land of illusion

原創坑.

【 Chapter 1 Delivery 】

Goddess of the night covered the sky with dark black. Wind gently brushed across the land. The air is fresh and clean; not too cold for someone wants to go for a walk without a jacket. One can smell the sweetness of the flowers that only bloom at night. Even without stars in the sky it is a beautiful night.

In the exclusive residential area, not a sound can be heard. Moon comes out form the cloud. Its soft light shed upon one of the large building. Some of which when through the huge windows and enter the over-decorated bedroom of the mansion. There is nothing but silent in the dark room. But if you are quite enough, you can hear the noise coming from the hallway.

A man’s yelling voice alone with his footsteps is getting closer to the room. It seems like he is on the phone. The talk is more of a unilateral than a bidirectional conversation.

Door opened and closed.

“You gotta be kidding me. Asking for MY HELP with only that amount of money?“
“Dream on you fool! “

Tossing the cellphone onto the bed, the man was very unpleased by what the caller had said. The offer was nowhere near his usual charged. And he will not tolerate that. It’s close to bed time, yet the only way to make him feels better is a glass of alcohol. So that’s why he decided to help himself with some whisky without any ice.

Still muttering about the call, the man saw an unexpected object on his desk. A white fully blossoms carnation quietly lying on the classic wooden surface. The pure color bathing in the bright light gives coldness in every sense. Something changed right at that moment, is the atmosphere perhaps.

“What? What the… … hell… no… …“

“Good evening, mister Aylward.“

The man gasps. Following the sound, he looks at the corner of the room. A pair of blue eyes is looking back at him from the shadow. The frigidness in those eyes is overwhelming. Chill went down his spine.

“You… … are you… are you the… the Messenger of Death?“

Just saying the last three words out loud makes his legs tremble. The light-blue eyes stare at him without a blink. His breath becomes more and more uneven. Using all his energy trying not to show his fair, Aylward grabs his whisky so tide that the knuckles of his fingers all turned white. The bossy guy hates not being the one in control. In a situation like this, what will happen next is not for him to decide. Finally, with a low voice, the killer starts talking again.

“Answer my question. If I’m satisfied, I would took the flower and you were to keep your life.“

“What? “ This is no doubt, the last thing he thought he would hear from the killer.
“I mean what is the question. “ Feeling the shape stare, Aylward changed his statement without a second thought.

The effect of the alcohol is kicking in. So much so that the fair within is slowly wear away. He feels his guts burning and so does his head. The killer is willing to talk to him perhaps even make a deal. That is a good sign for Aylward.

No more words from the person in the dark. A piece of paper is hold out clamped between the killers’ index and middle finger. It is about the size of a playing card. Before Aylward figures out whether he should walk up to the killer to take the paper or not, it was thrown onto the desk.

“Tell me, what the symbol on the paper is? “ The tone is as flat as the paper now in his hand.

He had never seen the symbol before, but that is okay. Getting the chance to walk to his desk, his thought is not on how to answer the question; instead, it is on the ultimate solution of the whole ordeal. Carefully, he opens one of the drawers which contain a loaded gun. This is it, it’s now or never. With his other hand reach into the drawer and get a hold of his Beretta, his facial expression changed. The killer is still looking at him with no emotion in those bright blue eyes.

“Hun… you know what? I don’t know and I don’t care. It doesn’t matter anyway. “
With a big smile on his face, he points the pistol to the emotionless eyes.
“Mister killer, you’re going to be my finest quarry in this season. “

Click, click, click, click.

Nothing happened. After the four sounds of the trigger being pulled, the room was filled with silent. The air was frozen. Droops of cold sweats slide down from his temple. Pulses pumping ever so hard, he swallows dryly.

“Mister Aylward, did you forget something? Something likes… these … …“

A clenching fist wearing a black glove reaches out from the shadow, palm up. Slowly, it turns and releases the fingers. The falling little metals reflecting the moon light shined like stars. Bullets hit the carpet without a sound. More silent. All he can hear is his heart pounding strong like after a long race.

“Wait!!!“ His voice is very dry and could barely be hear.

The sound of a bullet went through the silencer answered his request. The luxurious-leather office chair is pushed and turned half way before hitting the desk and stopped. He died before falling to the ground.

The killer walks out from the darkness baths in the snow-white moonbeam. Glancing the body on the flood, the killer doesn’t even move an eyebrow. The person dresses in black retreats the small piece of paper from Aylward’s hand. Takes out a cell phone from the inner pocket of the black jacket, the killer dial the numbers.

“It’s me, the flower had been delivered. “

“From the sound of yours, my guess is that you still didn’t get the payment you’re looking for. “

“That’ll be correct. “

“Sorry to hear that, but it is what it is. “ Being an agent, this guy really knows what to say.

The killer dose not says anything but exhales form the bottom of the throat.

“Well. That being said, if you would go through the next delivery with me... “He pauses a little bit and then goes on.

Went right back to the business. Not surprising though, for him a business is a business. It always had been and always will be.

Not really paying attention, killer holds up the paper and looks at the mysterious symbol through the faint light. The killer frowns.

Despised the payment, this is another long night without any gain. How long does this has to go on like this? When will the mystery being solved? Why can’t the person be found after all these years of searching?

* * * * * * *

At the airport, a private jet comes to full stop at the parking spot. There, a black limousine is waiting. It seems like the transportation had been standing by for a while. The cabin door gently opened.

Comes out from the aircraft cabin is a young lady with sunlight-blond hair and gray eyes like Greek goddess of wisdom. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before going down the stairs. Happy or not, she is home. The blonde holds her hair with one hand against the blowing wind. She looks around the airport before focus at the black car.

“Welcome back Miss Callidora. “ The man getting out from the driver’s seat greets the arrival.
“We all missed you so very much my lady. “ With a sparkling smile, a girl about the same age with the blond is standing next to the open-door copilot seat.

“Russell, Hailey. It is great to see both of you well. “The gray-eyes beauty slightly nods her head in returns of the greeting.

“It is nice be to back. “ Whether the statement is the true or not; it does not matter. She is only saying what should be said. Saying what would make those who hear feels warm in hearts.

Hailey opens the door for the lady then walks to the other side to get in. Russell gets back into the driver‘s seat after helping the flight attendants moving all the luggage into the trunk. Callidora lying on the dark-leather seat back shows sign of tiredness. There is no way to tell is it because of the long-fly trip or because of something else.

The dark Cadillac is running in high speed. Road lights on the way were flying by fast. The running air conditioner is making dull low sound. Sight of the home country does not give her the sense of safety. Looking out, the reflection of her eyes on the window show emptiness.

“My lady... “ Notices there is no happiness from the young woman, Hailey tries to think of something to say to her.

“Master Luciano is grateful for you to come days earlier to attend the banquet for him, “said Russell through the built-in interphone.
“It was nothing, I should have had started helping him with the business much earlier. “ Facing the window, no one can tell her mood by observing her facial expression.

“For the event tomorrow evening, we had prepared a customized gown for you. “ Hailey finally came out with something. She set a little bit forward to the lady.
“And it is already ready in your room my lady. “

“Thank you Hailey, you always know what to do.”

The desirable perfect lip rises in the appropriated angle. Her smile always take others breath away. It works for both men and women in all kind of occasions. Hailey silently sigh for the breath taking view.

She smiles because she does not want to continue the conversation. She smiles because she is not interesting in the topic that is being discussed. She smiles because she has no intend to show her true feeling. She smiles because in most of the time, that is the appropriate way to responded.

There is no true happiness in those sliver eyes. Not yet anyway.

* * * * * * *

A large mansion sited at the center of a beautiful organized garden. The black limousines went through the gilded gate and stops at the entrance stair way. The big house had been left without its owner for a while. But because of the hard working housekeepers, it is in a very good condition. Not a climbing plant on the gray stone wall. Clean windows with yellowish soft light glowing from the inside. It looks like a now house in every direction.

Upon walking into the mansion, she feels the coldness slowly leaves the building. More lights were light up for her and the lobby looks much brighter than looking form the outside. One of the maids brings a silver tray with a small card on it. On the beige card, her mothers’ beautiful hand written words sends her greeting. She smirks. Maybe, just maybe, this is the feeling of coming home.

tbc