Grey Dawn

by K L Rymer

  Then there are memories I don’t even recall from early childhood. In one I comfort my crying mother (I can imagine my father had upset her, as he usually did), and another where I’d stopped Olga from squishing a house spider because “he was my best friend”.

  I know what they’re doing. They’re showing the good things I’ve done in my life, but still... I’m no saint.

  The screen goes blank, and I gaze at my reflection once again. Thank goodness; a part of me feared that they’d show me all of my misdeeds. There’s probably too many to show in one sitting.

  Yet it’s not like I’m going anywhere after all.

  Suddenly, child-like whispers echo through the room, and I become disoriented. This time it’s as if they’re coming from inside me.

  Then they stop, and I gaze around, noticing the wet sheen that’s taken over my face in the mirror.

  I still sweat in the afterlife too.

  A loud ring sounds through the glass room, and I wince, covering my ears. It’s as if someone switched on an intercom. Do they have a control panel out there or something?

  “Congratulations, Mister Black, you can now go on to the next phase.”

  It’s that creepy little girl again, and I shiver when I hear more children.

  “Aw... he looks so handsome when he’s confused...”

  “I’m gonna kiss his cheek!”

  “What... what are you?” I say, backing away as far as I can.

  They’re not children. Far from it.

  “That’s unclassified information. Now stay there. We’re coming to get you!”

  Fear grips my heart, and suddenly I’m thrown back against the wall as a bright light fills the room.

  Small, giggling shadows float in from an open doorway, but I’m powerless to move.

  My heart hammers and I close my eyes, cringing when a dozen pair of tiny hands grip tight hold of me.

  One plants a huge kiss on my cheek as they rip me free from the wall, and then everything turns white once again.

  Where are they taking me now?

  5. Misaki

  I gaze at my glum reflection in the mirror as two Brazilian teens tend to me.

  They’re the same girls who escorted Crystal to her ceremony, their names Leticia and Leila, and I can tell they’re frightened of me.

  Lord White had sort of adopted me as his new daughter, and now I stay in Crystal’s old room. He has invited me to have dinner with his council tonight (Ashley included), so I need to keep my wits about me.

  Unfortunately, Crystal’s scent lingers everywhere, and I close my eyes, wishing I didn’t have to see signs of her. One of her blonde hairs had still been attached to her hairbrush, and I had to choke back a sob. The youngest sister, Leila, had looked me straight in the eyes, and I saw the same sadness, and, unless I’m mistaken, anger.

  I know they were close with Crystal, and they were sad, depressed even, when His Holiness delivered the news, but what did she have to be angry about? She loved Lord White, her saviour...

  After that awkward conversation, the girls had completely stripped me down, and they’d stared at my naked body fascinated. I don’t exactly have anything they don’t, well, except for a six pack that I’ve gained through years of vigorous training. When you have special powers such as mine, you have to prepare your body in advance lest they destroy you.

  Yet Crystal, however, had been softer in muscle and didn’t exactly have what you’d call combat skills, but her body had accepted her powers just fine. Just another one of her many enigmas. A true rare gem.

  They’d scrubbed my body then head to toe, and my eyes almost popped from my skull when the eldest reached up between my legs.

  Holy fucking moly...

  They’re very thorough, and I start to get a little aroused.

  Because there’s no one else to really think about, I picture Ashley tied up, a gag in his mouth and a whip in my hand, and I smirk.

  Mark my word... my fantasy will become reality. I will make Ashley pay. In many ways he will regret.

  And White too, though it won’t be satisfying for him. I’ll just torture him for real.

  No one messes with the Blacks.

  After they cleanse me, they dress me in ugly hemp robes and start on my face. I grip Leticia’s wrist before she even attempts to scrub away my makeup.

  “No one touches the face,” I say, my voice calm and dangerous.

  Leila looks a little unsettled, but Leticia keeps her rude brown eyes on me.

  “His Holiness requests...”

  “I don’t care what His Holiness requests. No. One. Touches. My. Face.”

  Leticia scowls. “But makeup is vain and only teaches women to hate themselves—”

  “It’s not about self-esteem, sweet Leticia. Trust me, even without makeup, I’m a knockout, but it’s about principle. A woman has every right to wear her face however she pleases. It’s an expression of herself. It’s no different from art. Would you wipe away art, Leticia?”

  Leticia looks lost for words. I can see she disagrees with me, and it’s most likely not because of propaganda White fed her, but her own beliefs and morals, and that’s fine. But still, it doesn’t give her the right to enforce them on me. My body, my rules...

  She sighs. “Fine. But I still think you look better without it.”

  Leticia tosses the cloth angrily into the bowl and storms out the room, leaving her poor little sister behind.

  I raise a brow at Leila, waiting for what she has to say.

  She hangs her head and shuffles out the door, muttering. “I... I think your makeup looks gorgeous.”

  I sigh, rolling my eyes. “Hold on, the both of you.”

  They stop, turning back. I meet their similar brown eyes, and I wonder then what it would be like to have a sister. Another me. What a scary thought (it would be the end of the world for sure).

  “You still haven’t braided my hair.”

  Leticia frowns, and I smirk, loving the idea of having minions at my beck and call, but it was also to get them to stay a while longer and give me some inside scoop on White. I get the impression they don’t talk much, but I will soon get them gabbing.

  I sit in a chair and let them brush through my long, luxurious black hair, and I hear Leila gasp in awe. “So beautiful...”

  I smile, smug. “I know...”

  Leticia grumbles, shaking her head, and I peer up at her through the mirror. She’d be so much prettier if she didn’t scowl so much.

  “Do you both want to know how Crystal really died?” I suddenly say next.

  They both freeze, giving each other nervous glances.

  I grin wider. “You both already know, don’t you?”

  Leticia closes her eyes. Leila starts to shake.

  “That’s right. His Holiness killed her...”

  “That’s enough!” Leticia snaps, meeting my eyes in the mirror. Her face goes completely white.

  My eyes burn gold. Yeah, I’m gonna thrall the bitch.

  “Tell me... how can I defeat Lord White.”

  Leticia stares at me horrified, her full bottom lip wiggling. A shame she refuses to wear makeup. She has a Cupid’s bow to die for.

  My eyes glow brighter, and Leticia starts to tremble.

  “It’s all right, sweet Leticia... you can tell me. I promise nothing will happen to you.”

  The girl backs away, and I’m impressed by her sheer will. She’s a strong one, and absolutely refuses to let me inside her head. But then her eyes start to roll back into her skull since it’s only a matter of time until I win.

  I always win.

  “Stop! We’ll join your side!” Leila cries.

  I release my thrall and Leticia slumps to the ground, gasping for air. Leila runs to her side, and I palm my face.

  Teenagers...

  I turn my body around in the seat and gaze upon them fully now. Leila comforts her poor sister who still gasps for breath.

  Finally, she looks up. Whereas I expected to see hatr
ed and fear, all I see is sympathy and heartbreak, and again I wonder what she has to be so upset about.

  Was she really that close with Crystal?

  “You... you don’t have to thrall us, Lady Black,” she whispers. “Crystal... she was a good friend of ours too.”

  I stare into her innocent young eyes, and I notice they grow shinier.

  “Eli... he... he once saved my life... he’d protected me from Lord White’s beam. And... and now he’s gone...”

  My heart plummets when I hear Eli’s name, and I look away, overcome. I’m not surprised by her story. Eli was always a big softie deep, deep down. He just hid it well.

  I was hardly shocked when I found out he’d donated money to that sick child, something I never would have thought to do in a million years, and I envy his capacity to care.

  Maybe if I’d been more kind-hearted too, my mother never would have left.

  I wipe a tear from my eye before Leila sees, and meet her gaze again. “He... really saved you?”

  She nods, tears running down her own cheeks. “Yes... and I promise that my sister and I will join your side. For Crystal and Eli, defeat him. He’s... not who we thought he was...”

  I look at Leticia, but she refuses to meet my eyes again, but I can see it in her too. She has lost faith in Lord White, and it was only a matter of time until all his followers did too.

  The only way we’re really going to beat him was if we keep allowing him to think we’re still on his side. That we have given ourselves completely over to his cause.

  In that case...

  I pick up the bowl Leticia brought, and wipe the makeup from my face, and the girls watch as I finally unmask.

  I still have my principles, but if I wanted to convince Lord White that I had completely gone over to his side, then I needed to act the part. These two young girls had nearly risked their lives by confessing to me tonight. I had to honour that.

  I’d checked the room for any spy bugs the moment I arrived, but His Holiness isn’t into high tech, so we’re safe there. There are no vents to be seen or any other channels that could lead directly to his room.

  I scrub away the last remnants of makeup, and I’m raw and baby-faced once again. Without my makeup, I could pass for a teenager myself, which isn’t bad. Unfortunately, the eyelashes have to stay on (I left my special oil at home for that).

  When I turn to look back at the girls, Leila gasps. Leticia gives a smug smirk. “Told you you’d look more beautiful, Lady Black.”

  I flip my long, black hair aside. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t. Now come on, finish my braid. I need to look my best when I go down to have dinner with His Holiness.”

  Both girls come to stand behind me once again, and I grin at myself in the mirror.

  Looks like I earned myself some new comrades.

  6. Crystal

  I wander through more heavenly terrain on Sergeant Sparkles’ back, the name I’d dubbed my new unicorn guide.

  Sergeant Sparkles was a creature that demanded respect, so to give him a name so girlish and childish just seemed a little insulting (hence why I added the sergeant).

  But he did sparkle. His mane was like a shimmering waterfall, flowing gracefully from his forelocks to his hooves, a six-year-old girl’s dream.

  He truly was heaven.

  We tread across a large crystal bridge, the world stretching far below us. The clouds sit like dots of sheep atop a vast green plane, and it’s like I’m seeing the entire earth.

  Could this truly be the view of earth from heaven? So far we’ve trekked great fields of floating flowers, and splashed through endless waterfalls and rivers, but nothing quite so impressive as this.

  The world beyond truly was beautiful.

  But it wouldn’t be heaven without Eli. I’d gladly give it all up just to spend one more moment with him.

  I gaze up at the starry sky, wondering wherever Eli was, he was safe and happy.

  Sergeant Sparkles picks up his pace, and I peer ahead, squinting at a bright light at the other end of the bridge.

  My heart beats in my mouth.

  No, it’s too soon. I can’t enter heaven just yet. I need to get back to Eli.

  “Wait... stop...”

  But the unicorn gallops on at lightning speed, and I’m powerless to stop him.

  “Please... there’s just someone I want to see before I go...”

  Yet he still goes on, and I close my eyes as the wind rushes by. There’s nothing I can do. Now I will never see Eli again.

  But we soon stop, and I open my eyes.

  Have we made it to the end of the bridge?

  A gasp leaves my lips as I gaze up at a large, gold-plated door. It’s at least a hundred feet high, and my head swirls.

  I flinch next as Sergeant kneels, and I take that as an invitation to jump down from his back. So I swing my leg over to his other side and slip to the ground, my long white dress trailing behind me. Then he stands back up and gazes solemnly at the door, the one that matches his gold eyes and horn.

  The door remains open ever so slightly, inviting me closer, and I take a deep breath, my heart thumping in my ears.

  But just as I take a step, two figures emerge from the open door, and I stop, gripping a hold of Sergeant’s mane.

  I know they mean no harm, but they’re entities from beyond, so I have no idea who or what they are.

  Angels or perhaps God himself, I remain frozen to the spot, holding on tighter to Sergeant’s mane.

  The figures appear small at first, but they soon grow, silhouetted against the bright light, and my mouth dries up.

  They look like people, and then I catch a glimpse of the white of their hair.

  They’re elderly, and for a moment I forget to blink.

  No, it couldn’t possibly be...

  Despite my trepidation, my feet move of their own accord, and before long I’m running towards the two people I’ve missed most.

  I skid to a stop when I finally reach them, and there they are.

  Grandma and Grandpa.

  They look at me with nothing but love in their eyes, and my own well up with tears.

  They’re still the same as I remember. Grandpa with his white toupee, smoothed back on his head, and Grandma with her glasses and curls, and I sob, breaking the space between us to throw my arms around them.

  We stay that way for a while, just holding on to each other like old times.

  Now I know I really am in heaven. What was heaven if you never got to see your loved ones again?

  “I’ve missed you both so much,” I cry, breathing in my grandma’s rose petal scent.

  She always had such a feminine smell, a proper lady.

  Grandpa always smelled of cigars and fine leather, and I hold him close too, and it’s like I’m a little girl in his arms again.

  “We’ve missed you too, angel cakes,” my grandma says, and I giggle. I haven’t heard that name in over three years, the last time I saw her.

  I lift my head from their shoulders at last, and the three of us stare at each other now.

  My grandfather’s fascinated brown eyes never leave me, and he shakes his head. “I still can’t believe how beautiful you’ve become. Just like your grandma.”

  I return his smile. The last time Grandpa saw me, I was a scrawny twelve-year-old girl, one who was still obsessed with Ashley Fawn, and I push the latter out of my mind.

  It turns out Ashley had been a big disappointment all along. Just like my father.

  Two of my childhood heroes turned out to be monsters after all.

  I push the negative thoughts away and meet my Grandma’s green eyes. “So, am I to join you and grandpa on the other side of the door?”

  Sadness flickers through her eyes, and then she turns to my grandfather. He, too, seems forlorn, and I know their answer already.

  “It’s not my time yet, is it? I didn’t think it would be.”

  My heart breaks at the thought of having to say goodbye to them all over again
, but I will not shed a tear and cherish these last few moments.

  “No, dear. Not quite. You still have a lot of unfinished business on earth,” Grandma says.

  My curiosity’s piqued now, and I’m all ears. “Unfinished business?”

  “We can’t tell you exactly, but we can say this: earth needs you a lot more than heaven does now. The both of you.” Grandpa looks me carefully in the eyes.

  “The both of us? Who else are you—”

  “The handsome devil boy. You really did grab yourself a looker there, angel cakes.” Grandma giggles, pinching my cheek, and my grandfather gives her a pointed look.

  “I am standing right here, you know, Rose.”

  Grandmother laughs even louder, kissing his cheek.

  “Yet he’s still nowhere as handsome as you are, Gerald.”

  They both laugh now and kiss each other on the lips, and I try not to get too distracted by their cuteness. I have missed their sweet interactions, and they always did love each other, right towards the end of their lives, but we need to stay on topic.

  “Wait... do you mean Eli?”

  Grandma nods, raising her eyebrows a little, and I clasp my chest. My heart’s doing somersaults.

  Earth needs me and Eli? For what possible reason?

  Was it to stop my father? I knew deep down my father was corrupt. He did not have humanity’s best interests at heart, no matter how much he convinced himself. He had to be stopped. There was no one else powerful enough. Eli would be no match for him on his own, and I pray for the millionth time that nothing happened to my demon the moment I died.

  “So, what now? What am I supposed to do? I can’t go back to earth. I... I died. My father killed me.”

  I still find it hard to believe. My father had shot me down without a second thought, a man whom I thought had loved me.

  What a fool I had been.

  I see the regret in my grandma’s eyes, and I know she blames herself for she was the one who encouraged me to meet him. But how was she to know he would be so cruel in the end? The benevolent and charitable Lord Michael White.