White Hell : Chapter 2

"Alpha, Beta, Delta, all originates from one,

Three of them, three wishes,

The second wants to kill,

The third wants to befriend,

The first wants to unlock unwanted past.

And all the last wants, is for the first to end the last.

Alpha, Beta, Delta,

Who's the first, who's the last?

No one will know because,

Everyone will soon perish."

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"Alva!"

His heavy eyelids fluttered open as the white with patches of yellow stains' ceiling entered his sight. Darkness vanished as light welcomed him back to reality. Blinking a few more times into blank space as the brightness prickled his glazed eyes, he felt like closing them and returning back to slumber. If only his mind would stop whirling, as if trying to tell him something.

Without a second choice, he let his mind stay awake - until he remembered something.

That weird song again...

It's been years since it bugged him. Just what is it? His gut feeling tells him it's connected to his memories; his lost memories. Something was always ringing in his head like a warning; a life and death warning; but his curiosity had always be on the same standing like the warning. He needed to know yet, he didn't. And now if only he could unlock those memories and satisfy his curiosity.

Alva shifted a little, realizing he was lying down on something soft, a bed perhaps, he sat up slowly but was pushed back down by the dizziness that struck him.

Anemic huh?

He stole a few glances at his surroundings as he took in the familiar sweet scent of candies and caught a glimpse of the few strands of albino hair that shined near him danced.

My room.He figured.

He let out a sigh before turning his attention to the albino beside him. Alva had long spotted her standing beside his bed. She was pouting while carrying a worried expression as she look right into his eyes. Alva stared right back at her cerise-coloured eyes but only replied her with silence and nothing more.

Seeing as the teen boy didn't intend to answer her, the girl frowned and parted her lips to speak, " You promised me you wasn't ever going to faint anymore,"

Alva tore his gaze off her and closed his eyes as he sighed from his nose. "I had no choice," He said as his hand reached out and ruffled his spiky dark hair. "It's not like I wanted to,"

"Did they come to arrest you again?" She asked as a few strands of her albino hair fell from her shoulder at the slight movements she made. Her hair was long and straight, way over her waist. She had always refused to cut it any shorter even when people would talk about it behind her back because white hair is not normal in any ways or when bullies tried to help her cut them off, she would fend them off.

He nodded and added on, "For repeating offense of stealing and harming some higher-ups." Alva covered his face with his palm and sighed.

He knew stealing wasn't the real reason he's hunted now, it was probably the stupid old merchant that he had grazed his arm the real reason. Alva has been stealing for as long as he can remember - though his puzzles of memories are nowhere near complete, but no one ever wanted to hunt him down.

God, it's just a small unintentional graze that would heal in a few days, is there a need to hunt him down like this?

Problems with the authorities, ugh.

"Are you hungry, Al?" Sounds of plastic crumpling filled the room as the albino fished her pockets for some colourful and beautifully wrapped objects.

"No," He looked at her with tired eyes, wishing she would understand without the need to use language. Cerise meets brown, total silence. Apparently, she doesn't. "And above all, I do not want candy."

"Aww, but why?" She unwrapped a candy while whining. "Candies are sweet, candies are yummy!"

"For God's sake, I'm anemic here," "So stop the ch-Mhphmm-!" Alva choked on the item that was popped into his mouth suddenly as he bolted up from his lying position. "Hey!" He swallowed the candy by accident and started coughing a little while glaring at her with an open eye.

She grinned, "Its sweet, right, Al?"

Alva couldn't continue what he had wanted to say, only looking back at the girl as the sweetness of the candy spreaded in his mouth. He dragged in a deep breath and sighed. "Of course candies are sweet." A small smile mixed with a hint of exhaustion graced his features.

"You should get some rest now, Alva," She said.

"Mhmm okay, that sounds nice." He agreed. Slowly, he lay back down on his bed and crossed his arms behind his head. He push the candy out of the way and said, "You'll be leaving again after I fall asleep, right?"

"Who knows? You'll see when you wake up, so you can have a guess!" She smiled and said in a meeker voice.

Closing his eyes, small but ragged breathes he could hear. Could it be hers? Alva had attempted to open his eyes to check, but his eyelids were too heavy, and he couldn't find the must to check. So he shrugged it off, deeming it as his imagination, and falling into deep slumber.

※-※-※-※-※-※-※-※-※

When Alva woke up, she was already gone - again, as always, leaving only the scent of candies that should have vanished by now.

She had never stayed before. Even when she said she would.

※-※-※-※-※-※-※-※-※

"Here's the food supply you ordered," The man at the counter laid out a sack of goods in front of him.

"Mhmm, thanks." The raven said and grabbed the bag, nodding at the man before taking a step to turn around. Before he completely disappears through the door, a voice halted him.

"You look pale, Alva," He stated. Alva slowed down his steps but continued on his walk. He knew he'd catch up anyways. The man walked out of the counter through the door and followed Alva out of the shop with larger steps. When he caught up, he placed a hand on his shoulder. "You okay there?"

"Hmm? Me?" Alva looked at the hand before glancing up to his brunet friend. "Sure I'm okay, stop worrying about me like I'm a foolish three year old kid." He brushed the hand off and tried to wave his friend's worry off.

"But I thought you are one."

Alva shot a half glare at him. "That means you hang out with a little brat, Shin." His glare turned into a relaxed expression and he chuckled.

"Not just a brat," Shin grinned. "But a cheeky one too!" He received a light punch to his shoulder from Alva in a jokingly manner.

Having to notice the extra strips of white around his palm, Shin asked, "Why's your palm wrapped in bandages?"

Ah. From the time I was chased after.

He took back his hand and held it subconsciously. "It's just a small cut." Alva said. It really was a small cut. But to prevent the wounds from reopening and having blood flow out of it, he wrapped it up with extra care. People discovering him with white blood are definitely a problem. A huge one.

"..." Shin stared at him.

"What?" A small pool of anxiousness started to form in Alva's heart. Did he not believe what he just said?

"...Did you get bit by a dog when you got closer to it?" Shin said. "Since all the dogs hate you." He started crackling up.

"To hell with you." All the tension left him and he secretly felt relieved but showed nothing of it. He internally groaned remembering all the time when he visited Shin, his dog, Mike, would constantly bark at him and had always jumped towards him. For goodness' sake, he did, after all, watched its growth from a pup to a full grown dog. Not to mention having to take care of it when Shin's away for business trips. Ungrateful animal.

"Well, that's enough about me," Alva said with a shrug. "How's business lately?"

"The usual," Shin answered briefly. Money really was the only thing he needed the most now. Kicking a rock under his foot, he continued, "Other than the fact that I still can't afford the treatment for Lacie."

Alva nodded. Shin's younger sister, Lacie had been sick for as long as he can remember. It's causing her eyesight to worsen day by day. If she goes on like this, she may very well lose her eyes -those bright and gentle eyes that had never fail to warm both of their hearts. After the earthquake five years ago, Shin's parents died, and Lacie was the only one Shin is left with. He would do anything for her, but they both know he already is.

"...Tell me if you ever need me." Alva said.

"Heh. Acting all reliable eh?" He snorted.

"I'm serious, Shin." He looked over at his friend. Shin froze a little at the firmness in his eyes before looking away. Those unwavering eyes will never change huh? A small smile slowly tugged on his lips.

"Nice meeting you, Serious. I'm Shin!" He laughed while Alva sent him a deadly glare. "I know, I know. Thanks Alva, but I know you've been going around stealing to help us already. But I don't need you to do that."

"But I want to."

Sighing, Shin's lips slowly formed a smile. "Well you've always been the stubborn idiot."

"Says the stupidly stubborn guy."

"An argument will never end with the two of us involved, you know?"

And with that, they both stopped in their tracks and burst into laughter. Two stubborn fellas will never come to an agreement anyways. In the end it would still end anyways -with two fists and some punches.

Soon they were walking silently again without another word. They both weren't the type to talk over pointless things. Indulging in the peace and quietness, they both walked and walked; going towards Shin's home without any uneasiness even when there's no talking involved. Being completely comfortable with each other's' presence in total silence was the thing they enjoyed very much. They weren't required to keep talking nor fake their emotions and expressions just to please someone. It was a feeling much nicer than being alone.

A crowd stopped their steps, as they were overwhelmed with their curiosity. Going closer together without a word - they both knew they wanted to go nearer anyways - the one to realize what was going on first was Alva. His face slackened when realization had hit him hard.

"I'm not a monster!"

The young girl on the floor yelled out of her lungs. Desperation was written all over her face. Her eyes were red and glassy - tears were forming at the edge. The scene looked so normal, so similar, and so not unusual...if it wasn't for the drops of liquid that stained her lips -coming from her wounds. It was white; pure white. "I-I do what all of you does! I eat, sleep, breathe and I get hurt like all of you! I'm not a monster!"

Alva flinched as he heard the words coming out of her. Those very words resonated with his own. His pity filled eyes wandered towards the man looking down at the girl on the ground. Pursing his lips together, he knew how things are going to go. But, what can he do?

"Your whole existence is wrong! It's disgusting!" He retorted. The crowd roared with sounds of agreement. Shin looked around bewildered until his gaze met Alva's that was filled with...rage? He was about to ask but was cut short by the rage-filled yell.

"I'm just a human!" She screamed. "Why won't you believe me? I don't even mean harm!"

Despite her struggle, the girl was forcefully tied down to the ground. The man took out a knife and swiftly slit her arm without any concern, earning a low groan from her. White blood started to ooze out from her wounds, slowing forming a small pool of white. Shocked gasps and whispers went around. Alva turned his head to all directions and glanced around anxiously. Shin who noticed, kept quiet at his antics.

"Then tell us why you have blood the colour of snow!" He said. "Doesn't that make you a monster? And who knows what you'll do!"

"I wasn't born with this! It just turned this way some years ago! Why does the colour of the blood matters anyways!" She cried out from the bottom of her heart. "It doesn't make any difference at all! Please-" She choked. "...Just stop this!"

It stung so hard for Alva to hear the words he had always hid deep down in his heart. She was right. Just why? He was just a normal human isn't he? Apart from the colour of his blood. But why does the colour of the blood matter anyways? Just because of this accursed blood of his, he had been living like a runaway criminal. It has been hell. Why did he deserve to face all this?

Shaking away all his emotions, he tried to think rationally. Her blood turned white only after years of living? That's different from him, who had white blood from the very first day that he could remember. Speaking of recalling the past, if only he retrieved back his memories-- he might have had the answers to his questions. He needed the answers -- as badly as his memories.

She continued, "And why am I the one getting killed? I did absolutely nothing wrong!"

Alva tightened his fists and furrowed his brows a little. This question had always been haunting him. Why am I the one being chased after, being dominated, being despised? He hated them down to his core. Hypocritical red blooded people.

......Why am I white blooded? What am I? A monster or a human? Putting aside all the questions, he still couldn't shake off one of them. Just what is he? He was never able to make clear of his identity.

"Because you're different from all of us!" He pointed the knife at her face. Disgust was shining right in his eyes.

All of you are also different from us! Alva couldn't bring himself to voice his thoughts out; the thoughts itching to be yelled out. But he couldn't; he wasn't able to; he can't. All because he was still powerless.

"Wait!" She said. "I-I don't want to die yet-- I've people I care for too so please stop--!" Her eyes were filled with fear as she was frostbitten by despair. "Don't..." Teary eyes desperately meet icy ones. With a swing, her head was separated from her body. It bounced off and landed on the ground, before rolling slowly and closer... to Alva.

Blood flowed out from her fallen head as it slowly made a trail of snowy white on the ground.

Fear and pain washed over him. He narrowed his eyes and clenched his jaws. His gaze was glued to her head -- her eyes were still widely open. Dead meets brown ones. Alva shuddered. Her eyes; her eyes -- they were staring right at him. He could see the fury in them -- as if questioning why he had not step out and save her. They were the same, no matter what they are isn't it?

Alva has fallen into a new world -- where there were only him and her. People around them seem to have vanished like into thin air. Even the scenery changed. Her eyes were still looking right into him as if penetrating his soul. Guilt, fear, remorse overflowed out of him.

'Will I end up like that too?' Like a loop, this thought repeated itself in his head again and again.

He didn't understand why but his legs felt like they were glued to the ground. Alva yearns to leave but she was stopping him from doing so. Was it his imagination? No, it isn't. She was glaring at him now. The pressure caused him to tighten his fists even more and his nails dug into his palm. It hurts; but not as much as the pressure he's feeling.

Alva's breaths were getting quicker and quicker. He needed air -- he was suffocating, he couldn't breathe. He was close to breaking down any second now. Yet, his conscience was keeping him staring down at her. His brain feels numb, like brain freeze minus the pain. Thoughts aren't forming; he was frozen totally on the spot. Beads of cold perspiration appeared all over him. Just why for God's sake does this feel like eternity?