Fic - The Irregularity of Death - Chapter Six - Understanding

[elfowlgirl]

On we go! (warning for mentions of suicide)

Chapter Six: Understanding

 

“Suicide is a valid cause of death. Basically, all humans are thought to possess the possibility to commit suicide. It is, therefore, not something unbelievable to think of.”

Solemnly, Etho flicked through the deck, shuffling the cards lightly beneath his fingers before laying them each out in a familiar pattern. One, two, three, all face up, all random.

Past, present, future.

Past. The four of hearts. Stability and foundation within emotions, feelings, and relationships. It was fair, if he was going to be perfectly honest - he’d known who his friends were, and who they weren’t. He’d spent his free time relaxing with Pause and Beef, or writing his penpal, Seth (who he hadn’t heard from in some months and resolved to contact as soon as possible).

Back when Etho didn’t know Nebris, or Vechs, or have his loyalties questioned or his loved ones threatened. Back when things were simple. Just friendship and numbers.

Present. The seven of spades. Mystery and change in thinking and communication. Boy, was that the truth. Vechs had warned him to keep his eye open, but it wasn’t like it hadn’t been already. The confident smiles when he thought Etho wasn’t looking. The mysterious messages in Chemistry class. The names for his Note.

And then there was Nebris. They’d chatted idly between classes, but every time he left feeling more confused than he had when they first met. Nebris wasn’t quiet, but he was elusive. He didn’t say anything he wouldn’t want you to know, and gleamed so much from Etho’s words that he sometimes felt as if he was made of glass...

Future. The ten of clubs. Completion of creativity and action. He wasn’t quite sure what that meant; the card had eluded him in previous readings with apparent good reason. Distantly, he remembered something about… suspicion? The full moon? Whatever it is was, was something long forgotten.

He shuffled the cards back into their deck and quietly closed the box.

---

Nebris sat there in silence, violet eyes locked on the small notebook before him. On a scrap sheet of paper sitting off to the side, the word “Vechs” was written repeatedly in angry strokes, along with various additions like “drowning”, “car accident”, “murder”, and even “suicide”.

A large, twisted skeleton, donned in the tattered remains of a red-and-black cloak regarded him from the corner of the small bedroom, hovering lazily several inches off the ground. “Are you just gonna stare at the Death Note all day like that?”

“I know his face, but not his name!” The teen angrily slammed both hands into the table. “Do you know how hard it is, being so close yet not close enough? The teacher even said that if he doesn’t want to share his name with me, she doesn’t have to, either. What kind of a rule is that?”

The Shinigami tilted his head slightly. “To answer your first question, yes.” He floated over, picking up the sheet of paper and tearing it into delicate shreds. “Couldn’t you just check the school yearbook or whatever?”

“I started attending Crofton High last week because my online homeschool disbanded,” Nebris sighed with a shake of his head. “And they don’t give out yearbooks here until May.”

“...why do you care about this guy, again?”

“Do you ever listen, Blame?”

Blame shrugged. “No, not really.”

“He’s the guy that killed Pakratt!” Nebris got up from his seat before walking the two feet it took to get to his dresser.

“Oh. It’s a shame, I guess. Pak was a cool guy, but at least you might actually use your Note.” He drifted over in Nebris’ direction. “What’cha looking for?”

“You’ll see.” He flung open the first two drawers and, finding nothing of interest, proceeded to check the third. Reaching with one hand into the furthermost depths of the drawer, the produced a worn sheet of paper with a flourish. “Here.”

Nebris delicately unfolded it, before he cleared his throat and began to read aloud.

---

I’m writing this note as I run so sorry if it’s a bit hard to read, though it’s not like my handwriting’s bad enough already. I know I don’t have much time left. There’s an itching in my fingers every second that they’re still and I figure you’ll want to… to know what happened.

I was kidnapped, somehow, sometime last night. Taken down into the mines with someone I didn’t recognize… Ray, I think his name was? I can’t remember for some reason. A man who introduced himself as “Vechs” - I remember that - instructed us to find a way out at whatever cost.

We fought our way through the mines - they’re filled with near-unspeakable horrors that would take too long to write about - and finally to the surface a few hours after sunrise. I hope you don’t end up going there looking for me.

He - Vechs, that is - said that we “had both done good, but unfortunately, Ray has won”. He told me I’d have half an hour until… I’m not sure. I’m on my way home but I don’t know if I’ll make it there before

I it’s I’m not thinking totally straight right now.

...good bye, Nebris. I’ll always love you.

Your brother, Pakratt

---

Nebris refolded the paper with the same delicacy and a wistful look in his eyes. “They found him dead less than a block from here. He sh-shot himself with a g-gun he stole from the Crofton Gun Center. That’s not Pakratt. He wouldn’t steal, let alone…”

He remained silent for a few moments before slamming the drawer shut.

“Vechs,” his voice dripped with venom as he said the name aloud, “has to have a Death Note, too. There’s no other explanation. And that bastard just moseyed up to me and introduced himself like that.”

“Well,” sang Blame, “you could always make the deal for the Shinigami eyes…”

Nebris shook his head. “No. As much as I want to avenge Pak, he’d want me to live life to the fullest. If worst comes to worst, maybe, but…”

“And until then?”

“Until then?” He thought for a moment, fingers idly tracing words across the Death Note’s empty pages and a small smile creeping its way across his face. “I’m sure I can figure out… something.”