Cyberknight: One Path

⁕ The Lynching Game (part 9)

Small cinders slowly escaped from the crackling wood fire as Mike poked the logs using a stick. Around him, instead of a place like a forest or anything realistic, there was nothing but an infinite expanse of dark void. Strangely, there was no reflection of the flame or light inside Mike's glassy eyes as he stared at the fire.

[Mike] - "You can't stay here forever. We have to eventually find a way to get you out. "

[Kadyn] - "Why would I want to do that? "

Said Kadyn as she tried to kiss Mike on the cheek.

However, instead of making contact with him, she simply phased through his body and fell against the log they were sitting on.

[Mike] - "Because this is not a place for you to be. "

[Kadyn] - "What kind of place is this then? Why am I here if I can be here? "

[Mike] - "This is a place even I don't understand. The fact that I can think, remember and see means this isn't the bloody afterlife. The fact that you are here confirms my doubt even more since you are not dead. "

Said Mike before letting out a sigh.

Kadyn slowly got up before smiling at Mike as if nothing happened.

[Kadyn] - "Are you not enjoying my company? If this is where you lived during all this time, it must get lonely. "

[Mike] - "I'm quite bloody happy to see you, there is no denying that. However, I know this is no place for a living person.

[Kadyn] - "You know what I'm going to do if I ever get evicted from your little sanctuary here? I'm going to wake up and slice my throat open. Then, I'll join you here and I won't need to leave. "

[Mike] - "As ghosts? Trapped in this bloody place? Ya must've lost ya melon. "

Said Mike as he shook his head.

[Kadyn] - "I'd rather that than whatever I got in real life. At least I get to be with you. "

[Mike] - "No! "

[Kadyn] - "I don't care what you think, Mike! I won't leave you here by yourself for maybe the rest of eternity. We are in this together whether you like it or not! "

Said Kadyn as she grabbed the stick in Mike's hand to get his attention.

[Mike] - "I didn't die so you could be trapped in here with me. I died because I wanted you to go realize your dreams and live the life you deserved. This place and me, it's all pointless! "

Said Mike as he looked at Kadyn with frustration in his eyes.

[Kadyn] - "Dreams... heh! It's called dreams because you really have to be asleep to live in them. "

Said Kadyn in a cynical tone filled with bitter mockery.

Mike raised his regard to see the sadness in Kadyn's eyes. Unlike Mike, the flame and light reflected off her eyes just as they should normally.

[Kadyn] - "I have been naive back then. I'm always acting like a spoiled child, always wanting more. Dreams... promises... a different kind of life... I had to find out the hard way that they meant nothing. You were everything I needed, yet I kept piling demand after demand. "

Said Kadyn with guilt in her voice.

Slowly, Kadyn sat closer to Mike until she was phasing into his ghostly arm.

[Kadyn] - ''Remember that old movie we once watched? I think it was called "Hachi". Just like that poor little thing, I was waiting for you every single day, hoping you would once more walk through that door. Except, I was deceived by that impostor pretending to be you and allowed him to defile and abuse me. "