Seiji
Today, he thinks of birds.
They came in a dream some time ago: white wings against a pale blue sky. He could have reached up and caught one as easily as one catches a ball. He awoke knowing this. Remembering, maybe — it arrived unconnected with anything else. Just the noise of wings and the looking up, the sleeping tension in his limbs. Or perhaps they only came because he met Kiada some time ago and watched her turn into a vulture. Because since then, he spends a lot of time thinking about her flying up around that spiral in the middle of the world.
He spends a lot of time dwelling on the spiral, in general, though he has more pressing things to occupy his time. Things like the coming darkness and the acquisition of food, water, shelter. He can't help but return to it: that static bolt of darkness. It is the biggest mystery of all. He dares not approach, remembering Kiada's warning, so he finds himself moving through the ruined streets instead. Peering up at it occasionally. Wondering if he might find someone with more answers to his many questions.
But what he finds instead is different, altogether.
Perhaps the size of the man catches his eye. Or the way the man walks, as if he has walked a thousand miles already. Either way, Seiji glimpses something at the edge of his vision and there before him is a stranger, soaking wet, trudging forward on what appear to be weary feet. Seiji remembers a time not long ago he wandered in a similar fashion, though back then he found himself instead in a dark wood, confusion ringing through his skull. Heartier now, he blinks and then starts toward the man, his gait a lively, bouncing thing. "Hello?" he calls, and pauses a little bit away. "Are you okay?" Surely the stranger doesn't mean to be wandering, wet, in this weather.
They came in a dream some time ago: white wings against a pale blue sky. He could have reached up and caught one as easily as one catches a ball. He awoke knowing this. Remembering, maybe — it arrived unconnected with anything else. Just the noise of wings and the looking up, the sleeping tension in his limbs. Or perhaps they only came because he met Kiada some time ago and watched her turn into a vulture. Because since then, he spends a lot of time thinking about her flying up around that spiral in the middle of the world.
He spends a lot of time dwelling on the spiral, in general, though he has more pressing things to occupy his time. Things like the coming darkness and the acquisition of food, water, shelter. He can't help but return to it: that static bolt of darkness. It is the biggest mystery of all. He dares not approach, remembering Kiada's warning, so he finds himself moving through the ruined streets instead. Peering up at it occasionally. Wondering if he might find someone with more answers to his many questions.
But what he finds instead is different, altogether.
Perhaps the size of the man catches his eye. Or the way the man walks, as if he has walked a thousand miles already. Either way, Seiji glimpses something at the edge of his vision and there before him is a stranger, soaking wet, trudging forward on what appear to be weary feet. Seiji remembers a time not long ago he wandered in a similar fashion, though back then he found himself instead in a dark wood, confusion ringing through his skull. Heartier now, he blinks and then starts toward the man, his gait a lively, bouncing thing. "Hello?" he calls, and pauses a little bit away. "Are you okay?" Surely the stranger doesn't mean to be wandering, wet, in this weather.
