Not Forgotten

"The thing," she hums, lightwise in the air like a silver of thread, turning on her heel and waving a follow-me behind for him to catch, "that that hinges on, truth and sick for it, is the world as was worth writing down. Does it deserve to keep on if it needs your hands and the turn of a paper to carry it? Is it worth having? Blood in my heart for the tales we tell, but I love them best when they strangle their way over the fireside and take the beat to carry through. The third dead boy liked music, and the second liked art. Ha!"

“I say yes.” He started following the girl, surprised that she would turn around while leading a stranger. “Some stuff, like how to make steel or concrete, has got to be saved. Culture’s not critical, but hard facts like that...” He trailed off as she mentioned dead boys. Music and art... He’d have to watch himself. Put his guard up, be more alert.

“But of course—there are so many dead people and none of them came back to life. It’s definitely impossible this is the afterlife. This is…our rotten earth. Still,still! For you to die; that must have been interesting. I would,too,love to experience death and live to tell the tale! But that’s not going to happen. I’m just going to bleed to death and rot away.”

“Oh, it’s interesting. You realize all sorts of things right at the end. But most of those things aren’t really that hard to find out, if you think hard enough in the right ways. Next time, I’ll die normally. But I don’t intend on that happening for a while. The spectre may rear its head everywhere in this city, but as long as I’ve got my bat, I can keep it away from me.”

“ S—stop by? Um— I don’t know— don’t know where it is so.. I’m sorry! Maybe onii-chan or Chie knows.. “

“It’s good to know you’re not out here alone, though. Your brother and Chie’ve got to be a good team, if you all are still alive.”

“Died once? Hmm—you might be right. Perhaps we’re all already dead yet do not remember we aren’t alive. Maybe the shock of dying was too much; a lot of humans cling to their lives,myself included. But I’ve escaped death countless times. I do not think this is the afterlife. Or that we’re dead——well,not yet anyway.”

“I think you’re right. I’ve seen people die in this world, and they haven’t come back. If it were the afterlife you’d expect them to, right? As it is, only a few lucky ones get to experience death and live to tell the tale. For the record, it’s not too bad if the conditions are all right.”

She shuffles forward, still a safe distance from him— but enough so that she could peer into the bag.

“I don’t think I’ve got any in this haul, but I can find some. If you want, stop by for that as well.”

“ Ah—ah? Is it really? Um.. it’s nothing, really, Iwao just said to— said to help anyone when they needed it. I have to keep m…my promise to hi— h—hey! You try pointing a knife at someone! It’s h—ha—hard! “

He unzipped it the rest of the way and held it open. It was mostly textbooks, but there were a few novels in there.

“Hmm. She does,indeed. But she probably wouldn’t agree with you. Ahh—as much as I know that myself,I still am glad to hear it! No matter how many bodies there are,I’ll find a place to bury them all. Hey,hey; do you think there is a place for people after they die? Not like Heaven or Hell,but rather…a void. The afterlife,I suppose?”

“There probably is. Who’s to say? I’ve died once already, so for all I know, this could be it. Seems fitting, right? A place where nothing happens, nothing gets better, nothing gets worse. Just doing the same thing over and over, thinking you’re still alive.”

“..I’m t—trained in first aid and I help people that n..need it. “

“That’s a good cause. Not enough people doing that these days, unfortunately. Keep it up; you can’t go wrong by helping people. Although, just in case, you should learn to hold a knife better.”

“ …You went— to Hopes P—peak. Um.. It isn’t much but— I remember n..names well. Wait— what’re you a—aff—affiliated with? “

“Top job. Back at school, I would’ve asked you to be on the Quizbowl team for that. Affiliation? Officially, myself. I collect books and keep them safe for whomever still reads around here. What about you?”

“Said or bent! King’s a consort six but never held a book ended survival any way as mattered, never played for the whole table with a single roll. You do what it takes to keep going, or you find someone to put you down. Don’t think there’s any border disputes down on the old library, but I can’t promise. I’ll walk you. Not supposed to let the scars stiffen much. I’m more a word-of-mouth girl, me, never understood the point of printed page.”

"No disputes? That's good; They'll be free for the taking. I haven't been in this neighborhood recently, so things've certainly changed - I appreciate the offer to guide me. Books keep things longer than memories - At least normal ones. I guess that's why I like them."

She plants her feet, standing her ground. Of course she couldn’t use this knife, of course she’s too frightened to move— she’s a coward; through and through.

“Though if you’re looking for a name, Masaru Oshiro. It used to mean something, but not much anymore.”

A knife at hand and a tremble in her heart, she stands short and vulnerable; hands barely grasping the knife.

He shifted his weight - She’d have to put away the knife before he’d feel secure. She didn’t look like she could use it well, but he wasn’t experienced either.

“Hm. Interesting. Aha—undertaking is undertaking! Undertaking is like usual. I spot dead bodies,drag them,dig,bury,blah blah—I don’t need the money. Not anymore,at least. As long as there are bodies to bury,I can continue living. I suppose that is the case. Yes,she thinks so too. Splendid.”

“She probably has good taste. Cleaning up’s a hard job - It’s good to see someone’s taking care of the messes we’re all making. You won’t be running out of bodies anytime soon, I can guarantee that.”

Fire to the east and well may it burn, there’s nothing there but what lies rebuilt in the daydreams of Olympus parodied and the things they bring for it. You’ll die six steps in or bend the heel, that’s the rub of it, ate what they could of my gold before I awoke again and told a different kind of dragon tale through my shining underbelly - picked my teeth with their arrows and laughed until I wept, half a town could love me and they all pray me underdirt again where my kind belongs. What are you searching for?

"Dead that fast? I wouldn't be here if I died easily. I'm searching for many things. Supplies - Most people had some food lying around. But mostly, books to keep company. Food and water come and go, but a book stays fresh as long as you keep it."

"Mm… They’re here. Just hiding. It’s nothing too bad… You just have to look for them."

"Hiding? There's a lot of rubble... They must be under it. But I can't lift that. Maybe I could get the bears to help..."