Shatter

Chapter 22: What it's Like

The sun was rising. The sky was streaked pastel blue and pink, just like the usual Aeluin mornings. 

I hadn't slept that night. I spent the entire night sitting at the kitchen table, staring into space with wide eyes, thinking about nothing. 

I missed Luna. She was here, but she was also gone. I fingered the blue stone she had given me four years ago. It felt cold in my hands. 

"Zephyr," came a whisper. I turned towards it. Luna stood in the doorway. 

"Hello," I greeted. 

"You're up early," Luna forced a smile. I didn't say that I didn't actually sleep yesterday. Her eys widened at the blue stone in my fingers. "Oh... you still have it." Her smile was more real, this time. 

Her copper hair was tucked in a loose ponytail, and a few strands hung in front her eyes. She clearly avoided my eyes as much as possible, and I could tell why. 

I left the stone on the table, and stood up to make some food. I felt drowsy. Maybe staying up all night wasn't a good idea. "Oh, no, Zeph, it's fine." Luna said immediately. "I'm not hungry. I'll have a moon apple at most." 

I nodded, and took one out of a cupboard, handing it over to her. Luna murmured a thank you. Suddenly, her eyes darkened. "Zeph, do you know where Carmen is?" 

I blinked, confused. 

"The girl. My friend." 

I shook my head. Luna stood up so fast I was startled, and she put a hand on my shoulder. Her grip was tight, but gentle. "She has to get a proper burial." Tears shone in her eyes. "Please, Zeph..." 

I nodded. "I understand." I leaded her towards the door, and opened it. Luna silently followed. 

Once we got outside, Luna sprinted to the place where her friend had died. The sight of her friend dying yesterday was strange, and unexplainable. There was a dagger, floating in the air, and then it slashed across her friend's neck, Carmen's. Then, she fell to the ground, and was dead. 

At least, that's what the villagers said, the ones who saw what happened. 

Her friend's body wasn't there. Luna screamed a muffled scream. You could barely hear it. But she sank to the ground in misery, and I quickly caught up to her. She buried her head in my shoulder. "Carmen's not there," she said. I couldn't tell if she was crying. She rarely cried. 

"She's not there," Luna wailed. Her eyes stared at me, and the fierceness in them took my breath away. I wasn't supposed to be afraid of her. But I was. "Where is she?" Luna demanded. 

"I don't know," I responded. 

This had never happened before—it even sounded utterly ridiculous—a floating knife? That kills a girl? 

"Do you know what this feels like, to lose such a close friend..." Luna whispered, trailing off in her sentence, making it neither a question nor statement. She blinked hard. 

"Yes, I do." I whispered back. Of course I had. Of course I knew. 

She left four years ago, didn't she? As if I didn't get hurt back then. I thought she was dead. But I never got to see her when I thought she died. Luna had seen Carmen at her death. And Carmen saw Luna when she died. 

"When?" Luna looked up. Her emerald eyes glittered with tears. She rubbed her eyes furiously when she realized I saw the tears. 

"When you left and when everyone thought you and your family was dead," I snapped. It was unintentional, and I knew it hurt both her and I. But my mouth continued on, angrily. "Of course I know. Of course. Why wouldn't I? Do you know how lonely I was after you were gone? You were my only friend in my life. Everyone else hated me, except my family. They thought I was weird. Strange. An imbecile. You were my friend. And then you were gone."