly. “I’m not going to make a wish. Take it with you. Give it to someone who will need it more.”

“I designed this wish for you. Only you. someone will make a wish in your name.”

He shrugged. “Let them. Let them surprise me.” He did vile things in his youth and he reborned as someone completely different. He turned into a saint. Humbly refusing my wish.

I smirked to myself and bowed my head to him. “Thank you for your time Vincent.”

Vincent looked at me nodding “Thank you for your time.” He said and everything went back to normal, the gloomy room was still the same and Vincent was like he was before…

I walked over and picked up the dime in his hand.

One wish for someone to make in his name. and a job for me to find someone to take it.