Chapter 2: CHAPTER TWO-1349 AVELINA
I watch the flames from fires engulfing, burning the blank faces of loved ones that were killed by the plague. All ages, even babies, cold and fragile, not a sign of any emotion shown just nothingness. So pale that it's hard to fathom whether they were ever alive at all. It is said that the only way to completely eradicate the virus from your body is burning it. Even though this may be true; watching bodies of people you love being burned to ash isn't pleasant, and the faces of those left behind. Don't even get me started on the faces of those that are grieving from the loss of a loved one. It's been two years now, since I lost Primeveire, four years since the plague started and it doesn't intend on stopping anytime soon. I've gotten used to the smell of the rotting bodies now, but even after these years I still haven't gotten used to hearing and seeing the pain from others as they lose people close to them, or as they lose themselves to the plague. They may be strangers to me, but I still feel empathy for them. The pain they so clearly feel reflected on them like that's the only thing they'll ever feel again. Consumed by their pain so much that it's overwhelming. Broken. Drowning in their own tears. These strangers lost in the memories of what they're loved ones used to be. Trying to get the image of their faces burning out of their heads, at least in the memories they can pretend they're still here. Losing themselves as they become monsters of hatred and pain. At least that's what happened to me anyway on the day I watched Primeveire burn away. Mothers now Ill, I'm losing her too. But I must stay strong for Denise, it's what Primeveire wanted from me and I'm not letting her down.
I hear and watch as hooves hit the hard cobblestone floor as fatigued horses feel sleep drawing upon them, being forced to work. They continue to drag carts full of dead bodies away. The body collectors, also known as becchani, always fetid with the effluvia of death. They work all night taking dead bodies of those that suffered with the plague away. They're incredibly abusive people, even the living are abused by them. Maybe it's because a large percentage of them always come to collect the bodies drunk. Maybe it's because they hate their jobs even though they know what they signed up for, or maybe they're just as heartless as the dead. Nevertheless you do not want to see a body collector at your doorstep. Ghostly cries of terror and sorrow whisper through the night, coming from people watching helplessly as they're loved ones die. You can hear them in your sleep, "no please don't take her!"
"I will always love you."
"My poor baby..."
"No! Don't die, please don't die!"
"I love you sister…" Sleep is no longer a safe haven, it's a nightmare. Images of dead faces haunting your mind. Even shutting your eyes is unsettling. Memories of death cluttering your mind, till the point that it's as if you're living the torturous memories all over again. I stare into the darkness of night begging me to run into it and stay out of the light, and yet I cannot bring myself to do it. I can still feel the scars on my skin from where I slid a sharp rock across it, the rope around my neck as I tried to end my suffering and the emptiness in my soul. I was ready to say goodbye, I still am, but I still have a purpose here, I need to care for Denise because no one else does. I am nothing now. I walk alone with no purpose or real emotions, just this emptiness inside of me. I wasn't always like this, but when the plague hit I lost myself like so many did. Hmph, if only this had never happened. But sometimes you just have to accept that things will never ever be the same as they were. The hard and painful truth. Sometimes I wish I could go back to the good days where everything was okay. I have found, through my journey of pain and loss that a heartbreak isn't loud. It's as quiet as a feather falling and the most painful thing about it, is you're the only one that can hear, nobody can but you. It's like your hearts breaking and you have to pretend you're fine, because those around you need you and this is no time for weakness. I wish that I could go back to what life used to be like, not this. This isn't what I wanted, no one wanted this. So why did it have to happen?
"Avelina! Avelina!" I groan, one moment I wanted for myself and now I don't even have that. I turn around to see Denise sprinting over to me at a speed I've never seen before, a look plastered on her face, one of many I know too well, somethings wrong.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone