A Plea to Death

Death. Everyone fears this. Who would not be? Everyone wants to live in this world of gratification and challenges. Yes everyone but not me. I want to put an end to this life. I have served my purpose here on earth. I have done and tried everything. Luxury, women, name it and I already have it. How about love? I heard a voice coming from nowhere. Love? Well, I don’t need it. My parents have poured out all the love they have for me before they were welcomed to death a century ago. You’ve heard it right, a century ago. I have lived for 200 years and half of my life I received the right prescription of love from my parents before they were taken for an experiment and since then I never get to see them anymore. I’m not dumb enough to think that they are still alive until now. I’ve seen how cruel and selfish human are when they found out our genetics’ secret. Human wants to find out how our family lived for a long period of time and never gets old. We have kept this secret. Every 5 decades we move from one place to another and changes our identity. But after two migration, someone found out who we really are. If you think we are some sort of vampires, then you are wrong. We live like a normal people , eat what normal people eat, do what they do, the only difference is that everyone in our family will live for a minimum of 500 years if no unnatural cause of death  will intervene. My parents did not have the chance to tell me the history why are we like this. It’s a tradition that you will only know if you are on the right age, at 100 years old to be exact . But days before I’d reached that age someone took them. I remember I was on our ceiling room that time, when a group of people in white laboratory gowns invaded our house and took my father and mother with force. I did not expect them to fight with those people because somewhat I know we don’t have the strength or power like vampires had.

After what happened, I discovered a characteristic that I possessed. I’ve learned why my parents didn’t fight with those men for the reason that we are born not to hurt people physically. If I hurt people physically, my body would get tired, if I hit a man severely I can’t get out of my bed for weeks. I arrive into conclusion that if I’ll kill a man, then that’s the end of my life also.

I also learned the purpose of those people who took my parents. They want to experiment them and examine what’s in our genes, why they live longer than other people. Selfish as they were, they want to be like us, they also want to experience the bliss of living for a very long time.

If only they know the misery that I’ve felt of fighting the loneliness that I’ve always felt since my parents are gone. I tried to engage with normal people but I can’t stand being with them for a long time. I’m always reminded of how selfish and cruel they were. I learned to use them for satisfaction of my needs. Women who offer their body just like a costumer in a market who annoyingly bid discount for a meat. Well, they are the one who offered so I just gratify their wants. Money is not a problem to me. I have lots of it. Enough to sustain my next 300 years of living in this world. For the past few years, I’m somewhat entertained by the pleasure women and money gave me. Until one day, I become weary to continue living for another hundred years. But I would only die if I already have lived for 500 years. No, you are wrong! There is a way for you to end your life right now. My inner voice said. Kill a man and you’ll get what you want, then you can already rest forever.

I’m certain of my decision, I want to meet death now. I changed a nice clothes that would make me look very handsome. I slid a small knife inside my pocket. For the last time, I took a glance at my huge house. I immediately went to the bar I’ve used to go, ordered expensive drinks and find a woman to satisfy the last lust that I’m feeling. I then went outside and I found a target. A beggar looking for food in a garbage can. Perfect target! I’ve whispered. Nobody will care for this man if I’ll kill him. I slowly approach the man from his back and positioned my knife to stab him at the back when I heard an ear deafening shout of a woman. Shit! Someone saw me. When I look at the woman, I’ve felt like there’s a horse running in my heart. What a perfect sight. A slender woman wearing a uniform of a waitress on the bar I’ve been into just a minute ago. The woman approaches me and I panicked. I turned my back at her and started to walked away but then I froze when I heard what she said . “Eros!” How on earth did she know my name? I took a long stride toward her and grabbed her elbow and asked her” How did you know my name?”. She smiled and I might sound gay with this but fugg she looked like an angel. “ I saw you at the bar regularly and I heard your women calling you Eros, so I guess that’s your name” “Ye..ss you’re right. That’s ….my name”. The fugg why am I stuttering in front of a woman. This is first time. Is this because I’m feeling guilty because someone saw me trying to carry out my bad motive for the beggar?. “ What you’ve seen minutes ago, I really didn’t ….” “ You should thank me, Eros. I saved the beggar’s life as well as yours. You could be put in prison if you killed that man.” I sighed deeply and she seems to notice it.” Hey are okay? I know a coffee shop a few meters away from here.” She began to walk and I unknowingly followed her. True enough, we arrive at the coffee shop and she ordered a coffee for two. “ Here. Have a sip. I think you are problematic right now. Don’t worry, I won’t tell a soul about what I’ve seen.” I immediately looked at her.” I’m not lying. I won’t tell anyone. You can kill me if I will” I’ve felt ashamed and looked down upon hearing what she said.” Come on, I’m just joking about the latter part” “Thank you Ms…” “Just call me Aesha” “ Thank you again Aesha” . I thought she will leave immediately but she stayed and chose to talk about her life particularly her life at work. She’s 25. Heaven!  A hundred years gap between our ages. She told me how she knew me. She’s very talkative and bubbly. She is the first ever woman that stays at my side for more than 2 hours. “ It’s getting late, Eros. I think I’ll just go first”. “ Wait Aesha, I can take you home. It’s dangerous to walk alone at this time” . The journey to her home is very awkward. She already stopped talking and I didn’t even say a word. Until we stopped at her house. “ Thanks for taking me home. I guess this is the first and the last time” “ Of course not..”. I immediately blabbed.  My coyness seems to disappear and I gained my confidence to ask for her number. She gave me her digits and I immediately dial her number to confirm if that’s really her number and what do I expect, of course it’s hers.

            When I got home, I can’t stop thinking of Aesha. I am neophyte of what I’m feeling right now. Is this what they called love at first sight? Heaven! He shamelessly looks like a teenager having a crush on her classmate. Act like a man Eros. He reminded himself. Then he suddenly remember what he wanted hours ago. Does he still want to end his life? He can’t find the right answer anymore. I thought I want to die. What changes my decision? Then the face of Aesha suddenly comes to my mind.

            A month had passed and Aesha is now going out with him. He cannot contain the happiness he felt. His misery days ended and the thought of ending his life didn’t cross to his mind anymore. He chose not to tell his girlfriend his deepest secret. He doesn’t want Aesha to be afraid of him because of his true age and identity. Loving someone and being loved is a pure bliss. He thought. He can feel that Aesha loved him too. He plans to go to Aesha’s house and asked if they can eat lunch together on his favorite restaurant. He saw Aesha talking to a man. “ How’s your relationship with that boy? We should carry out the plan now Aesha. I’ve waited so much time. My father failed on the experiment he’d conducted on his parents. Their blood does not hold enough special genetic material that enable him to transfer it to another person for study. I hope this time we can experiment on him. I’m pretty sure his blood carries lot of genetic material for my study that will lead me to success, my daughter. And my name will be famous on my field. Aren’t you proud of your father?” “ Of cou---rse I …am, Father”

            Eros froze for a moment and then the face of his parents flashed in his mind. How they looked when they were taken by force by those men in white. Cruel and selfish men. The family of the woman she now loves. But the heck about love, he thought the girl he loves loved him too. But he was tricked, all those time she had with Aesha, he was just feeding all lies. He wanted revenge on his parents and he wanted to kill the woman she loves. He run to the kitchen and grabbed the knife and hurriedly stab it to the heart of Aesha’s father. He can’t afford to kill the woman she loves. “ Eros, no! I truly love you. I really do. All the words, the feelings that I’ve showed you is genuine.” But, I’ve heard….” Eros clutched his heart, it’s aching badly, like someone crumpled it.   “ No, Eros don’t die.I know everything about you. I plan to run away with you so that my father won’t take you away from me. Kajima ( Please stay) ” “ I love… you t---oo, Aesha” I’m so—rry about your fa--ther.” Unconsciousness is slowly taking over Eros’s mind and then before he got to close his eyes. He thinks he saw someone smiling wickedly at him like welcoming him. “Welcome, Eros.”T’was death. “I hope not now. ”. This was Eros last thought before darkness filled his eyes.