"Will you tell me about your adventures?"
Year 2026
Holland Bible sat leaning against a giant glass wall that divided him from the little girl asking him for a piece of his memory. Holland Bible is 6 feet tall with short brown hair and green eyes.
"What kind of adventure? That's a bit vague, Prudence. You know I have a lot of stories."
Prudence Eurydice sat in bed with the covers up to her neck. She had long blond hair and blue eyes.
"A sad one. I want to hear a sad adventure."
Holland turned to look at her. She was so young, what did she want to hear a sad story for?
"Why a sad story?"
She smiled.
"Because sad stories make people stronger."
He turned away.
"Yes, and they also destroy people."
Year 1928
Holland sat at a table in a bar with a glass of wine in his hand. He wore a black suit with a blue tie. Tonight was his night out away from home. He decided to have a drink to relax in the artistic underground club world. He loved the taste of wine and good soulful music.
O, Death. O, Death.
The woman playing tonight began to sing a slow dark song on the piano. Holland could not be more comfortable. The atmosphere is what he lived for.
Won't you spare me over 'til another year?
"If only this was every night."
He chuckled and took a drink of wine.
"To be spared from death? Is that not every night?"
A beautiful woman stood before him. She had long black hair and brown eyes. Her slender body was covered in a tight black dress.
Well, what is this that I can't see.
"The name is Charlie."
She extended her hand and he shook it.
With ice cold hands takin' hold of me.
"I'm Holland."
She smiled. "Would you like to dance?" Normally Holland would not deny a beautiful woman like this a dance, but Holland is engaged to a beautiful woman named Daisy who is at home sleeping next to their son James. "I'm engaged."
When God is gone
"That does not mean you cannot have fun, honey. Besides, you're alone tonight."
and the Devil takes hold
"I cannot argue with that, but-"
She put the index finger of her right hand on his mouth and grabbed the cup in his hand with her left.
"Shhhh, you'll ruin it."
Who'll have mercy on your soul.
She grabbed his hand and pulled him to the dance floor. They began to dance slowly to the soothing music.
"How old are you?" She asked.
"I'm twenty three."
"Young." She put her lips close to his ear. "I like that."
I'll open the door to heaven or hell.
"How old are you?"
"You're not supposed to ask a woman her age."
O, death, someone would pray
"My apologies, I did not mean to offend."
He felt himself getting nervous.
"Man is such a monster, that when he is kind, they call him gentle."
Could you wait to call me another day?
"Are you gentle, baby?"
He let go of her hands.
"I can't do this."
The children prayed, the preacher preached
"Relax, little one. We are just dancing."
They began to dance again. After a moment she spoke again.
"I'm old."
He laughed. "Aren't we all?" He did not understand the reason why she had answered with such a vague way.
Time and mercy is out of your reach.
"Some more than others."
This very hour come and go with me.
They danced until the very end of the song.
Nothing satisfies me but your soul.
"Let us retire. I need a drink."
He followed her to the bar. She was beautiful. He felt guilty looking at her. The urge to apologize to Daisy danced in the back of his head.
"Drink up."
She handed him a cup and they drank. An hour later he found himself seated next to her at a table. He was drunk.
"I should really get home. I need to put my son to bed."
"A child, huh?"
"Yes. His name is James. He likes when I throw him up in the air. He's five."
"What a strong father. I bet he really feels like he can fly when you toss him up."
She took another sip of her drink.
"I love him." He set his head down on the table and passed out.
"Nothing satisfies me but your soul." She sang the ending to the song
Year 2026
"Is that all?" The boy across the room in bed from Prudence spoke.
"Shhh, be quiet August. You'll ruin it."
August Eurydice was tall, blond, and blue eyed like his sister.
"You can continue, Holland."
"Thank you, August."
Year 1928
When Holland opened his eyes he did not know where he was. He was passed out on a couch in a strangers home. He got up and quickly sat back down. His head began to spin because he rose quickly. There was a robe next to him. He put it on and stood up slowly. He looked around the room until he saw what seemed to be a shape in the dark outside on a balcony.
"You're awake."
"What the hell am I doing here?"
"You passed out, silly. I did now know where you lived. I brought you back to my place. I hope you can forgive me someday."
"I should really get going."
"I do not think you are in any condition to be going. Stay the night. I promise we will not do anything your lover would be upset by."
He felt odd being on a balcony with another woman. Especially one in a robe as beautiful as this one. It was almost as if she was made of stars by how she shined under them.
"Do you like the stars?"
He looked up. He had a love for space Daisy did not understand.
"I do. Space is something else. I would love to go one day."
She fixed her hair. "How about today?"
"That is not possible."
"Your body is a cage."
She sat on the edge of the balcony.
"Free your heart from the even smaller cage they call ribs."
She licked her lips.
"Do it and I will take you to every star above."
He laughed.
"You are full of silly words, you know that?"
"Better to be full of that than fear."
He tilted his head. Was he just insulted?
"What am I afraid of?"
"Dying."
"Aren't we all?"
"Some more than others. Others not at all."
"Are you?"
"Not at all."
He walked up to the balcony and looked down.
"Sit up here with me."
He hesitated.
"See what I mean?"
He sat next to her on the ledge.
"You learn fast."
"This aint so bad. How far are we up, twenty stories?"
"Twenty nine."
It was silent for a few minutes as they both took in the stars.
"Do you want to live forever?"
She asked him. His head hurt too much to think so philosophically.
"I do not know. It sounds appealing but then it sounds horrible."
"It is unfathomable."
"I imagine so. Why do you ask?"
"I am curious."
"About?"
She looked him directly in his eyes. He felt paralyzed.
"You."
She kissed him. He backed away.
"I cannot do this."
She grabbed his hand.
"What if I told you that you could live forever?"
Suddenly he felt as though he were speaking to a lunatic. Live forever?
"I would call you insane."
"But if it were true?"
"I'd say I would not leave normal life without my son and my fiancée."
She looked down.
"Yes, love does have a way of making people think selfishly."
She looked back up at him. Her eyes looked glazed.
"Love is not a friend of eternity."
Holland no longer knew who he was talking to. The once beautiful woman was now becoming complex and old.
"There is no point in living forever without the people you love."
"Unless you love yourself."
He was dumbfounded.
"I was never really the most lovable."
"But you can be. You would have forever to become someone even you could love."
She touched his hand.
"And if that did not work, you could find another timeless body and wrap it around yours."
He moved his hand away.
"Just what are you getting at, Charlie?"
She pulled out a cigarette and lit it. "Immortality." She was young again, suddenly, despite all the crazy things she was saying. "The chance to live forever."
She looked up.
"Unlike the stars above us, you would burn forever."
He looked up at the burning stars. He liked that idea. Forever.
"Even if this was real, what about my family?"
She blew smoke towards him.
"They would be taken care of. You would be happy and free."
He sat in silence and contemplated this for a moment.
"What do I have to do?"
She threw her cigarette off the building.
"There is one simple way to acquire the endless."
She moved closer to him. Holland was always good with cold weather. He did not feel how cold it really was until he felt her warm body next to his. She was beautiful.
"Do you want to live forever?"
He gulped.
"I do."
She looked him in the eyes again but he spoke first.
"Will it be lonely? Forever?"
"Not unless you wanted to be."
"I don't. I never want to be alone."
"None of us do. Are you ready?"
He looked up again.
"Yes. What happens next?"
She wrapped her arms around his neck.
Well you're hurtin' my body
"Suicide, darling."
She kissed him hard and let go.
You make me cold
She pulled back off the balcony.
O, Death.
Holland tried to grab her not thinking that he would go as well.
O, Death.
They fell. Side by side.
Won't you spare me over 'til another year?
They hit the Earth.
You run my life right outta my soul.
Together.
Nothing satisfies me but your soul.
