Human
Chapter 4
(Cloud POV)
I had left Tifa's apartment again. Her startled look was still carved into my memory. I remembered Pete's words again. I wanted to become human. Wanted to feel pain and taste. I wanted to have emotions, I wanted to feel how it's like to get hurt and how it's like to be happy.
Again we gathered at the beach. "Zack, would you want to become human?"
"I have told you already, I am fine the way I am." he retorted placidly staring off into the distance. "But, didn't you ever wonder how it's like to feel or to taste?" I stared at my hands. I turned around to look at him, he didn't look at me. "What I don't know, I can't miss. And neither do I long for these things."
"But I, I want to become human!" I exclaimed. "I really want to."
"It's because of this woman, right?" he finally looked at me from the corner of his eyes. He smirked a little.
"And even if…" – "Uhuh. It is. And if you really want to, do so. I hope that so-called love wont destroy you in the end. After all." he chuckled. "We've guided a lot of broken men and women to the other side, haven't we? I wouldn't want my friend to become a soul like this."
"That wont happen."
---
Pain struck through me. Everything hurt and burnt. I felt something aching through me like a shot. I felt dizzy. Wearily I opened my eyes. I saw a tree. I was lying on the pavement it seems. I felt something cold. The surface wasn't smooth. It was rocky and I felt little stones leaving imprints in my palms as I got up. Was that what it was like to feel? My head ached, it was like somebody hammering inside, something that wanted to get outside. Everything was sore and felt numb. Was that the kind of pain people went through before they died? I took a look around and suddenly I saw a little restaurant. Food it came to me. I wanted to taste food. Rushing over the street a car nearly knocked me over. I had completely forgotten people could see me now. Overjoyed I jumped around in front of a shop window, trying to get the owners attention. I was happy. Happy? Was it that? Was it this feeling that made you all giddy? It really felt like butterflies. Or was that just the thought of her? Her silky hair. I wanted to touch it so badly.
I went into the restaurant and sat down. Everything sounded good, I had no idea what to choose. I took a look around to see what everyone else was eating. "What do you want, Sir?" I was asked. Pondering on it for a moment I pointed or something that was brownish and there was some dark sauce and what I had heard to be vegetables. "Bring what that man over there is eating."
---
Indeed, food was great. Now if food was already that great, what would touching another human being be like? It's said to be better.
I rushed to Tifa's apartment. Overjoyed I knocked onto the door. Somebody who didn't look like Tifa at all opened. "Euhm sorry, is Tifa Lockheart living here?" I asked but the woman shook her head. "She left. All I heard from the neighbours was that there had been trouble with the boyfriend and they went separate ways. Sorry my dear, can't help you there." And the door went shut again. On one hand I was happy that there was one obstacle less, but I still had to find Tifa.
I rushed to the hospital. "Dr. House, can I talk to you for a moment." A young man in his mid thirties looked at me confused. "Do I happen to know you? Were you one of my patients?" Oh, I forgot. He didn't know me after all. "Ye-Yes I was." I assured him. "I was just wondering where Dr. Lockheart is."
"Oh. Well she is on vacation at the moment." – "Any idea where she might have gone?"
"Just why would you want to know that?" he asked me raising an eyebrow. He had gotten suspicious. "I…" I didn't know what to say. "Well I guess it doesn't matter. And no I don't know. Sorry." he said before walking off to his right.
I was left clueless. I guess I had to search then. "Oh, wait Mr…whatever. I think she mentioned something about going to the mountains, that's all I know."
---
It rained heavily. Was it the same as being in the sea? I was shivering and cold and my skin felt funny. It was tickling a little. Sometimes I would shiver again. I was amazed by my own body.
I had finally gotten a clue as to where she could be. And I did find her. There was only one little house up in the mountain. I knocked.
"Cloud." Yes it was her. "Tifa. I had to find you."
(Cloud POV End)
(Tifa POV)
I couldn't believe my eyes. After everything that had happened he had truly come back. Angels really are good beings. But that was the point where I suddenly noticed. "You…" He was not an angel anymore. In the cold air, I saw his breath coming from his mouth, illuminating me to the transformation he had made. "You are human." I stammered. He nodded at me and a wide smile spread across his face. "Come inside." I said hastily. "It's cold outside and you are soaked."
It was them that emotions had overcome me. An angel had come human for me.
(Tifa POV End)
---
(Cloud POV)
I stripped her shirt off. Touched her bare warm skin. I felt hot as though every single raindrop was evaporating from my skin. Everything was rushing inside me. My heart was working hard. I longed for her, I wanted to taste her. I licked her skin around her neck as she had done before. She tasted salty from sweating. I took in every scent, every taste. For me they felt so unique. I wanted more of her. The fire was burning next to us. Hot, red fire. The only symbol that could have expressed the passion we were sharing. I had heard about sex, but never what it was like. Why could any human being think so low of sex and treat it as nothing special? To me, it would have been something I would die for. Now I could after all.
---
"Ahhh!" I yelled as the hot water poured down on me."
"Watch out, it's hot." Tifa warned me a little too late. "Listen, I'll go get some things from the small store further down near the city. I'll be back in about 20 minutes." she said before I heard the door slam shut. I had gotten used to feeling of the burning water. It felt like yesterday.
I dried my skin and drank some apple juice. It was sour.
---
(Cloud POV End)
Tifa drove down the road. Whistling her favourite song. On her way back, she lifts her hands off the handle bars, looks up and the sky, and enjoys the gentle ride down the hill. However, she does not realize the logging truck pulling out of a road ahead. The insides of the shopping bag were rolling down the street. As Cloud came to the scene she was lying face down and a puddle of blood had formed. "No…No, don't do this to me." he yelled pressing her tightly to his chest.
An angel appeared by her side. It was Zack. "Shhht." Zack said. "Don't look at me." Cloud had no idea Zack was there. That his friend had come to take his love away. "Cloud." she pressed through her lips. "If they ask me what my favourite part was." she swallowed. "It was you." She couldn't heave up her hand to touch is cheek anymore. Her body gave in. She had breathed her last single breath.
"I am sorry buddy." Zack whispered. "I will bring her over there safely."
Cloud wiped his hands off. They were full of blood, full of her genes, her information. Just what he had seen in the microscope too the other day.
---
Cloud sat in the living room of the little house up in the mountains. "Alcohol is funny." he told himself. "Makes you feel funny." he murmured holding a glass of wine in his left hand.
"Cloud." Zack appeared by his side. "I am sorry."
"It's a life I am living now. Even I will once die. Though I wonder where there is another reason for me to live." he snarled.
"You will one day die aswell. I will be there by your side when it happens. But tell me, if you had known this was going to happen, would you still have done it?"
Cloud took another sip from the red wine. He stared at the picture he had put on the desk to look at. "I would. I would rather have one instant with her, than an eternity without. Even though this feeling is horrible, I am glad I can feel it. As an angel, I wouldn't have been able to feel a thing, even if my feelings were the same and I came to get her."
In a mere day, Cloud had become a human, experienced physical pain, physical joy and pleasure, the joy of love, and the devastating loss of death.
The End
----
So this is where the story ends. Sorry if it might appear a little short and rushed. But I couldn't really stretch it any longer. I do fear that the ending didn't quiet come out as sad as in the movie, but I tried my best. Thanks for all the lovely reviews. I am sorry it took me so long to finish. I somewhat forgot about the story. But most thanks go to those who reviewed to me. Every time I hear any of my stories is liked, it assures me I am not writing for nothing. And that means a lot to me as I love English and do my best at improving. Thanks to all of you.