Chapter 3 – Toxic
Attention
In their search for an exit, Schivo
and Sanitas come across a dusk and gloomy city made of stone. The shadows are
darker here and move around There’s an unnerving silence that’s found nowhere close
in this dying and rebirthing world, but Schivo is currently more unnerved by
his physical attachment to a girl. Sanitas, on the other hand, is quite happy
since she’s attached to a boy she was promised. Her head is filled with things they
will do after they leave this world.
“Hello! Do you think there is anyone
here, Schivo?”
“I doubt it. Decay and Death eat up
people who tend to stay in one place.”
“If someone lived here, what do you
think it would be like?”
“Freezing winters and hot summers
because of the stone.”
“I wouldn’t want to live here. It doesn’t
seem to be a good place to grow flowers. You mentioned that you could build a
house out of trees. Can you build a house out of stones?”
“I think I can if you give me
enough time to learn how to do it. I can do a lot of things by myself. Cook, bargain,
clean, and farm. My parents taught me how to do all sorts of things by myself.
I even go to church and to town by myself.”
“Wow, you must really have good
parents. I can’t wait to meet them.”
“Yeah…”
“Is something the matter?”
“No. Do you feel like we’re being
watched? These shadows look like they’re moving in the corner of my eyes.”
“I see that too.”
“We should get out of here as soon
as possible.”
“Hey, do you see that?”
“What?”
Sanitas points in the darkness of
one of the houses. There appear to be white faces in the shadows.
“Hello!”
The shadows in the darkness
silently wave. Sanitas pulls Schivo forward to see who the shadows in the
darkness are and only see the silhouettes of people. Their faces are completely
white with permanent expressions on them while their bodies are as black as the
shadows. Some of the faces on these shadows are grins, looks of disappointment,
predatory, amused, and variations on these. Mumblings and light laughter fill
the streets of the city from the shadows as more faces appear from the darkness
of the houses.
Unaffected by their presence,
Sanitas says, “Hi! Can you show us the way out of here?”
Dark fingers reach out from the
buildings and point north.
“Thank you,” Sanitas says with a
wave goodbye.
The shadows respond with a friendly
wave as well.
“Okay, come on, Sanitas.”
“What is it, Schivo?”
“I don’t trust these shadows. I
mean, look at them.”
“They’re friendly.”
“It doesn’t matter. Do you hear
their mumblings and laughter? They’re probably talking about us.”
“I hope they have nice things to
say.”
“Me too, but I doubt it. We’re not
going north. Let’s go this way instead.”
Schivo instantly finds himself in a
dead end alleyway.
“That was the wrong way.”
“You think?”
As soon as they leave the alleyway,
Schivo bumps into a smiling white face that’s revealed to be bigger than him.
He punches it in fear and runs away with Sanitas.
The grinning mask laughs then says,
“He got you good!”
“Never speak of this again!” the
mask that got punched says before the shadows chase after the two.
Three faces, one grinning, one judgmental,
and another predatory, chase Schivo and Sanitas throughout the stone city. The
shadows in the house try telling the two to stop, but Schivo keeps running.
Since he runs faster than Sanitas, he tries pulling her forward while running
to help her keep up. The shadows split up to try to cut off the two. The
grinning shadow cuts them off at a corner.
“I got you,” the shadow says with
his large shadowy hand out.
“No, you don’t!” Schivo says as he
kicks the shadow in the face before running the other way.
“Oooowww!”
“Hahaha, how do you like it?”
“Not very much.”
The shadows continue their chase
and the judgmental mask cuts them off.
“It’s my turn!” Sanitas says.
“Go ahead!”
Schivo pulls Sanitas forward and
she punches the mask before they run off in a different direction.
“She punches harder than you!” the
mask yells.
The shadows use their final plan
and use their shadows to scoop the two in the grasp then appear to them. Schivo
tries fighting them off but can’t manage to reach their faces. Punching and kicking
the shadows themselves don’t seem to do anything, but he still tries to break
them free.
“Stay back, Sanitas. I’ll protect
you.”
“Look at the little knight without
his shining armor.”
“Stay away from us creatures of shadow!”
“Or else you’ll do what? We’re only
trying to help you.”
“Help us how?”
“We showed you to go north and you
didn’t go the right way, so we’re trying to show it to you.”
“Who are you, shadows?”
“We are the whispers of people who
mock, ridicule, judge, and so on. In short, we are the Whispers of Condemnation.
Did we unnerve you with our talking of you? I’m sure you’ve heard us whispering
about you in the real world.”
“You don’t bother me. I don’t mind
it when other people talk about me.”
“Then why did you punch us?”
“Because you have creepy faces.”
“Fair enough.”
“For who?!” the judgmental mask asks.
“For you. I’m as handsome as can
be.”
“You were the first one to get
punched.”
“You got kicked in the face.”
“You got punched in the face by the
girl.”
“At least I’m always happy unlike
you who has to be judgmental about everyone.”
“At least I’m always pretty.”
“But you never go out on dates.”
“That’s because a good shadow never
asks me out.”
“I’ve been asking you out since we
got here.”
“And I’m going to keep rejecting
you.”
“Uh, excuse me?” Sanitas interrupts,
“But aren’t you supposed to be helping us?”
“Oh, that’s right. Let us show you
the way out.”
“Why are you helping us? This
entire world seems like it’s either a death trap or some kind of test,” Schivo asks.
“It’s both of those. You no longer
need to be here. There is nothing that either of you truly fears or need to
learn from us.”
“Okay, I guess. If what you are
saying is true, then lead us out of this city.”
“Hold on tight.”
The shadows move the two through
the city as if they were riding a wave until they are outside of it.
“Go on now children,” the shadows
say.
Before they can get far, the predatory
shadow approaches Sanitas and says, “Before you go, here.”
The shadow tries handing her a black
rose with red leaves on it.
“Oh, uh. Thank you.”
Schivo moves Sanitas away then
says, “Don’t trust it, Sanitas. Who knows what that black rose could do to you?”
“I thought you didn’t want to be
with this girl, Schivo?”
“I’m trying to protect her. She’s
my responsibility now that she’s connected to me, and I’m not going to let
anything happen to her.”
“Aww,” the shadows say while Schivo
blushes.
“Aww, thank you, Schivo.”
“I’m-I’m just being responsible.”
The two walk away while feeling their
connection increase.
“Aww, why can’t we have that kind
of connection?” the shadows ask themselves.
“Because all we do is bicker at
each other.”
“Well I know it’s not my fault.”
“It is too.”
“It is not!”
“Here we go again…”
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