‘Picking from many examples.’
‘There are different ways you express how you feel.’
‘The human mind often creates di-s-advantageous situations?’ How do you say that again?
Uh, let me just skip over.
‘….for a person who does not want to feel.’
‘All in the name of survival.’
‘It creates images or makes you think of things you would rather not.’
All of that sure sounds horrifying, I think this apple metaphor from this should be in here.
Alright, where is page three.
‘One can drop and smash into the ground creating an opening for other organisms to come and devour it.’
‘Another might not shatter all over the ground, only to be picked up by an organism to be eaten.’
‘And lastly, an apple could remain on the tree, not falling, not being disturbed, just being still all the time.’
‘While the third option might sound good for the apple itself.’
‘It can still lead to a bad path, the same as the first two’
Woah, I might reference this for an essay.
Being that it can possibly rot or just be picked directly from its branch on a tree.’
Tsk.
Honestly, I think the apple should just grow legs if I am being honest.
It’d be better if it ca-
“Yanagidate!”
Crap, and I was just reciting the lines in my head.
“Oh hey Warren, what’s going on?”
“Catch.”
Whoosh
A soda can?
“Oh? Thank you.”
“Ahh, don’t worry about it. What are you reading?”
“It’s an English man’s book translated to Japanese. It’s called ‘Outcomes and Expectancies’. It’s from an author named ‘Lewis Kingsly’. I’d say it’s pretty good. It’s mostly psychology with life lessons.”
“What an interesting sounding book, well I wanted to thank you for being a reliable cashier.”
“Thanks I guess. But I don’t think that is much of a compliment nowadays.”
If ever.
“Haha, yeah you’re probably right. But where are you heading off to?”
“I’m going home, not much to do anyways.”
“Alright see you then. Oh and the boss is doing bonuses later on.”
“Really? Alright then see you then Warren.”
Well that’s getting interesting.
Working since the middle of high school I saved up to 120 thousand yen, I’d say for someone in school, not bad at all.
“When is this bus coming?”
….
VRRRRR
Wish I coulda make more money.
Damn and here I thought I was going to do a bit better.
I don’t know why these last five years feel like I’m living the life of a sloth.
I can’t even process my emotions properly.
Maybe it’s just normal teenage stuff, no it feels so weird.
That go-karting palace I was in last week looked fun, maybe I’d actually drive one next time.
“Shit, this is my last copy, I gotta ask her for more, whenever she’s available.”
I wonder if I might get a promotion in the upcoming months, maybe if I—
BANG
“Huh? Was that a firecracker?”
BANG!
BANG!
“My earbuds, where did they drop?!”
BANG!
No way, are those gunshots?
What the hell is going on, is there murder happening?
This can’t be happening in the middle of the day right?
It’s coming from that alley way around this corner.
I’m less than halfway home right now.
Should I even risk the idea of that?
“Tsk.”
Damn….
Maybe just a peek, that’s all and I’ll head right back.
There’s no way.
Wait….
Did those guys just kill someone?
That’s a dead person’s body on the floor right???
Just what is going on?
Ok maybe I should just turn back–
Huh?
What the?
His hand just turned into a tentacle or something, am I seeing that right?
No way that is real..
“Who is that over there? You come closer..”
I got noticed, I should ru-
SLISICH
MY ARM!
Whatever that thing was, it hurt, even if that was a small slash.
That thing is making my arm ache…
D-damn, blood actually gushing out I gotta run befo-
“Hey you, you aren’t going anywhere are ya?”
CRASH
That hurt?!
He threw me with just one arm…
Don’t tell me I just walked into a crime scene….
Dammit, I knew I should have gone home.
My arm is on fire right now.
What type of blade did he cut me with?!
Woah!
My arm–
The bleeding stopped just like that?
“What.”
Don’t tell me this is some type of shootout between the yakuza?!”
“Who the fuck are you? Get the hell out-”
SLISICH
“WHAT ARE YOU FOOLS DOING GET HIM!”
Am I really believing this right now?!
That Psycho who with that hood on his head is cutting those men up.
“WHO THE FUCK CARES WE HAVE THE NUMBERS GAME GET HIM!”
I’ll just brace myself against this wall.
Why can’t I run yet, damn my legs are shaking real bad.
COME ON MOVE YOUR BODY!
I’m still not far enough from it.
I’m just around the corner, he’s just making quick work of those guys.
That slam really did a ton to me.
This presence creeping up around this place?
When that other man appeared.
What is with this feeling?
Even the smell of death was in the air before I even knew what was going on.
Can you even smell death?!
“What are you afraid of? If it’s the unknown, don’t seek things that are familiar.”
“If it’s the familiar do not be open to its acceptance, even your senses betray your eyes.”
Does he think he’s Shakespeare?
Talking all of that while massacring all these people.
“Hey Behind-”
“IM NOT DOING THIS WITH YOU WHO THE HELL ARE YO-”
SLISICH
He is just going to get closer and closer to me, he’s massacring those people.
“You are just what they would have wanted, a seed marinated by the roots of a tree that just keeps giving.”
How did he even–
“Currently you’re just an ant in the grander spectrum of things. An unplanted crop without a home.”
What is this guy talking about?
He is in front of me spouting all of this crap, did he even feel bad killing all those people.
Seeds?
Roots, Crops.
He is starting to sound like a farmer, what type of joke is this?
This isn’t real, to think he is just some normal.
This man is a psycho.
Considering his presence.
“It doesn’t matter what you think of this situation, your eyes don’t deceive what you’re thinking.”
What you’re seeing is very much real.”
Why are you smiling at me like that?
“But… WHO ARE YO—”
SIKTINK
He stabbed me?!
“You shouldn’t see more than you already have. It’s not what they would have wanted.”
“I fear that at one point, a greater poison will be injected into you.”
…..
Why am I in front of my Oba’s house?
My clothing is all okay, I still have my stuff in my pockets.
Wait a moment the sun is still setting so it couldn’t be that it happens?
The gash on my arm is still there but it healed on its own.
Was I seeing something that was that real?
This sensation it’s–
Fuck my head hurts.
It’s like someone just caved my skull in….
Damn even my vision, how are you going to hit me with the three for one sp-
CREAK
“Young man, how long are you going to stand there?”
“Have you seen a ghost, is that why you’re spacing out.”
Huh?!
“N-no. No oba, I’m just stuck in thought.”
“Well then come in I made something for you to eat”
“Hey wait let me take off my shoes!”
Ah right.
Has it really been a few years since I lived with my aunt?
She looks just like my mom too, always wearing her black long hair in a bun with hazel eyes.
I shouldn’t be surprised really, they are sisters after all.
Damn, just even thinking about it…
“So what did you make this time?”
Pinch
“Ow, what is with the pinches?”
“It’s mixed rice, dear.”
Guess I’ll take a seat in the meantime.
“You mean Taikoko Gohan right?”
“Ha, it’s Takikomi Gohan, you’re so close to getting that name right.”
“Ah, well Japanese is not my first language, I guess I still need to practice.”
“Don’t worry Masashi, I’ll teach you properly. We can fix your pronunciation with different words.”
“Thank you Oba, I’ve been learning. I really have, but I guess I could fix things here and there.”
“Glad to hear. Here you go.”
Clink
Oh my this looks delicious, I have to learn more cooking recipes and techniques if I want to get as good as this.
“Thank you for the food!”
“Slow down Masashi?! You could choke on it.”
“Ah not to worry, I still am breathing right!”
“Oh my if you put it that way, I guess it makes sense. But be careful, and you got a little piece of rice stuck around your mouth.”
Pluck!
“When you’re done. I’ll handle the dishes.”
…..
“Ah my sweet sweet bed. C’mere!”
It feels so nice to be back.
Tch, what was that alley way about?
Was it even real?
I mean I felt everything about it, but somehow my mind feels hazy.
No.
It was real but I can’t decide if I wanted to believe it or not.
But what were those other guys doing?
Do I even want to think about it?
“Tsk”
Even that person who was talking about ‘seeds’ It just felt so weird, whatever he was going on about has to mean something…
Damn… Can I remember the last time something like this happened?
I think it was with….
Crap… I think it was with that thing that attacked ███
Why the hell can’t I remember that?
Today is a weird day.
Ah.
I guess I can’t remember clearly yet.
All this thinking… It just makes me want to sleep.
How can I sleep with that on my mind?