DEATH REMAINS
How death can cause a million enlightenments?
Akira moves towards the dark narrow path near the mountain edge. There Ayame waits standing across the pale moonlight. She kept a Ruzio dagger inside her robe across her waist, a small thin blade capable of penetrating the body somewhat unnoticed by the victim itself, most definitely as when it is rubbed by ruzio plant that is more like an anesthetic, producing a feeling of numbness as it penetrates, unfelt…but deadly. Her plan is to pierce the heart directly from the back without Akira feeling something. He can walk for more than 30 seconds after that, his heart will bleed internally that it will stop suddenly. She wanted to have that 30 seconds to see a dying man’s eye…pure gratification of her inner dark soul.
He sees her silhouette meters away and gave a silly grin. He felt enamored and happy she came to see him again. Like a beautiful midnight painting of the moon, there she stands with her long hair in moving in synergy with the clouds. The wind caresses her hair entirely touching her pale face. He didn’t rush moving towards her, instead he fills her thoughts with snapshots of beauty as he moved closer to her.
Konbanwa? He said in a calm and playful tone.
She didn’t respond.
He was almost at her back now.
Ei… I didn’t catch your name…how come you never told me?
Still no respond from her.
What are you thinking? Is there something wrong?
She slowly turned around to face her. Her pretty face was illuminated by the moonlight. Then, she reached out for his hand enticing him to move closer. He then took her hand and moved towards her.
I ... I have something for you.
He opened her hands and gave her cherry blossoms.
All my entire being is always captured by this flowers, I could never explain how it calms my soul and comforts my being just looking at them. It gives me a feeling of serenity and glee and how you can fall in love with nature. Now, I’m holding it in my hands I can feels its softness and vulnerability.
It’s the same feeling I have with you.
You are my cherry blossom.
She smiled. Not because it amuses her but more of the thought of her first kill under the cherry blossoms. The first life she took under the tree. To her it was a memory of a beautiful death. An ill twist of fate for them to meet. Who sees cherry blossoms as beautiful and deadly at the same time. To her beauty deceives the world of its imperfections. To him, cherry blossoms reminds the world of its perfectness. One sees its beauty, one sees its curse. Indeed, an ill twist of fate.
She leaned towards him and slowly kisses him. She then led her hand to his intimate part as she opened her legs slightly.
Touch me there. I wanted to be touched there.
His fingers reached hers. He can feel its bushes and slowly moved more inside her. She felt her warmth, her wet outside. He gently caressed her intimate part.
Ohhh….she moaned. Do you like it? Do you want more?
Then she made his hand pushed more deeper inside her.
His finger entered her and he moved it slowly.
There, slowly. .. she said. She moved closer to him. Touching his face, she smiled at him. But to her it was a deadly grin. To her she thought, foolish man.
Is my cherry blossom more beautiful than what you are holding?
She was clearly amused and playing with him. She didn’t allow him to respond , she kissed him passionately. And as he was close enough, she wrapped her arms around him. Slowly she pulled the dagger out without him noticing it. As she was about to strike her from the back. He pushed his finger deeper into her and she moaned. But it didn’t stop her from her goal.
As soon as she was about to strike, he asked… “What’s your name? I want to say it if we are to make love tonight?”
She grinned and replied, “Ayame…remember it.”
Perfect, she thought. It was customary for two warriors in the battle field to say their name during battle. It is an act of respect and honor to the person who will be killed and to the one who kills to say their names. To die and to know the name of who defeated them is an act of courage and honor. To the one who kills an act of gratitude and honor to fight his/her match.
She strikes the dagger at his back with swift motion.
 | But
it was a bad timing, as soon as she strikes he moved her in rotation as
lovers do to kiss someone more. As he was holding her into his arms,
the dagger wounded his back and only skin deep. He noticed it
instantaneously as his clothes were torn from the backside. But he
didn’t let her go. He stared into her face with a question of why. He
gave off that stern look and was clouded by questions of deception and
desire. The situation was in reverse now, he is holding him in her arms
bending towards the cliff, with her dagger hanging on her right hand. If
he let go, she would fall into the mountainous abyss. If he didn’t he
could die in her arms. |
To her, it was
unexpected, everything was perfectly planned but fate has played with
them once more. She was on a disadvantage, if she attempts to move her
hand with the dagger, she risks of him letting go of her. If she didn’t
move or act now, she doesn’t know for how long will he hold her.
They both locked up in
a stare. Him finding answers to her eyes. She finding assurance in his
eyes to never let go. Who ever chooses something… someone will be at a
loss… death for someone, or death for himself. By not choosing yet, they
both have each other’s arms but by then, someone will let go
eventually… its straining his arms and too her, her bended position is
uncomfortable.
Why? He uttered. Did you ever love me?
Now, with questions
uttered. Their lives hangs in the questions they pose. She was in a
bitter position of not knowing if she will answer it with yes or no. If
she says yes, she did, she might be saved back but everything will be
different as trust and faith has been tainted. If she says no,
definitely he will be dropped down the abyss and will not never see what
could have been if she said yes.
30 seconds. Only 30
seconds before the medicine will be in effect. It will make his back and
his arm covered in numbness. If she has a chance, she has to say it
before the chance passes away.
Yes, I love you.
He then pulled her up
closer to him. She can strike now but she still poses a risk of both
falling from the cliff and still has the risk of being pushed away. She
was in a disadvantage still so she let go of the dagger, to bring trust
that she means what she says. On the other hand, to him he never thought
of her trying to kill him, in fact he puts his every faith in destiny.
If he is destined to die that night, fate will have its ways.
Just as fate brought them together.
Just as fate saved him from being stabbed.
Just as fate gave him chance to hear her name and her words.
He kissed her suddenly.
For him not to think. Thoughts will cloud his feelings, he wanted to
feel genuinely loved as he is kissing her. She was stunned and asked
herself the same question as him.
Why?
Both gave off no answers.
It’s better that way.
It saved them from losing one another.
To him, I love you was enough.
To her, his kiss was enough.
For how long will it
be that way…as long as she wants to keep him and as long as he wants to
keep her. But to both of them at that moment in time, time stood still.
For the question of how long, it largely depends if someone will accept
the death of someone. Who wins and who will lose.
Time stood still on the cliff…it seems like years even.
No choices being made was a better choice… no, a perfect choice even.
How fate plays on people. They are given only little choices…or none at all.
If she didn’t kill him
now she will die eventually, it was an order given to her. Her people
in his clan will kill her slowly. If he didn’t kill her now he will
eventually be killed by her or his people even who wanted him dead.
But fate has its ways,
unremarkable unexpected for both of them. The wind suddenly blew
strongly on them. She slipped into his arms and fell on the cliff
clinging only to his hands. His hands that caressed her and cared for
her. Then it struck her, if I’m going to die today, he was the only man
who made me happy and loved me entirely. She suddenly felt not letting
go. She wanted more of him. True as they say, you will only see things
clearly when its on the verge of dying.
He wanted to save her
so much. He didn’t know why but as he is, he never thought that much but
what is of the moment. He wanted to save her.
The wind grew stronger
and stronger. She was slipping slowly. He panicked clinging to a single
hope of not losing her. Then, the wind blew her away. Deeply swallowed
by the darkness.
 | He lost her. It was not their choices anymore, fate made a choice for them. |
What remained are going to be questions unanswered and what could have been.
What remained are only ifs.
What remained is only the person being left behind.
Yet, like certain events of death… or loss..
What remained is a feeling of single littlest hope of miracle…
…will she survive the fall and come back…
… hidden in his heart he hoped so…
... And that
night, his tears flowed endlessly…
