Story #2: Tomorrow we die

“And what happens tomorrow?” he asked in a gentle tone. Delilah smiled at him and planted a firm kiss on his lips.

“Tomorrow we die.” The look in her eyes wasn’t one of horror or fear. It was the look of determination.

24 hours till death.

Rory was worried about it but Delilah just walked around like she had no care in the world. First day of high school was a terrifying prospect according to him but as long as Delilah stuck with him, some of her enthusiasm started rubbing off on him. Rory had always wondered why a girl like her, so lively and fun would choose to befriend him.

The most exciting moment in his life before he met her had been when he had caught a squirrel and kept it as a pet, for three days but even that didn’t last long because it died. He forgot it needed to be fed too. He had been upset for days until Delilah moved next door and with her, her pet dog Sunshine.

She was perfect, like a unicorn, always spreading smiles on faces. And she let him pet sunshine. Soon, he was as used to Rory as he was to Delilah. After they became friends, much to Rory’s surprise, they never went anywhere alone. Even their parents got used to seeing them hanging out together all the time but now it was time for high school. Rory worried that Delilah would find new friends with her charming personality and he would end up as a loner.

But she didn’t abandon him. Even when he picked the last bench and she wanted to sit in the front, even when a group of other girls asked her to sit with them during lunch.

Delilah was lovely. And now they would die together. Just like they had promised.

12 hours till death

“I know you are afraid, Rory. It won’t be bad, I promise.” Delilah was trying to make sure he won’t back out or get freaked out at the moment. What they were about to do was really important and she needed him. She should know better. He would do anything for her. Even die.

9 hours till death.

They wrote a letter, to their parents, not an explanation, but a final goodbye. They wrote one letter to each other. Something to read an hour before their deaths.

Dear Mom,

I know you will miss me but know that I will be in a better place, and always around. You don’t have to worry about anything. Delilah will be with me. I will miss you but, I really want to do this.

Rory.

Dear Dad,

Remember how you always quote things to me? Well one of them got stuck to my heart. “Decide what to be and go be it.” This is what I want to be. I hope you will be happy for me, even if you won’t be able to see me anymore. I love you.

Delilah.

7 hours till death

Delilah was thinking about tomorrow, the final release. It all started a month ago when she first moved into that neighbourhood. She could feel something was different about it and then her Sunshine took her to Rory. Sunshine was no ordinary dog for her. He had always been a bringer of good luck. He had saved her from countless accidents and often following him would lead her to good fortune in the long run. So she befriended Rory, the introvert with glasses and a shy smile. He wasn’t interesting but he certainly was sweet.

That’s when it happened. She saw something out of the corner of her eye, a shadow or a wraith, her inside voice said. She had always been a believer of the supernatural, but Rory? Not so much. He was a believer of Delilah though. Every word she spoke was his gospel. She adored having that much power over a person.

That night she dreamt of ghosts and unruly spirits, each shoving each other to take hold of her. But a bright spark of light sent them all spiralling and it came to her. She couldn’t tell what it was, it had no shape, just bright illuminating light sprawled over into a pattern and it didn’t walk or float, it glided.

She heard the voice inside her head. I am life –The giver. You are chosen to be death- the taker. One task, to become who you truly are.

That is when the plan started.

2 hours till death

They were planning the whole ritual, drawing a pentagram on the floor, candles, salt, a dagger dipped in holy water. It was good that Delilah lived only with her Dad who mostly spent his time lost in his study, writing. The basement was empty, and a perfect place to do what they were about to. No sound would do out.

1 hour till death.

They both unfolded the letters they had written to each other and began to read.

Rory’s letter was only one sentence, so was Delilah’s.

I love you.

I’m sorry.

5 minutes till death

“Are you ready Rory?” He nodded. The dagger sat in the middle of the pentagram and they both on the either side of it.

“Close your eyes,” she said. He did. She closed her eyes too as she began chanting. It was time.

The impact came before she opened her eyes. She looked at Rory’s face. He was smiling. The dagger had pierced her heart. Noooo! It was her, she was supposed to do it.

“It came in my dreams too,” he told her.

  As she fell on the ground, life draining out of her, Rory put the edge of the knife on his throat and with a clean cut it was done.   He bled to death in seconds.

Time of Death: 3 a.m.

The task was for Death-the taker. Take one innocent life, and end it along with yours. You wake up in heaven, with a grim cloak; the person you kill shall forever be your mate. The scythe in your hand, for the lives you will take.

Life went to the girl, life went to the boy. They both made their plans, they both did try. But none of them was innocent by the time the ritual was through. So Delilah died in vain and Rory died too.

Lucifer laughed in hell watching the games his demons played. Now more and more will hell fill, with the screams of the dead.

Delilah’s dad found the body, before he found the letter. The wine in the cellar that he had walked down to take was lightened by the shade of blood of his daughter. Rory’s mother found the letter to be a bit unusual. The next day the whole high school was talking about the cult ritual.

One guy swore he saw Delilah’s head floating down the alley. The girl said she saw Rory, all bloody up the streets. That night a light filled another kid’s dreams.

He woke up with a plan.

Another month, two more bodies.  

Then came tomorrow, the day of Halloween. All the dead high schoolers roamed around their personal death scene.