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Monday. 10/31/05. 01:49:50 AM
When Ryo woke up, the night was dark and it was almost two after
midnight. He got up and went to the fridge, the thirst of his
dry throat beckoning him, his head still swirling from last
night.
The woman guided him through the dark, the lights of unknown
houses and streetlights passing them as they walked with their
hands inside jacket pockets, shivering as the cold kept getting
stronger and stronger. Ryo asked her about where they were
going? Is there any purposed to following her? What did she know
about Eiji Shinrow?
She didn't reply, but kept on walking and walking, the only
thing she's uttered being "Follow me" at the beginning of this
walking trip.
They arrived at a broken down house a few blocks away from the
hustle bustle of Short North, the art and bar district area near
Ohio State University. The place seemed to be having a huge
termite attack, holes here and there painting the wooden walls
and doors of the house.
Ryo could still hear the yowlings and screams of drunken people
from the bars of the Short North.
The house was dark, the most of the light bulbs either burned
out or missing, some of them sparkling on and off at random
intervals. The stairs groaned and protested under their weight,
but the girl went on, slipping through the darkness as if she
had cat vision, her feet avoiding and gliding over obstacles
with ease. After a few trippings and tumblings, Ryo just stared
at her feet instead for where to go, and followed her every
movement as if it was a game of 'Simon says'.
At the top of the stairs, a door blocked the exit.
And knocking on the door, the girl leaned towards the door, her
face almost pressed against the surface of it.
And all she said was a whisper.
"Wake up, marshmallow monster."
And with that, the door opened.
And into the darkness the girl's feet glided towards. |
