by E. Mendell
~ Two ~
Hiro returned home later that day as the sun began to sink to the horizon. He had left the golden cat, but in his pocket was the note. For safety’s sake he had decided not to write back. The girl didn’t need to hear from him, and for all he knew she would tell him her name. This would put him at risk for remembering it. The girl sounded nice and Hiro didn’t want to take a chance of making her suffer a terrible death. No… he decided to keep the note as his only source of communication with someone outside his world of silence. As he sat on the bench through the day he read it over and over again, wondering about the girl’s stammering over her words in the note. He couldn’t picture her, but she sounded young and frightened.
At home, Hiro placed the note under his pillow and went to sleep. He untied his boots, kicking them off and took off his jacket, falling onto the mattress and wrapping himself in the blankets like a cocoon. He fell asleep, dreaming of nothing. The sunlight welcomed him to another day and Hiro woke with his face in his pillow. He pushed himself up, blinking and looking around his room. For some reason it felt emptier than usual.
Hiro sat up, rubbing his face tiredly and sighing. He untangled himself from his blankets, falling off the mattress and hitting the ground. Releasing a bitter groan of annoyance, Hiro sat up, rubbing his head. His blankets fell away from him as he moved to his knees. He stopped, though, looking down at the bandages around his abdomen.
Bad memories plagued him at once and he placed his hand over them. Beneath the wraps all he felt was coldness and a solidness that was inhuman. His secret…
Hiro got up, grabbing his jacket again and boots. He wasn’t hungry and needed no food. Days passed and with each one he realized that he was little more than an existence walking upon the earth. Waiting for the day he learns another name and sentences another person to their death. It had already been ten years in which he’d spent living in Castroph City. Never had he needed anything besides his laptop and solitude in all his years. Yet he once longed for friends and sought them out. But now all of them were dead. Their names were still clear in Hiro’s mind. Eight names of friends he had made, and all of which had died terrible deaths. Now another human wished to be his friend. Hiro refused to be weak enough to speak to the person.
As usual, he left his house and went for a walk. There was a part on the other side of the hill that he normally walked too. He hadn’t visited it yesterday so he decided to today. The rose bushes would be in full bloom and he wanted to see them. As he reached the top of the hill and passed the bench a flutter of white paper caught his eye.
He turned on the spot, looking down at the note beneath the golden cat. It was the same paper with a pink ruffle along the edge. Hiro moved forward, sliding it out from beneath the cat. He turned it over, frowning before looking down at the gold cat. It’s cheerful smile and closed eyes were undamaged from the sunlight and its paw above its head curled as if waving for him to take the note. Hiro looked back at the letter. He sighed and turned, glancing around the swaying trees, beautiful houses, bushes, and gray sidewalk. Not a human was in sight. Frowning, Hiro shrugged and continued on his way down the hill. He could already see the park, a collection of trees, streams, and wooden benches where families and others could go to spend time together. Hiro enjoyed walking through the forests and seeing the streams. It was a nice break from the city life in the other direction.
As Hiro walked he opened the letter from the girl. It was shorter than the last one and seemed to be written hastily. Or perhaps she had written carefully in the last note in hoping to catch his attention? Hiro sighed and read the short message.
“Dear Stranger,” it began as before. “I noticed you hadn’t written back. It’s no matter, but… you see I have no one to talk to and I hoped you would respond. I’m glad you kept the note. I’m sure you will write to me soon. Maybe you’re just busy…? Have a nice walk today. It looks like the sky will be clear again for you. You’re such a lucky person, Stranger.”
The note ended and Hiro frowned thoughtfully. He folded the letter, tapping it to his chin as he walked through the short gate around the park property and set out across the grassy field. It stretched out wide in every direction, scattered with old leaves that had fallen last winter. Hiro sighed inwardly, pocketing the letter and crossing his arms. He didn’t understand why the girl wouldn’t have anyone to talk to. Nor could he figure out why she had no one to speak to. A million responses to the letter went through Hiro’s mind, but he shook them away angrily. He couldn’t write back to her. Reading her messages might lead to her revealing her name. He couldn’t risk killing her!
“What foolishness is this?” Hiro whispered, looking at his hand as he stopped and stood in the middle of the large field. “I am disappointing a young lady who seems to be as lonely as I am. What good will it do to ignore her longer?” He slumped his shoulders and retrieved her letter from his pocket, opening it and reading it again. She did sound lonely. But… he didn’t want to risk learning her name and killing her.
“Sorry girl,” he said, pocketing the letter with a heavy heart. He closed his eyes and walked on. “I can’t risk your life for my own selfishness…”