Playing Death |ONC 2021 Longlister

Chapter 19

I saw the boy toy with the thing that I gave him. A vial of sorts that if he pulled it would call Aphrodite. I wondered if he would use it and if I would have to wrest it from him and forbid doing it.

I doubt he would. He didn't seem like he would at all. But of course there was a chance.

He does seem a little too impulsive for me to like.

I breathed out a sigh of relief as he tucked it away and rolled over in bed. He seemed to be spending quite a lot of time with Jay and I knew the plan would go smoothly as could once Layla would be involved. I pulled out a jar and opened the tab running an algorithm as it calculated all the souls in it.

Three hundred and one.

So much more left but it would do. Technically I could visit everywhere and collect lots more souls but reaching there before it was corrupted was tiring and I could not guarantee that it would work at all. Souls were sometimes taken off by Wind Whisperers too.

I sighed and watched him try to fall asleep but struggle as he put on some piano music, closing his eyes and turned the volume down. From his angle, he would not see me at all. I wanted him to fall asleep soon.

I tiptoed over to where he slept as he drifted between this world, hovering around his subconscious, refusing to fully fall asleep.

I removed my Soul Cancellation Earphones and knelt down watching him. What are you thinking?

What am I doing? What did I get myself into? What if Jay figured it out and everything was ruined? What am I denying myself? It's not like I like being around him. Maybe I'm just lonely during this quarantine and enjoy something different from my family's nosy behaviour. What am I doing? What does Death even do? They seem so shady but uniquely...why would they save me? I'd rather have fallen off that window than stay alive and take souls. Would Jay be friends with me if he knew everything? What was about to come?

Of course not. Of course not.

The boy was starting to sweat and he twisted around in his bed and I glided away slowly, careful not to ruffle around and cause winds too much. He awoke with a gasp, cold sweat dripping all over but didn't see me yet. I watched in horror.

What was that? It seemed like an endless downward spiral inside his head. Was it always like that?

I felt something tug at me. This is...weird. What is this feeling. I don't feel so good. I walked out from there, and glided aimlessly over the city, pumping my ears with full music.

The boy's thoughts were affecting me. I hated it. How could someone even think as much? Somehow I knew he seemed to think lots more.

I hovered around until I came back and decided to see what the other boy thought. Jay. What went through his mind as he laughed everyday? He seemed like sunshine who would not let rain deter him.

What an idiot.

I smiled and peeked over Jay who looked like he was sleeping soundly. I glided over until I was close enough and peered into his mind.

It's getting better. He's forgiving me. We can do collabs with much more ease now. I missed him so much. I wish I had stayed there that day, I wished I had stood up for him. I wished I had been there. But now I am.

I went back to where the boy was as I saw him awoke and pacing and he spotted me.

"What?!" he barked aloud and then lowered his voice. "What is it?"

I frowned. "I want to have a slice of what you have. Can we have waffles?"

"At night?" he threw up his hands. "I mean everything is closed. You could have eaten everything when we were there. You almost pass for a normal person too."