SEVENTEEN
2023 Words
“Why are you smiling, Thanatos? Are you happy to be my friend?”
I’M SMILING? I DIDN’T KNOW THAT I’M SMILING!
“What? No. Will you please don’t look at me like that and move far far away”
She’s too close to me and her face is almost touching my face. What’s the matter with her? She’s so weird and acting so crazy.
“I like the color of your hair, grey. You know what? I also wanted to dye my hair but my stepfather didn’t allow me. I want my hair to be pink” now she’s being very talkative. My goodness, I think it’ll be a very tiring day for me. “I also like your eyes, that’s hazel right? I also wanted to try wearing contact lenses but my stepfather didn’t want me to. I want to have green eyes”
“I didn’t dye my hair or even wear contact lenses, okay? It’s all natural because I am not a human. I’m a spectral entity so please can you just shut your mouth just for a while?!”
And I was being carried away. I raised my voice to her. Oh no, I hope she doesn’t cry. Why am I being so ill-tempered around her? Well, it’s her fault, she’s being so naive and unpredictable. I don’t know what to do when she’s doing something that I never expected or something that no one else does to me before.
She just looked at me and she didn’t speak for a few seconds. I can see that she was shocked by my actions. She scratched her head and sighed a few times.
“I’m sorry, Thanatos. I didn’t mean to annoy you. It’s my first time to have a friend and… I can’t help but talk. I’m actually glad because of you. At least before I go, I experienced having a friend”
When she told me that, I didn't even know what to respond. So it is really her first time to have a friend. How pathetic is her life for not having any friends around her?
I cleared my throat.
“Let’s go,” I said as if I didn’t hear what she said. I’ll just try to convert the conversation because I don’t really know how to sympathize. I snapped my fingers. In a flash, we are now in a different place. I brought her here to a small abandoned cafe.
“Wow! I didn’t know you have the powers to do that”
She looks so amazed at what I did. I am really not surprised if I gave her a lollipop and she’ll jump because of joy. Oh no I remembered it again. I try my best not to smile in front of her. She might think of a lot of different reasons why I’m smiling.
“By the way, what are we doing here?”
“Before we take the long road to the afterlife, I just want to inform you that all souls are given a privilege to have their one and final wish to be granted.” I started before I sat on one of the rusty stools of this cafe. “You can wish for anything, except for bringing you back again to life, it’s a no-no.”
“Oh, so there’s a privilege like that? I’m glad to know” And now I saw her smiling widely. Most of the souls really smile when they hear that from me. Most of the time I’m saying it when they are not looking at me, or when I’m just behind them or far from them because all of them are afraid of me. Afraid to see, afraid to touch, afraid to get close to me.
Mara is very different. Maybe she really is crazy.
“Good. That’s the real purpose why there’s such privilege like that, to at least make all the souls feel better before they go. Now tell me, what is your wish?”
“My wish…”
She thinks deeply. She became serious and not as childish as before. She even sat on the stool in front of me while touching her chin. I give her time to think. It’s better to think about it thoroughly because it is just one and only wish and it should not be wasted.
I wonder what her wish could be? I guess maybe she wants to see one of her loved ones or go to the places that she cherishes the most for the last time. Most of the souls wish that.
After a couple of minutes, she stood up and walked straight, close to me. It seems like she already knows her wish.
“What is your wish Mara?”
I’m shocked when she kneeled in front of me and touched both of my hands.
What’s happening?
What is she doing?!
“Marry me, Thanatos”
“Hey, mister! Ask that again and I will say yes to you”
W-what? What is happening? I heard a voice. Well, different voice. I immediately opened my eyes and I am surprised to see a woman. This woman is the one that I have encountered earlier!
Wait a minute… where am I?
“So I guess you’re awake. You are in the hospital, mister” she said while she is smiling at me.
“Who? Me?” I got up from lying on the bed and look around, everything is white here. The curtains, walls, ceiling…
So that’s it, I dreamt about Mara, but… it is not just a dream, that is part of my memory. Mara and Makaria really look alike. The physical features… her skin, face, eyes, nose, lips… everything is the same. There is no doubt, she really is the reincarnated Mara though Mara is a bit childish and soft compared to her.
“The hell am I talking to? Yes, it is you!” I turn my attention back to this woman beside me and her eyebrows are both raising now.
“Why am I here?”
“You don’t remember? You collapsed and you keep saying ‘Marry me’ to me”
“I… WHAT?!” the heck Thanatos, why did you say that kind of thing?! My eyes automatically widened when she said that. What came to my mind to say that?!
Marry me, Thanatos
DAMN! I KNOW NOW. MAYBE BECAUSE OF MY VISION OF MARA SAYING THOSE WORDS TO ME AND I DIDN’T REALIZE THAT I, MYSELF IS SAYING IT ALSO!
WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW? I DON’T KNOW WHAT REASON SHOULD I TELL HER.
“Is that a part of your play? There is a scene where you propose to a girl?”
What? Play? Ah! I remember!
“Uhm…hehe yes! You are definitely correct”
“You are lying”
“What? No, I am not”
“You are not an actor” what the heck? I thought she believed me? Her facial expression immediately changes into a serious one.
“Huh? I… I am an actor, it’s is… true. Believe me” Why am I stuttering?! It makes me more obvious that I am lying!!!
“No. You are not. You really have some special conditions, that is why you are here right now. Earlier your head hurt so damn hell as if you have cancer or something. Though the doctor told me you had a seizure, they can’t depict why”
My goodness. She really thinks that I am crazy or I am sick… that is needed to be treated. I am normal! Healthy! Sane! I can’t say it because I cannot give her a reasonable answer. She caught me talking to Sephtis and Luke, but the thing is she can’t even see who am I talking to! To her, I am just a man who is speaking to himself. By the looks of it, yeah I look crazy and I cannot deny it.
“I…” am out of words.
“Tell me the truth mister” she moves closer to me, and I just let out a big sigh.
“I don’t need to. Just… don’t bother asking” I said as I turn away. I cannot look straight at her.
“Okay, if it’s too personal, I’ll just let this go FOR NOW. By the way, I am Dianna, Dianna Padalecki. What is your name?” she started to give me her hand as if she wanted a handshake. I just looked at it for a few seconds before I took and shake it slowly.
“I am Thanatos”
“Woah, unique name. Nice meeting you*smiles*”
“Nice meeting you too, and… thanks for taking me here” then I stop shaking her hand. After that, I scratch the back of my head. I feel a little awkward.
“No problem. By the way, the doctor said that you can go home already once you wake up so I guess, you can go home now because you are awake”
---
“Thanks for hopping me up for a ride,” I said as I go down from her motorcycle. I can say that she is a cool lady. I never thought that she has a motorcycle and drive one. It is pure black and has huge wheels!
“Sure, no problem. So you live here in this small house?” then she took off her helmet. I took off mine too and gave it to her.
“Actually, I just moved here today”
“Woah, it seems like you ran away or something” she started to walk and inspected the house.
“Uhm… yeah, maybe. I just want to refresh my mind”
“Why?”
“Because… I lost my memories” when I said that, she stopped walking and turned around to look at me.
“Amnesia? That is what I am telling you! You do have a condition. Earlier you are keeping it from me, you are even lying, but now you already admit it.”
WHAT DID SHE SAY? IT IS AN UNFAMILIAR WORD.
“Amnesia?”
“Yes, if you lost your memories it is typically called amnesia. You didn’t know that?”
“No” Do I look like I know it? It is my first time to hear that word.
“Don’t worry, I got you. I lived nearby. I can go check you here from time to time”
Why is she like that? She is too nice for a person like me that she newly met.
“You don’t need to”
“But I am willing to. You need help Thanatos. You are alone here without any memories. By the way, what do you do for a living?”
Somehow, she has a point. I really need help. I am lost and I don’t even know where to start or what to do. I move here without even thinking about it thoroughly. I can’t go back to Nemesis anymore.
“You mean… work?”
“Yes, do you have one?”
“I don’t actually have one” all I know is that I am a grim reaper before. But of course, I can’t say that.
“It is your lucky day! Our company is hiring a janitor. You think you can clean?”
“Y-yeah, yeah… sure” Truthfully, I am not sure. It would be my first time, and I need to take it. As if I have any other choice?
“I’ll make you a resume and hand it down to my boss tomorrow. Be glad that you met me, I am your lucky charm!”
WHAT? THERE IS ANOTHER UNFAMILIAR WORD AGAIN. DAMN.
“Resu...me?”
“It is a paper consisting of your personal information. You give that to the employer to hire you” she walks close to me and taps one of my shoulders. I just throw her an awkward smile before I took a deep breath.
“Oh, okay. Uhm… what company are you in?”
“It is M&A Corporation”
- Writer
