S E I J I
Slowly, the frission of terror brought on by their unexpected meeting continues to subside. The face behind the mask is that of a cheerful young man, something like a youthful innocence rounding the edges of his soft features. His, voice, too, moves between them with a rhythmic melody, an accent Seiji finds almost familiar for reasons he can’t place. But as the stranger continues to speak, Seiji decides he likes it.
He does not quite smile, though. Charming as the stranger’s face and voice may be, the content of his words provokes a thoughtful frown. Through the barrier? Seiji knows only it is dangerous and impassable. He knows, too, that the night of his arrival, the last time he stood anywhere near the outskirts, he felt terribly ill. He can almost feel the same now, like a shadow of pain in the back of his mind. Similar sensations occur whenever he ventures too far into the outskirts. But here is someone trying to see through the bars of their impenetrable cage?
Seiji’s head tilts, and his gaze falls to the pale mask. “Did you make it?” he wonders, gesturing toward the object. What kind of person has he stumbled upon? A brave one, he thinks, no matter how the stranger’s manner comes off now. Brave, and maybe powerful, as well. Seiji still holds himself cautiously, even if the fear has mostly leeched from him.
In response to Remi’s question, though, he nods. “Seiji. I arrived some weeks ago,” he answers. “Did you come from somewhere else, too?” He struggles to put together the pieces of everything Remi just said. “And someone from your home… was out there?” Seiji points toward the barrier, curiosity now sparking behind his eyes. “What else did you see?”
Slowly, the frission of terror brought on by their unexpected meeting continues to subside. The face behind the mask is that of a cheerful young man, something like a youthful innocence rounding the edges of his soft features. His, voice, too, moves between them with a rhythmic melody, an accent Seiji finds almost familiar for reasons he can’t place. But as the stranger continues to speak, Seiji decides he likes it.
He does not quite smile, though. Charming as the stranger’s face and voice may be, the content of his words provokes a thoughtful frown. Through the barrier? Seiji knows only it is dangerous and impassable. He knows, too, that the night of his arrival, the last time he stood anywhere near the outskirts, he felt terribly ill. He can almost feel the same now, like a shadow of pain in the back of his mind. Similar sensations occur whenever he ventures too far into the outskirts. But here is someone trying to see through the bars of their impenetrable cage?
Seiji’s head tilts, and his gaze falls to the pale mask. “Did you make it?” he wonders, gesturing toward the object. What kind of person has he stumbled upon? A brave one, he thinks, no matter how the stranger’s manner comes off now. Brave, and maybe powerful, as well. Seiji still holds himself cautiously, even if the fear has mostly leeched from him.
In response to Remi’s question, though, he nods. “Seiji. I arrived some weeks ago,” he answers. “Did you come from somewhere else, too?” He struggles to put together the pieces of everything Remi just said. “And someone from your home… was out there?” Seiji points toward the barrier, curiosity now sparking behind his eyes. “What else did you see?”
The rain is full
of ghosts tonight
of ghosts tonight
