Not wanting to be rash, I acted as if nothing had happened.
"Hoho, what are you doing, young man?"
asked the shabbily dressed old man, who was once again carrying an axe and a piece of wood tied with rope. If you looked closely, there was nothing suspicious about the old man's appearance.
But for some reason, I felt that something was wrong.
"Are you okay? Why are you carrying that crutch, young man? Did you fall?"
"No, I'm fine."
I actually lied, my cold sweat ran over my body. I backed away because I considered his presence a 'threat'. I began to imagine things I shouldn't have seen.
Starting with his face and legs turning into caterpillars and thousand-legged creatures.
I heard a voice,
Follow me.
Where did it come from? I looked in all directions but saw no sign of the voice that had passed through my right and left ears.
There!
I saw a black shadow forming those words, now slowly beginning to disappear.
"Sorry, Grandpa, I have to leave here immediately. The school bell is waiting for me."
I ran as fast as I could, chasing the shadow that formed a path, a path that led to the unknown forest. Entering deeper into the forest.
"Wait! Where are you taking me?"
I hope I'm doing the right thing this time. The scorching heat of the sun did not melt the river that should have been flowing now. I was in a banyan tree with a very small hole.
It looked like a human body would fit inside the hole. Wait a minute, I hadn't identified the shadow that had originally come from my mind.
"Show yourself!"
I shouted loudly, causing the black crows to fly away from the forest area.
Thomas Alfrein
In an instant, the shadow-like writing reappeared before me.
"What do you want? Why did you lead me to this banyan tree?"
I came to help you.
Help me? On what basis does he want to help me?
"A monster like you wouldn't help me without a purpose. Tell me the reward or desire you expect from me."
It's simple, i want entertainment.
The writing moved around from various directions. From the front, following the cold wind.
"I don't have the entertainment you want, stop bothering me."
Bothering you? I'm helping your identity, which was almost exposed by that caterpillar demon.
A caterpillar ghost? Does this shadow know something about this haunted city of masks? Then what I saw wasn't my imagination. I had to take the risk and accept it for whatever it was.
I steeled myself, which had been trembling with fear,
"I don't know what kind of entertainment you want."
A young man with strong desires, you are undoubtedly a man with special abilities.
This ability—that ability. I was curious about the "special ability" he mentioned. Akoto also often mentioned it but never explained it specifically.
A cold breeze enveloped my feet. I sat down for a moment and took a handkerchief out of my pants pocket. I put it on my hands, which were already slightly red.
"Are you going to tell me about the special ability within me?"
You have to find out for yourself. My job here is done.
In an instant, the shadow that had been surrounding my body disappeared without meaning. I forgot to ask him why he brought me here. I had no choice.
I tried to understand the words he had said to me. Truly, this city is full of unspeakable mysteries.
He led me to a huge banyan tree, larger than the mountain of ice not far from the Wooden Ville river. Why had I never noticed this banyan tree before?
Out of curiosity, I tried to peek inside through the hole he pointed out to me. Risk is risk, I was ready to accept it.
Unexpectedly, my body couldn't fit through the hole in the old brown tree. I had to use my walking stick to help me, but I found nothing inside.
Feeling disappointed, I immediately went home through the forest and looked for a new path. I was afraid of running into the old man again.
Now it was late afternoon, and the cold snow covered my anxiety about the fear I had to face.
Around the neighborhood, the ghosts put up colorful, flashing lanterns. For some reason, the longer I stayed here, the more I began to feel accustomed to it. I sat around the rocks and gazed at the cloudy evening sky.
Even though the ghosts no longer had souls, they were still human at heart. I saw them laughing and throwing snowballs at each other.
When was the last time I had memories like that?
When I was 7 years old, my parents often took me to the snowy forest. And over time, we would have picnics while chatting and laughing. I wanted those happy times back.
Each laugh reminded me of memories that I should have erased.
Test
Without realizing it, tears fell from my eyes. Not wanting to get lost in my own thoughts, I quickly wiped away the tears.
I got up and walked around the city because I didn't want to waste the opportunity to see this fantastic view. I walked along the neatly paved brick road.
The beauty of this city is second to none for me, even though it seems small—for someone like me, I would choose to live here forever. No wonder Uncle John loves this city.
The air here was very clean, unlike the big city where I used to live. I walked along the path provided and ended up near the fountain. I saw a statue, but it was not yet complete.
Now it was abstract.
It seemed like the ghosts were trying to finish a project they had left behind. The fountain is white, with the emblem of Wooden Ville in white and the name of the city itself. There are two pine trees surrounding the fountain.
Whether it's decoration or real, it's a very interesting sight. The fountain is now flowing, and it has never stopped over the years.
It feels like coming to this city is both a curse and a blessing at the same time.
It is frightening and amazing at the same time. I walked around the fountain, finding four different paths. Each path led me to places that were not very different from each other.
I saw a sign that said if I walked straight ahead, I would find myself at one of the largest antique shops in the city. On the other hand, if I walked through the two side areas, I would find myself heading back to the forest.
Not wanting to waste time, I took the first option. To go to the antique shop, I walked past house after house. And the bright lanterns.
It seemed like night had fallen.
I looked up and the sky, which had been orange, was now pitch black.