His eyes were lucid mirrors

I checked the little alarm clock on my bedside table though there was no need as I had grown accustomed to its faint ticking and registered each second in my mind. There was exactly ten seconds 'till my next check up at 12:00. I inhaled sharply through my nostrils as my eyelids fluttered shut ; the air smelled like metal and bleach . I could feel my heartbeat slowing , suddenly tired as I drifted away to a distant place where time passed much slower.

TIC

"Wake up!" I heard being whispered into my ear.

Is it the nurse? That wretched woman never gives me a break . Ah no ! This voice sounded different ; it sounded soft . Almost like the whimper of a new born baby or the moan of a man in his final moments. I opened my eyes and a peculiar being stood before me . This boy like creature had chocolate skin and the most intriguing black eyes that scanned the mint green hospital walls . His hair was a mane of red flames which framed his rather angular face with fiery coils . His wandering gaze returned to me and he broke out into a wicked grin but he remained silent, staring into my soul like he was sucking out information,like he was searching . But for what?

TOC"Who are you?"I asked.

"I'm Fur. Fur vitae . And you are?"

"Callan Kearney."

"Ok. I already knew that."

"Then why did you ask me you tosser?"

"Unnecessary necessary,"he smirked

I shook my head , failing at trying to fight the chuckle that tickled the back of my throat . When I had regained my composure I posed another question,

TIC"What are you doing in a hospital of all places?You look perfectly fine to me ,except for a few odd features". The smile disappeared from Fur's face quickly as it came . His shifty eyes lowered for a second before he looked straight at me and muttered the words that were meant to shock me . The words that were meant to hurt me . But it didn't . I waited for the surge of emotions but it never came . He stared at me in disbelief , his head cocked to the side like a curious pup.

"I'm here to take your soul away after you die,"he repeated.

"I know lad, heard you the first time."

"Hmm,"he mumbled,"I was told rumors about you but I never imagined that it could be true."

"Rumors eh?"

"Yeah."

"What kind of rumors?"

TOC"That you are notorious for your hand in winning a war so great they called it 'Angelus Domini in fletu' meaning the angel of The Lord in tears. That you fought with no mercy , slaughtering your enemies like sheep despite being fatally wounded . You are praised in neighbouring countries , saying : 'Long live Callan The Mighty ; the man who remains indifferent to life and death alike . He is a vessel that is still standing but shattered . A human without fear or remorse .Surely he is the bravest to have walked the earth' .That you are admired by others for your strength and zeal but your lack of pity is why you are destined to spend your retirement days lonely and forgotten ."

TIC"I can't say I'm surprised about that but ... " I struggled to find my next words. "I- is that really what they think of me, boy?"

"I'm afraid so ." My mouth felt dry .

"I don't suppose you could hand me a cup of water?"

"Ok." I heard him snigger as he poured water from a jug into my mug.

"Oi! what are you laughing at ,boy?"

" You sound so cool and heroic in those tales and stories but look at you now. You're a frail old man suffering with chronic pain lying in a shitty bed in a shitty hospital drinking out of a sparkly purple cup which says 'princess'. No offense by the way."

"None taken . i suppose you are right, in fact I couldn't have put it better myself . But you know, even the mighty fall someday."Fur mumbled something to himself.

TOC"Huh?"

" Umm...Nothing."

I was pretty sure he said you can say that again but I let it go. There was no point going on about a probably meaningless phrase . He passed me the mug and I glugged it down all in one go and asked for a refill. It wasn't after i had emptied the whole jug that I realised just how thirsty i was. My attention was diverted back to Fur who was fascinated by a tiny bell he'd picked up from the table.

"Say, Fur, you're quite an odd lad aren't you? If I was told my soul was going to be taken away I would've imagined it being by someone at least a couple of years older than you. Boys your age usually spend their time playing with toys and racing around . At least, in this world." His expression darkened as he parted his lips to speak .

TIC"You know nothing of who I am or where i come from , human. So do not compare the foolish ways of this world to mine." I was blown away by his abrupt change of character but soon after his usual boyish demeanor was back , he was chatting about how strange the bell was and why it was so noisy it was as if he'd slipped on a mask. I decided that I was willing to find out what was behind that mask .

"Boy, why do you put up an act like that ? I may be old and my sight is not all that but I'm not stupid . "

" You really want to know?"He asked

TOC"Yes."

" I am from this world but i am not of it any longer. My body is young but my age surpasses the soil of this land. I was cursed a long, long time ago for destroying what i had no right to lay finger on. I am bound by shackles that probably look like bracelets to you. But every time I look at my wrists I am reminded of my everlasting sorrow."

On Fur's wrists were two bracelets that resembled jewelry made of the finest gold with weird symbols carved into them in such a rough manner.

TIC"I would tell you more but i wish not to burden you in your final moments." His mask went on once more as he took both my hands.

"Dear Callan the mighty do you have a last wish to make?"

I thought long and hard about this question as I heard the ninth tick of the clock.

"I-I would like to see my life from birth till now,"I finally answered.

"Your wish,"he spoke softly,"is my command.Look into my eyes"

I looked up at his face and analysed his peculiar features once more . I saw my life flashing in the clear pools of his irises and I felt myself drowning , down ,down, down . And as I sunk I made a promise to myself that I would never forget the boy whose eyes were lucid mirrors.TOC.

***

"Yeah. Margo, they said he passed at 12:00 this morning ."

"It was right when he was meant to have a checkup , imagine. He was found by Bella . Poor thing , she was scared out of her mind. Said his eyes turned black and he was smiling when he took his last breath ."

"I heard that maybe it was a curse for all the people he killed in Angelus ."

"That doesn't make sense though I saw his body in the mortuary and his eyes were as blue as the skies. Plus, I'm pretty sure curses don't exist."

"You never know. It could have been him."

"Who?"

"Nevermind ..."