Chapter . the Dead

The Author wakes up and stays in bed for a while, feeling relaxed and very comfortable . . .

After rubbing his eyes and stretching a little, he flips over in bed to find an open laptop in front of him, he switches it on and starts watching entertainment videos.

Some clean.

Some tainting.

Others drying his soul.

Some refilling his heart.

. . .

In the evening, he heads out to the market very close by and buys a bunch of junk food, and then heads back home quickly.

After eating a bunch while watching videos, he washes his hands and launches a game. He plays a video to listen to in the background as he plays.

It gets late and he is tired of playing the game for a few hours, he places the laptop down next to him in bed, and turns around, facing away from it.

He slowly falls asleep while listening to the video in the background.

Daki looks at the Author, floating in the air.

This needs to change tomorrow, I also didn't expect him to do something like what I saw . . .

. . .

The Author wakes up and stays in bed for a while, feeling relaxed and very comfortable . . .

After rubbing his eyes and stretching a little, he flips over in bed to find an open laptop in front of him, he switches it on and starts watching entertainment videos.

Some clean.

Some tainting.

Others drying his soul.

Some refilling his heart.

. . .

In the evening, he heads out to the market very close by and buys a bunch of junk food, and then heads back home quickly.

After eating a bunch while watching videos, he washes his hands and launches a game. He plays a video to listen to in the background as he plays.

It gets late and he is tired of playing the game for a few hours, he places the laptop down next to him in bed, and turns around, facing away from it.

He slowly falls asleep while listening to the video in the background.

"You should get some work done tomorrow. You should send applications . . . what are you doing?" asks Daki, Persona and him looking at the Author in concern.

. . .

The Author wakes up and stays in bed for a while, feeling relaxed and very comfortable . . .

After rubbing his eyes and stretching a little, he flips over in bed to find an open laptop in front of him, he switches it on and starts watching entertainment videos.

Some clean.

Some tainting.

Others drying his soul.

Some refilling his heart.

. . .

In the evening, he heads out to the market very close by and buys a bunch of junk food, and then heads back home quickly.

After eating a bunch while watching videos, he washes his hands and launches a game. He plays a video to listen to in the background as he plays.

It gets late and he is tired of playing the game for a few hours, he places the laptop down next to him in bed, and turns around, facing away from it.

He slowly falls asleep while listening to the video in the background.

"What are you doing?! Shouldn't you be sending applications or doing something productive? You can't go on like this . . ." says Daki to the Author.

Yet the Author acts as if Daki doesn't even exist.

Is he suffering from . . . addiction?

. . .

He takes a shower soon after and in the evening, he heads out to the fast food restaurant very close by and buys two large pizzas.

"Two? What are you doing?" asks Daki.

"Maybe you should go for a walk around the park later today," he continues.

. . . the Author keeps on walking as if he heard nothing and heads back home quickly.

. . .

After finishing both of them in one sitting while watching videos, he washes his hands and launches a game. He plays a video to listen to in the background as he plays.

It gets late and he is tired of playing the game for a few hours, he places the laptop down next to him in bed, and turns around, facing away from it.

He slowly falls asleep while listening to the video in the background.

"Why are you doing this to yourself?" asks Daki in an agitated tone.

. . .

The Author wakes up and stays in bed for a while, feeling relaxed and very comfortable . . .

After rubbing his eyes and stretching a little, he flips over in bed to find an open laptop in front of him, he switches it on and starts watching entertainment videos.

Some clean.

Some tainting.

Others drying his soul.

Some refilling his heart.

. . .

In the evening, he heads out to another fast food restaurant and gets two large doners.

After finishing both of them while watching videos, he washes his hands and launches a game. He plays a video to listen to in the background as he plays.

It gets late and he is tired of playing the game for a few hours, he places the laptop down next to him in bed, and turns around, facing away from it.

He slowly falls asleep while listening to the video in the background.

Daki looks down at the Author in disappointment.

Persona taps on his shoulder and whispers something to him.

Daki looks at the Author's phone and then his head. "I have to try, for us,"

. . .

The Author wakes up and stays in bed for a while, feeling relaxed and very comfortable . . .

After rubbing his eyes and stretching a little, he flips over in bed . . . to find a woman facing him.

Their eyes lock.

She is covered in black smoke.

Daki peaks from the ceiling above and notices them both staring at each other in stunned silence.

"Your eyes are the same as mine . . ." murmurs the woman, staring into his eyes.

"Are you also tired . . . What did it take to break you?" she asks curiously.

. . .

The Author opens his mouth to speak for the first time, "After five years . . . I found myself on a good streak. I thought this was it . . . I was getting out . . . it felt so close I could taste it,"

"It took one day . . . one day, a lockdown was announced. I was all alone . . . things happened . . . a sharp fall, removing all that I had climbed . . ." the words flow from his mouth as he closes his eyes, unable to bear it anymore.

"I see . . . do you want to try again?" asks the woman.

". . . No . . . I am tired. No more climbing . . . no more falling . . . all I want is the sweet release of death . . ." he says, tearing up.

"Yet, you cannot have death . . . you are holding onto the Rope even now . . . still waiting. You are passing time waiting for death . . . what a disappointment. Is this the state you want to meet him in? The being that a part of you wants to be the closest to?" she questions.

". . . No," he shakes his head.

". . . I am broken . . . please someone . . . something . . . fix me!" he weeps, like a crying child.

"You should help yourself first," she says.

"Help me . . ." he cries again.

"Help yourself first,"

"Help me . . ."

"Help yourself first,"

"Help me!" he screams, opening his teary eyes and reaching out with his arms. They go through her, and he reaches for his laptop and starts writing.

She floats behind him with her shadowy cloak, "A start . . . I will help you,"