Paper Planes (Ch10)

That morning, just as he promised, the river was there. I grabbed my mum to prove it to her, and she was wide-eyed the entire time she watched me step into the boat. I waved goodbye to her, and she looked worried sick, but she knew she would see me again. But she didn’t know that I was planning to stay there until I demoned away, and I wouldn’t tell her. I couldn’t, she’d never let me go if I told her.

I held the paper plane with me, clutched to my chest, and I waited for the boat to move. It began to drift down the river at a rather fast pace, and I waved goodbye to my mum one last time. She waved in return, a small tear running down her cheek. I began to wonder if she had wanted to come with me, but she couldn’t. I couldn’t give her the slightest hint that I was planning to stay with Dan. I didn’t want to die a normal human, I wanted to die like a champion.

As the boat drifted down the river, I began to think about the demon that inhabited Dan, and what he would do to me if I was infected as well. I was doubting myself, slightly regretting this decision of letting a demon (who I loved very much) take over my body. But I couldn’t turn back now.

The boat reached the red-painted dock, the same dock where he met me, and the same dock where he hurt me. That mysterious boy who I was too fond of, was now going to meet me again.

I stepped out of the boat, and I saw him right away. He was sitting at the edge of the dock on the right side, kicking his legs above the water. I slowly walked up and plopped down next to him.

“Ophelia.” He looked to me, using the sweetest voice I’d ever heard.

“Dan.” I smiled to him, and wrapped my arms around his waist, hugging him tightly.

“You can’t—“ He pushed me away gently as a few tears streamed down his cheeks.

I looked at him questioningly, and then realized why. He didn’t want me to be with him when he demoned away. He wanted me to be safe.

“I don’t want to go back home, Dan.” I gave him a pleading look.

He shook his head at me. “You can’t stay here because of me. I’m not letting you die here, you have a life to live. But I was sent here to die.” Tears continued to cascade down his innocent face.

“Dan—“ He cut me off.

“No.”

And we sat there in silence, facing towards the waters and swinging our legs back in forth randomly. I wanted to say something to interrupt the silence, but I didn’t know what. I was beginning to wonder if there was some sort of mark that proved he was this way, or some sort of proof, because I wasn’t sure what to believe.

“Proof.” I blurted out and gave him a cold look. He let out a sigh and lifted up his shirt.

In the middle of his chest was a red mark. It almost looked like peeled away skin. As if underneath his skin was the gateway to hell. I wanted to comfort him. I wanted to help him, and if I couldn’t do either, I wanted to be there with him the entire way. He showed be so much in just a few months, and I could never love him less because of it.

“You opened up a world for me, and leaving you to die here would cause me too much misery for me to handle.” I explained to him.

He cracked a small grin. “I’d forgive you. You were the only friend I’ve ever had.” He pulled down his shirt.

“Which is exactly why I don’t want to leave you!” I let out a long sigh.

“And…” I began, “I love you.”

I could see Dan’s flustered face look away from me momentarily, then bring his attention back to me.

“I love you, too.” He admitted.

I could see Dan wanted to show his affection to me, but he knew he couldn’t. So I did it myself. I cupped my hands around his cheeks and planted a small kiss on his nose, forgetting the fact that I could easily be taken over. I just wanted to have one last moment with him before he demanded that I head home. I didn’t want to. I really didn’t want to. He was my best friend and the person that showed me what I had been missing out on.

“I—“ I looked up to him, and I could see that he knew I didn’t want to go, “I don’t want to go.” I let go of his face and kept them to myself for the moment.

“Thank you.” He smiled at me, wiping his nose with his hand.

“Ophelia,” He placed a hand on my shoulder, “I’ll miss you more than I have missed anyone in my life. I mean that.” He gazed into my eyes, and I believed him with all my heart.

“I know.” I sighed.

“You’d better get going. But I’ll send you paper planes every day until I die.” He promised me, and took both of my hands in his.

“I’ll read them.” I cracked a grin at him.

Dan then let go of my hands as not to infect me, and we both stood up. I looked to the lake, knowing that was how I would get back. I gave him a smile, trying to blink back what seemed like endless tears. I would miss him, of course, but this was how it had to be.

“Goodbye, Daniel.” I hugged him as tight as I could and backed away.

“Just Dan.” He smiled awkwardly, and finally pushed me into the lake.