A smile of Death

The pain made him stagger backwards. Blood rushed down his leg, splashing to the ground; watering the flowers of death.

He dropped his sword, dizziness taking him. As he fell to a knee – tears watering his vision – he could see a smile. It was not a smile of joy, nor of cruelty. It was a smile of sadness, of regret.

The pain made his eyes water even more, and tears ran down his chin as he fell face first to the ground. He rolled over to his back, seeing the face above him; smiling. He thought it a strange thing to do – smile. It seemed so…unnatural. How could anyone smile on a day like this, on a moment such as this? But still, there was a smile, though different than anything he had ever seen.

He felt drained, the blood still watering the ground under him. He could feel it pour out of his wound, running down his body.

The smiling person over him opened its mouth and spoke, though the words were strange, the voice warm and mild, though distant and unreal.

“Relax; the pain will go away soon.”

He blinked, trying to clear his vision, but the face were only an unclear picture now. He felt confused, but suddenly found that the voice was right; the pain had ebbed away. He tried to stand up, but found that he could not move. The face above him kept smiling the strange smile, and spoke again.

“Do not be afraid. Your pain is over, can’t you feel it? There is no pain anymore, is there? Relax, close your eyes. Trust me.”

How could he trust the voice? How could he trust the strange, kind of sad smile? He had not hurt himself; it was this stranger, right?

He felt darkness around him, his vision almost gone. But the darkness felt not threatening, and he was surprised to find it a comfort. Maybe it was right? He could not feel the pain anymore, he could not move. And soon he could not see anymore either.

The smile was unclear, barely seen through the tears and coming darkness. But what could he do? As the comforting darkness came closer, he felt safe. He closed his eyes, and trusted the voice; the strange smile. He was not afraid now, the pain was gone.