Philip catches chips of silver-white moonlight on his lanky form. He prefers silence and peace which seeps into the forest now, far away from camp. No troubles or torment circle his mind during his walks. Leaves crunch underneath his feet and subtle winds hiss through trees. Fog drenches the winding earth like restless ghosts.
.
His eyes lift up to see damaged tree trunks. Deep diagonal scars dance and overlap each other on the giants' armor. Nimble branches are broken into piles on the ground. A metal blade must have sliced the woods like a violent windstorm.
In the distance and further up on a tree is Spirit atop on a limb. Her head is buried in her folded arms, her posture curled up and melancholy. Heart-wrenching crying rings eerily. The type of despondency that only originates from those who've completely given up, who have nothing left.
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"Rin? What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I must deal with my own problems," she weakly mumbled.
Wraith eyed her worriedly. "I know life here is…insufferable but it doesn't mean you have to be alone."
She looked up from her arms and asked, "Really? So you'll listen to me?"
"Of course, Rin."
She phased and a hiss is heard as she landed next to him.
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"I'm…I'm just angry. Angry about how my life turned out." Exiting the dense shadows she looked up longingly at the moon above. "I wanted to see the world. To have friends. Fall in love. But," heartbreak fractured her beautiful features. "I couldn't do anything to change my death. I tried but I still died. Painfully. Now I'm here and I can't get past my agony and wrath. I can't be happy anymore. I have nothing."
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Fighting back more tears Spirit trembled, her emotions bubbling like an uncontrollable storm. "I mean look at me. I'm so ugly and a monster! The thousands of pieces of glass buried in my skin hurt and I'm chopped up like some shitty science project. I hardly remember what I used to look like."
"Rin…" Philip empathetically stared. His gaze fell to his own arms. They're almost identical to the trees. Even his face is now a mask with stemming branches. When he accidentally ran into things (like a pallet) he sounded hollow –inhuman, lifeless. His heartbeat, feelings, and memories are the only thing that remained when he got here.
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"Not like I was some supermodel before," Spirit laughed bitterly. "But I was alive. I could've been anything, done anything, been happy. But any chance I had was violently ripped from my grasp. Not by some accident. By people. People that should've cared."
Wraith smiled sadly, understanding her pain. "I guess a lot of us here were wrought by unexpected circumstances. The bad people should be here in these endless games. Not us. But it isn't our fault. We're monsters but not by our choice."
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"I look so…so frightening and strange! I hate this life!"
Philip pats her shoulder, ignoring the sharp glass jutting out of it. "I do too. But you know what we have that they don't? We still wished to live. To fight for what we want. I still think that's something cowards will never have. And just because we're trapped here doesn't mean life has to be horrifying."
"Still," Spirit rested her head on his arm. Her long ebony hair that defied gravity, yet waved like a beautiful river at night, tickled his nose. "I wish I could change things."
Philip is silent for a moment and then asked, "What's one thing you really wanted when you were alive?"
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Rin bashfully looked down at her feet and shuffled them. Glass nosily cracked as she moved. "It's dumb," she laughed. "But one thing I really wanted to do was dance with a handsome man. I've never been invited to any parties."
Wraith blinked incredulously. What jerks.
"I was so focused on my studies and swordsmanship that I never had time. And nobody really liked me…"
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She looked up questioningly at him. "You aren't laughing?"
"No. Why?"
"Nothing. I just thought…" she shook her head. Suddenly the sky darkened with lively rumbling clouds. The Entity is summoning the killers for another game. Spirit started walking back to camp when Philip said, "It isn't a foolish wish, Rin."
She looked back briefly at him with a halfhearted smile before leaving.
.
Under his arms is a small case. Wraith walked the path he had taken yesterday to the same place he had found Spirit. She's there. Her sword is lashing at some fake target. The strokes are filled with blinded rage and somehow, crafty style. Chips of straw and wood go flying as she hacks away at the poor guy. She stills, as if realizing someone was around and sheathed her sword in her hand. "Hello Philip."
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Wraith smiled and showed her the record player he had. Luckily Evan fixed it for him. "Would you like to dance with me?"
Sputtering, Spirit blushed. "Really?!"
Philip chuckled. "I know these woods aren't a lively party or trendy dance club but I hope you'd like it."
.
Rin's eyes expressed infinite gratitude. She never imagined anyone would give her such a thoughtful gift. As she was dying her mind had made a resolute belief: humans are cruel, selfish, heartless beings. In this surreal afterlife it seemed the same, until Philip.
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He elegantly bowed. Old waltzing music played from the record. The two did their best to duplicate unclear dance lessons they had learned years ago; they often muttered apologies and laughed as they clumsily danced.
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The unrelenting anguish and darkness that cloaked them momentarily disbanded. How lovely it was. Neither is weighed down by irreversible disasters. They felt like themselves, their old selves, before being cursed to live in the Entity's world.
The music ended and for a breath the two dancers gaze into each other's eyes –captivated.
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Spirit's icy hand reached up to Wraith's face. "Thank you. This dance was wonderful."
"Anytime, Rin."
"I'd like to dance with you again sometime." Departing she gave him a heartwarming smile and his heart a lightheartedly skipped. Maybe life isn't so dreadful after all.