“Hey. Can you spare some change?” a beggar asked of him the other day. He gave him a twenty without batting an eyelash. The beggar thanked him and noticed his glum mood.
“You know, death isn’t always a bad thing, but if you like, I can tell you a little secret.” his voice smelled of whisky and he reeked like a sewer rat. Seth looked at him and profiled him carefully. It was probably a coincidence that he guessed the death of a loved one, but it piqued enough of his interest to ask about it.
“You know it’s gonna cost you another twenty.” the beggar told him. His old, gaunt face didn’t distract enough to notice that twinkle in his eye. Seth took out his billfold and handed him a fifty.
“Speak.” he says.
“Most gracious, kind sir. I’ll tell you the secret on how to see her again.” his hands were wrapped with a dirty cloth and it moved as he held on to the bill like it were some rare diamond. Careful not to smudge it, lest a liquor store think it fake or dirty, he put it in his coat pocket. He sumrised; by his hunched back, his toothless grin and faded jacket, that he had been in the streets for quite awhile now.
“Okay, let’s have it then.” eager, Seth was curious about this secret. He probably wouldn’t believe a word he was going to say, but he was bored and lonely.
He took a deep breath and continued. “On the first night of the full moon, on a windless evening by midnight; a road appears. The road is found by the scent of a deathly candle aimed towards the moon.” His voice somehow changed in to something eerie, or hollow. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it.
“Speak not in riddles, friend. Life is a riddle on its own.”
“You’ll know when the time comes. Align the flame and the moon and do not blink. Hold your breath until everything is clearer.” he had this evil glint in his eyes now, and the tone of his voice was binding.
He continued: “It will suck you in for a price. Make sure the payment is worth the trouble.” his voice became normal again, like when he first asked for change.
“Thank you, friend. Buy food, lest the whisky burn your innards.” he called out. The beggar just tipped his head and turned away. He watched him walk away and disappear in the darkness.
Seth turned around and walked home. The local pub had thrown him out earlier for having a drunken fit. He was arguing about the game that was playing on the television. He was sitting down by the plant box when the beggar came. Weirdest five minutes of his life.
Three days later, he found himself staring at Chelsea again. It was one of those nights where he couldn’t help but remember. There was this gorgeous woman in the Telly earlier and she smelled of fresh Gardenias. A brunette, with freckles by the side of her ear. He let her have his seat and she thanked him. It reminded him a lot of Chelsea.
He found himself walking around his living room, picking up the clothes he just threw around whenever he got home. He no longer slept on the bed, and the couch had been his constant companion through the night. It was a dry, cloudless night. Stars were about, and the moon beckoned him by its fullness.
It was then that he remembered what the beggar told him. There was hardly any wind that night and it was around eleven. Even though they had romantic dinners with candlelight before, they never kept any of the candles. He didn’t have any in the apartment left, except one.
He had taken home Chelsea’s candle from the wake.
Pure coincidence. Given any other day or any other time, he probably wouldn’t know what a Death’s Candle was. No other clues were given. It was almost midnight now when he found it. He hurriedly set up the living room table towards the window and placed the candle on top of it.
He bent low to check to see if it was really possible to set up an angle where the moon and the flame would meet. It was possible. He quickly lit the candle with his lighter and stared at it. Carefully aligning his sight with the moon.
He didn’t blink. He let the yellow flame burn away and partially blind his eyes with darkspots. The flicker was tall and straight. Its edge was dancing with black soot but the fire itself was still. The moon was on the background.
The seconds that passed seemed like an eternity.
[i]Thump-Thump. Thump-Thump.[/i] He could hear his heart beating now.
[i]Tick-Tock. Tick-Tock.[/i] The sound from the clock was getting distinct.
Hairs on end; his eyes were getting tired from staring at the candle for too long. He was just about to give up. His mind was telling him that he’s been had by a begger wanting a drink.
Drips of sweat added more agony to his eyes. He was just about to blink when his timer started beeping. He tried to keep his eyes open longer. A little hope. A little faith.
Chelsea.
The dark spots in his vision disappeared and the whole room felt like it was expanding. Murmurs and whispers were acutely being heard in all directions.
The little light didn’t seem so bright anymore.
He tried blinking but it seemed like he didn’t need to. Weightless, as if all worldly worries have left him. He looked around him and saw his body slumped on the floor, face down. The murmurs were resonating in to whispers until a single collective voice urging him closer.
[i]“The Road… come to it…”[/i] the whispers beckoned.
A silver line; partially transparent, aligned and pointed towards the moon. He could see other shining lines stretching from across the city.
[i]“Come… she’s waiting…”[/i] the whispers beckoned yet again.
Only one thing was stopping Seth from going: Of all this wonder around him now, he still hasn’t figured out what the price was for all of this. The beggar told him to be sure that it was worth it.
“Seeing her once again. It’s probably worth it.” he told himself. He stepped on the silver line and he was dragged, fast as the mind could see, to the moon. Everything warped out of proportion all around him. Streaks of light, which turned out to be souls, grazed the very fabric of the sky he was in.
He found himself in a chamber of sorts. Pillars plaid in ivory and gold. Sapphires were socketed in the eyes of the statues of the deities enshrined therein. They cast eerie stares of malice. A pallid glow of soft light illuminated the corners of the floors and ceilings. Other souls walked beside him and they all had that same look: Wonder.
Further in, they reached a huge heavy door adorned with tortured souls. writhing… arning them to turn back.
“Welcome generous souls.” said a man who suddenly appeared from the shadows. I am Azbuth.
Seth recognized the beggar that told him of the road. He had that same glint in his eyes. The same smile. The same voice that suckers you in. Only this time, he wore darker robes that seemed to emanate an evil aura. His stance more regal and dominating.
Seth looked around to see the reactions of the other souls around him. They were as anxious as he is. Azbuth slammed on the door that seemed to quiet down the souls that were reaching out to him.
“I’m sure you all know why you have come here. I just want to remind you of a few simple rules. An agreement, if you will.”
He walked towards the crowd of souls and stopped beside Seth. He looked at him for a moment and continued.
“I am keeper of this backdoor to the land of the dead. My master does not like visitors coming in… or out. But I have a proposition for all of you.”
“I will allow you to enter this realm and seek out that one person you want to see again; and then you decide. Will you stay and let them live again? Or will you turn back and return to that pathetic thing you all call your lives.”
Murmurs echoed in the hallway. Seth could hear all of them think and they could probaly hear him thinking as well. It seems there are no secrets in this realm.
“That is correct, Seth. I can hear your every thought. All of you, all your inner fears and hesitations are known to me. This land is full of lies and deceit, for only a few of them are happy where they are. They will trick you and mislead you. Even the one you are searching for… may trick you in to trading places with them.”
He then waved his hand and the doors opened. “Leave, if uncertain. Enter if true. Be wary with all that you speak with, for not all of what they say is true.”
Others turned around and ran back from where they came from. Others entered the doors without hesitation. Seth went inside. He had to see Chelsea at any cost.
He and some others fell on plump soil. Checking his surroundings, the world around him had lost its color. Everything was just black, white and some brownish tinge. It was called Sepia, he thought. The others thought out loud, agreeing in unison. It was like some other time and some other place. Trees with dry leaves served as foliage for the earthen sky. The floor cracked with twigs and dry leaves as they made their way in an aimless direction.
Something scuttled in their direction to the right. Through the dry shrubs it went, and took a dive behind the huge oak. It was hissing something unintelligible, from the tone of its thought, (he had figured out that thoughts had varying pitches and depth just like listening to real voices) it sounded like it was scared.
“The living dare walk as the dead?” it hissed.
One of the group approached it and asked if he knew the whereabouts of the person he wanted to see. He was directed to the lagoon somewhere further east. The others walked up to the thing and mobbed it with their questions. Seth ignored them and walked further. Only two stayed with him now. Earl and Katrina; who had probably shared the same sentiments, chose to follow them.
They walked along for hours through cobblestones and eerie trees. They had been carrying conversations along the way.
Earl was searching for his father, and he just wanted to ask if he had ever been proud of him. He didn’t seem to have any meaning in the way he lived his life. His father was a soldier and never showed much affection for him because he taken a different path in life. He had thought that by asking him the question would explain everything. Katrina on the other hand; was searching for her son, who had died abruptly many years ago. She had been blaming herself for her son’s demise and had spent the last few years doing charity work. She had been believing that by by saving others; she was saving herself.
They stopped along a river bank. The water was dark as the hues around it, devoid of any other color. They felt no thirst, but Seth dipped his hand in and tasted the water. He could hear the thoughts of his companions warning him about this place being hell and all…
It was cool and tasteless. He stood up and told him this doesn’t look like hell. It was like his version of purgatory for some reason.