"Why are you here?", the man asked, still not looking at me.
"I dunno, really. I'm... just here. Do I need a reason to be here?"
He found my answer amusing, because he chuckled quietly again. I'm already used to his antics, y'see, not that it matters.
He didn't answer this one. But in his silence, I understood that was his answer.
I pulled my feet from over the border, and laid flat on my back, looking up into nothingness. It was peacefully quiet, after all, sound needs air to travel and there is none here.
I kinda wished I could hear what stars sound like. Maybe they sound as beautiful as they look, y'see, not that it matters.
"Why are you sitting here?", I asked.
"Ah, you're learning!", he laughed. I felt some pride that I was able to ask questions properly. In a way I was asking him the same question he asked me, and just realized how different the answers could be.
"I am here because I am a coward", he replied and finally looked at me.
His old eyes told stories, very old stories. But right now, all I could see was even more sorrow than a few moments ago. Was that regret and resentment? I couldn't tell, y'see, not that it matters.
"How so?", I asked and sat up with my legs crossed.
He went back to looking at the baby stars below.
"I am a coward because I ran away. You can't lose anything you never had", he said quietly.
"What did you run away from?"
"Life", he said and bit his lower lip, almost as if he was trying to hold back tears.
I chose not to push it, and laid back down. I wouldn't want anyone prying in old wounds too, y'see, not that it matters.
To my surprise, he kept talking.
"I have loved so much, and lost so much. And each time became more unbearable. I reached a tipping point where death is all I desired, but even that has been robbed from me. I left because here, there is nothing to desire, and there is nothing to lose. So here I am, sitting at the edge of the universe. Just me, and my memories", he said quietly.
I think I heard a sniffle. I'm not going to sit up, it will be rude to interrupt at this time.
We sat in silence again. For how long? I dunno. Not that it matters.