“You’re blind, old man. This is pay back.” Cyndi rubbed the sunscreen into her dry elbows. It was a nice and sunny day. Not one cloud floated in the sky as the waves rolled up the sandy white beaches.

“Who was the one spouting sermons about the universal balance the other day?” He couldn’t help pointing it out.

“Did we suddenly switch roles? Chill-ax. There’s a new Death. He’ll be better than me in no time.”

“Your death helpers are disappearing one by one and you just quit the job like that? This is not something you just put down on the counter and forget about.”

“Oh really, babe? I just did.” Cyndi slammed the sunscreen bottle back on the fold up table.

“Whatever. I’m going.”

“Hold on there, Wallace. I’m not done with you.”

The Angel of Destiny froze. She had undoubtedly succeeded in capturing his full attention. He turned back.

“Did… Did you just call me Wallace?”

“I don’t see any harm in it since I’m off duty.” She adjusted her bikini bottom for a better fit.

“Since it’s such a nice day, let’s have a little chat. You can help me put some sunscreen on my back too.” She continued.

“You want me to-”

“What? Scared you might die if you touch me? Please… you know that’s not how it works.” Cyndi flipped on to her belly.

“Don’t forget the too. I haven’t gotten there yet.”

Wallace blinked. She was being serious.

“So there’s this woman I met the other day.” Cyndi began. “She spoke to me as if she knew me. Your doing, isn’t it…?”

“What woman?” Wallace opened up the bottle and squeezed some of its content in his hand. He was more focused in applying the sunscreen than listening to what she was saying.

“She’s married to that guy I always complain about. Her name is Cyndi. Ring a bell?”

“There are a lot of girls name Cindy.” Wallace rubbed the sunscreen into her fair skin.

“Well this one said you’re hiding something from me.”

“I always tell you what I know.” Wallace replied a little too hastily.

“Are you sure about that? ” Cyndi got up, grabbed Wallace, and threw him down all in one motion. She climbed on top of him and lowered her head so that their nose brushed against each other.

“Like when you denied having any attraction to me? I’ve seen the way you look at me. The manner you address me in.”

She trailed her long fingernails down his chest. “Can you say you feel nothing when I’m on top of you like this?”

“Of course I feel something. I feel weird and cold because you’re like a walking freezer. Get off of me.”

Cyndi got up while laughing.

“You know we can still be together, you and I. Even with Penny around.”

“That’s impossible, you already have someone waiting for you.” Wallace said, trying to pull the discussion away from Penny.

“What?” She finally got him to say it. She knew he was linked to Hero’s wife. This just goes to prove it. They both spoke of some person waiting for her.

“Why do you always have to do that… always getting what you want?”

“It’s because I usually don’t want anything. I just do my job like a zombie.”

“So…” Cyndi nudged Wallace causing him to jump. “Who is this someone you two talk about?”

“You’re not getting anything else out of me. I mean it!”

He was about to disappear when she muttered something under her breath. Wallace heard it loud and clear.

“Seriously, what are you planning, Death?”

He called her “Death.” That meant she was getting to him. Good.

“Penny’s so annoying don’t you agree? And there are only a few things in this universe that annoy me.”

“No… don’t even…”

“I don’t get what you see in her. She’s like a ing dumb blonde broad except she’s not really blonde.”

Wallace opened his mouth to defend Penny but what was there to defend? Everything Cyndi said was true. She might have put it lightly.

Cyndi watched as Wallace’s expression turn. There was no way of defending that mistake.

“I’m just saying that she should watch her back, that’s all… I mean, if I have to go blindly, she should know what she’s up against to make it fair. She has no ing brain.”

Wallace had nothing to say to that. No one had really forgiven Penny for that one mistake long ago except for him. Oh god, she was such an idiot.

“You must be relieved it wasn’t consummated. Who in their right or wrong mind would want to.” Cyndi had a creepy evil smile on. Oh god, it was so evil. What would she do if she knew that her destined one was the very person she’d been annoyed with these past few months?

FLASHBACK

Cyndi held his face between her two hands. “It has been wonderful for me, Hero. I’m so glad you found me.”

His hands reached up to his wife’s silky hair. “Why are you talking like this?”

“I know I’m not the one you’re looking for. I’ve known it since the day you walk in to the Cafe.”

Hero hesitated. “You’ve known all along and yet you stayed with me…?”

She smiled. The warm and calm kind, full of compassion and trust. She wasn’t the one.

“It was meant to be so. I have no regrets. I stayed because I was needed. I stayed because I grew to love you. I told you about my mother, right?”

“She’s a psychic.”

“Yeah… I have part of that gift. Now, I want to give it to you. The answers you need.”

“What are you talking about, Cyn.”

“I know how to find her, Hero. I know how to get her to notice you… the one you’ve been searching hundreds of years for.”

Sykotica Notes: For CONTENTID2, the title. Press SHIFT+ENTER to shift the content down like the preview here. It looks center-ish when shifted down a line.