Snippet #1620285

Ring around the rosies… Pockets full of posies… Ashes, ashes, we all fall down!

Manic laughter followed the childish verses, drowning out the words that still rang in the space around Alex. He had always been partial to that particular rhyme; he loved the irony of little children singing those words, the words that were used to describe the Black Death centuries before. To think that such an innocent quip could have such dark roots… the Shadow loved it. Although, when he tried to explain it to others, no one ever found it as hilarious as he did. They all seemed too pissed off about being in Purgatory, not that Alex could see why.

The Shadow silenced his laughter as a familiar gaunt face appeared before him and the others. Drawing the shadows around him to form a small chair, Alex settled down and braced himself for what he expected to be a very boring speech.

"My wonderful Shadows! Welcome back to life," he greeted with a grin as he changed to a child form. "Not quite, actually. You have been selected to join in a little game of mine. You have been given a second chance at gaining your life. There are new children here from the living world--miserable brats, really. If you manage to steal their life away from them within a week with the powers I have given each of you, then you may return to the world of the living at the end of the week in their form."

What a fool, Alex thought, chuckling as he formed a pitch black teacup and saucer out of thin air, taking a sip of the imaginary liquid within. He truly believes that he can reverse the hands of death? He must be crazier than I am!

"But are you willing to take a life in order to have your own back?" In a snap, he was gone once more.

A few seconds of silence passed after Omen left. The silence shattered as Alex began to clap slowly, each collision ringing through the immediate area, seemingly louder than it should have. “Well then,” he said slowly, standing up as his chair and tea set faded away into nothingness, “let the games begin!” Alex threw his head back in a loud, manic cackle, small shadowy birds shooting from the ground and whirling around his white-robed figure. By the time they vanished, the Shadow was gone, his laugh stil echoing around the lonely courtyard.