Sitting next to me right now is the epitome of happiness,
The meaning of a kindness,
The representation of evil
The definition of cuteness.
Wait that doesn't even make sense.
Anyway, as i'm writing this, there's a really cute kid sitting right next to me and I want to hug him really bad. I'm trying to resist with all my might so that I don't hug some random kid in public and get branded a pervert. The bus drivers voice echoes through the deck, jolting my conscious back to reality, reminding me why I'm even here. My hands grip the contract in my sweating palms.
The client this time is a tricky one, one wrong move, one hasty step, and the guillotine comes rushing down on my soul, sepertaing money from my life, separating my will and reason from my body. And that is why, I must not, I cannot let some random kid, who chose to sit next to me on a whim, take my conscious to nether-land. I must not lose sight of my goal, I will fulfil the arrangement as promised, and complete my job.
"Next stop, Machiya-Ekiymae. Passengers who would like to..."
I do not catch the drivers tired call, one that I have heard over, over, and over again within my life. I only recognise one call, the one for my stop, the one for my workplace. Such is the life of the humble salaryman.
Ha, who am I kidding. I've just heard these words so much that I can probably even shout out the same words in unison with the driver.
The bus comes to a halt. The kid, surprised by the sudden stop, jolts forward, right into my open lap. The bus doors open. Ah, I have never felt such bliss in my life! Oh how I wish my body can stay in this moment forever, as this child's warm embrace cleanse my soul of the dirt of man, of all the filth on my soul. I can feel my greediness, my selfishness, all my evil, slowly peel off my soul. This little one shoulders all, rids me of sin, and is the only reason why this journey can even be called pleasant to me.
The child, embarrassed, meekly apologises and gets off me before returning to the seat. I can fell the darkness, all the filth sweeping back into my heart as those thin arms leaves my embrace. Though al has returned to what it should be, I feel an empty hole in my heart, in my body. Like something that should have been here is now missing. The bus doors close and with it, the filth submerges my heart.
The bus continues its journey. Perhaps it's better that this filth is in my heart. I can think properly now at least, though I doubt it's as proper as before. The digital clock at the head of the bus is unmoving, flashing, numbers unwavering.
23:20 it says.
Good, I can still make the deadline.
The contract does not expire till midnight. I need only bring this to the client before then and I will have fulfilled my duty. I will then be able to earn eternal salvation, salvation in the highest order. I need only deliver this contract to my client. I need only collect my pay and leave after that.
"Next station, Arakawa-Nichome..."
The shinigami in front of me stands up and heads to the front, but that is of little notice to me. After all, My focus is now on the now sleeping child, resting on my shoulder. The kids looks pure and innocent, just like a sleeping baby. I can feel bliss on my right shoulder, warmth surrounding it, urging me to fall asleep as well. Once the bus comes to a halt, I am floating in the child's warmth, feeling the soft, fluffy clouds easing my body all over. The child's snores are also pleasing me to the depths of my heart, caressing my ears over, over and over again. No, what am I thinking about? Focus me, focus! Don't let this child take over you again! I shake my head as the bus doors close once again.
The bus moves on, silent. The passengers are lifeless, unmoving. But that is to be expected, this the life of the salaryman after all. Everyone must be tired after work. They must have families to return to, loved ones to embrace, children to play with. But then a horrible thought. A thought so cruel and unforgiving that anyone who heard my thoughts would surely keep their distance or ask if I was insane. I think of if their families, perhaps, dies in a fire. Their loved ones, death by scorching? Their children set on fire in front of their eyes? Being burnt is a horrible feeling. I know, even if I haven't even once been burnt by fire in life. However, I know this to be true. The bus rolls by the park and I catch 3 children, in the corner of my eye, playing Hana-ichi Monme. they hold hands, and sing the lyrics of the song. Loss after loss, one team loses all their members, and now one kid is left. The other team kicks dirt in the remaining child,
Jan
Ken
Bao
Now there is no one left on the opposing team, a empty desert, a hollow world. I feel sad looking at this scene. But the child, unknowing of the world, looks at the children, crystals painted in eyes. I myself, look at her, and unbeknownst to me, my heart changes to match the child's. The lights turn green and the bus rolls on.
"Next station, Arakawa-Kuyakushomae..."
The voice reminds me of my task. Thats right. What happens next depends on this . Should I fail, I will be forced to re-do this again. That is one scenario I must avoid. One situation I must not allow to happen. I will meet the client, and I will have the contract signed. Wait... hold on, client? There was a client?
A pain hits my head. It seems thinking on this topic will cause my head to hurt. Better not to then. But the pain doesn't leave my head. can't stop thinking about... I don't know anymore. My arms are heavy, and my eyes are tiring. I can't think properly. I'm breathing wildly.
"Onii-san?"
The bus doors open. I look to my side. Ah, so the reason my arms felt heavy was this child. She's been tugging on my shirt for who knows how long now. Her pull is quite weak, but you can feel that she is putting all of her strength into the pull. It's quite cute really. I don't know when, but the pain has left my head.
Noticing that she has my attention, her soft, delicate hands hold my face.
"Pain pain go away..."
She sings and the silky touch of her hands revive me from the pain. I think my brain's now working properly. I can think clearly now at least... Or after all, is my brain still hallucinating? the child is sitting on my lap, peering into my face, smiling as she sings. Her angelic smile, brings me to a smile, though that is not the focus in mind now. What I am truly intrigued by are those soft, marshmallow like thighs, immobilising my legs, sending me to heaven and beyond. She peers closer into my face and says something, but I don't catch a single word of what she says. My eyes are on the hole in her clothes, giving me not a clear, but a look at that white, porcelain, chest.
The bus doors close. This is too much. I can't get the thoughts out of my head. My face is burning, heating up to a million degrees, matching the floor of the bus. The road gets rocky, A butcher kills a sheep outside. But I don't care anymore. I am caught up in this moment right here, this is my moment, No one can interrupt this moment. This moment is only for me, and me alone. The bus catches fire. A Yamaha, a Tengu and what looks like Shuten-Doji leave the bus. The iron gates close, and I am left alone with the child on the bus. The light from the flames shine into my eyes, illuminating her body. Wait. Contract, where is my contract?!
"Last stop..."
Last stop?
"Minowabashi..."
Forget it. I can't take it anymore.
"Thank you for taking this journey with us."
I Press the child onto the seat. I am about to do the most horrible and unimaginable things to her, and I myself know it.
Wait...
Her?
When did I determine the kid was a 'she'?
Over the course of the ride?
When I first saw her?
The child looks back up at me and smiles. Her blood red, hardened hands caress my face
But that isn't the pure, innocent smile I have been seeing this ride. What is see is the smile of a succumbus, no that is a
"Akuma..."
Yes, what lies beneath me is not a child, nor is it an angel. It is Satan incarnate, I am staring into the eyes of the devil itself. But strangely, this gaze is not all that weird to me. I feel like I have seen this face, not only once, not twice, but many, many more times.
The flame engulfes in flames, and I catch sight of my burning contract, my one-way-ticket out of this hell, burn to ashes.
No.
No, this can't be happening.
I have to continue.
I have to try again.
I must try again.
I will make another deal with the devil, I will give up my soul, chip by chip, for this deal.
I will leave this hell.
Then, light.
Not light from the flames, but a different kind of light.
The light flutters down onto me and I catch it.
The contract gleams brighter, and a flash.
I open my eyes.
I am sitting in a bus, and I am holding a contract in my hands.
I look around.
Sitting next to me right now is the epitome of happiness,
The meaning of a kindness,
The representation of evil
The definition of cuteness.
Wait that doesn't even make sense.