Heartless

Vale stared at the tiny flower growing in the cracked pavement, nature was a rare sight in a world surrounded by glass. She could not complain though, those same artificial materials that had slowly taken over their world had saved her life. That brought up the question, what was life? At what point did a person stop living and simply begin existing? 

Vale was not sure she could even be considered a person anymore, her whole body was fake, her whole being a lie. She should be dead, those were the words that had repeated themselves over and over again in her head for the past five years. 

She avoided the flower, but someone else would eventually trample it, would eventually steal the life from it just as they had done to her. 

"Vale!" a familiar voice called.

She turned her head slightly as Calyx approached her. If this was five years ago she would have felt a shock through her body, would have felt something at his sudden appearance, but her emotions stayed calm, slumbering peacefully inside of her. She never felt them anymore. 

"Here, I saw this and it reminded me of you," he stated, shoving a necklace towards her. 

A small clock hung on a delicate gold chain, its faint ticking barely audible above the bustle of the city. Things that were considered antiquated had always held a certain charm for her.

"Thanks, I do like it," she told him. 

"Of course, anything for you," he said, smirking slightly. 

She could not feel the guilt, but she knew what she was doing was wrong. He had no idea she felt nothing but cold emptiness, no one did. 

"I love you," she whispered, the lie slipping out with horrifying ease. 

Calyx hugged her gently, stroking the back of her head. 

At some point that had been true, and maybe it still was, that was how she justified her lies to him, justified her lies to everyone. Even as the emptiness and oblivion nawed away at her, she could force tears to her face, could force words brimming with love. She was an actress of the worst sort, a master manipulator. 

"Did you hear me?" Calyx asked as he broke away from her.

"Sorry, I was spacing out," she replied. 

"Would you like to visit the ruins with me tomorrow night?" he questioned. 

"Of course," she answered, her lips lifting into a smile she did not feel. 

"I'll see you then," he whispered, kissing her quickly before walking away. 

Vale brushed her fingers against the place his lips had met hers. She would have dreamed of that five years ago, would have melted, but now, she just felt cold.

She continued down the streets, towering glass buildings surrounding her, the dome around the city dimming the sun's light to a dull glow. 

No one was supposed to leave, they claimed the outside was full of dangerous savages, the Haven was safe. The ruins had always been her and Calyx's spot. He worked as a barrier guard and whenever he was on the night shift they would risk sneaking out for a bit, breathing real air, seeing a city once full of life, real life. 

She stepped inside of her small residence, identical to the others around it. She reached for the usual pill bottle. She hated those things, the way they left her defenseless, but they were necessary. Regular sleep was a memory she could no longer recall, the only thing that worked now were those pills. Even her sleep had become artificial. 

Vale laid down on her small bed in the corner of the room before taking the pill and allowing herself to succumb to the darkness. 

"Calyx I-I love you! I can't keep it to myself any longer or I think my heart will burst. I know this confession sounds really cheesy, but these are my feelings and I can't change them, so please go out with me!" Vale shouted as the moon shone down on the two of them. 

"What?" Calyx whispered. 

"Just give me an answer! If you're going to break my heart get it over with already, don't try to s-" she was cut off as he surged towards her, but the memory shifted. 

She stood in the middle of a street, Calyx's eyes wide as she pushed him out of the way just in time for the transport to slam into her. She felt nothing but agony as she was sent sprawling into the street, blood quickly streaming down her head. 

Muffled yelling rang out and she faintly registered Calyx leaning over her, his eyes still wide. It wasn't the pain from the impact that stuck with her, but the wild fear in his eyes. He looked like a cornered deer, and the sight chilled her to the bone. 

Vale jerked awake. It was always that same memory haunting her sleep, always that same confession, then the look of terror on his face as she died in his arms. 

The world was truly cruel, it was as if it had cursed her. She had practically been brought back to life, she was unnatural, so now she would live out a fate worse than death. Vale could not keep going, the feeling of oblivion in her was worse than any pain, any heartbreak. 

She walked towards the edge of the barrier where Calyx would no doubt be eagerly awaiting her. She wanted it all to end, she felt nothing, yet that nothingness felt like the worst sort of agony. 

"M'lady," Calyx said by way of greeting, offering her his arm. 

He looked particularly stunning tonight, even in his uniform. She allowed herself to be pulled towards the ruins as he chattered away about random things, but she had turned her focus to the weapon resting at his side. 

"Vale, look at me," he murmured as they reached the center of the city. 

She looked into his eyes, there was something different about him, his face was serious, his typical smirk gone. 

It was when he dropped to one knee that she realized what he was about to do, she would have been filled with horror if she could feel anything at all. Before Calyx could even get a word out she bent down and gently wrapped her arms around him. He stood still, not noticing her hand creeping towards his gun. She felt the now familiar ticking of her necklace stop, seeming to signify her time was up. 

"I'm sorry for being heartless," she whispered. 

Vale jerked away from him and with three piercing bangs she felt herself fall backwards, and finally she fell right into Death's arms.