A handsome young man with a Hood and a pair of jeans could be seen walking in the street in Broad daylight. It is currently summer yet the young seems unfazed towards the heat.
He has a tall yet skinny body, his skin pearl white, eyes Sky blue, and his hair greyish white. If a person with a superstitious beliefs were to see him they will definitely think that they are either a ghost, a cursed person, or a vampire.
The young man, named Charles is a typical japanese otaku that came to the US to visit his grandparents. He haven't seen them in a while and was nagged by his parents to go.
His mother is of japanese decent were as his father is US citizen. The reason for his look is due to the genetic mutation that made him look like a Vampire. Of sorts, at least.
It doesn't help that back in japan, he is known to be a NEET that doesn't go outside if he needs not to. As such he got a nicknamed Dracula of the convenient store by those who knew and saw him.
Although a NEET, he does make up for it by making money writing novels online. He is lucky enough to actually have a loyal following to him, as he got his money mostly from their donation. although most of his works were, for all intent and purpose trash, he still managed to get a loyal following as at least, all of his story has an end to it, which despite being trash, makes up for its consistency.
The reason for him being a neet is because of the bullying he garnered due to the fact that his looks made him looked like a ghost. Although most of the people that he knew, weather it be his friends, acquaintance, or even classmates would agree that he is good looking, diligent, and respectful, he decided to never go to school nonetheless.
he also had many girls that looked up to him, wanting him for themselves, many had an infighting between one another and they all eventually decided to have a truce and some sort of unwritten rule. Charles was oblivious to all of this as he never particularly cared for such things before.
Charles only took all the bad criticism that he got to heart. Charles none the wiser, let those who are envious of him get hold to himself.
his parents, who was obviously worried for him, decided that he is best to visit his grandparents, seeing that could hopefully help him cope with the situation and also to let him go outside, as he remained cooped in their house all the time.
Charles was asked by his parents to go meet his grandparents on his father side. At first he declined to go but was later persuaded seeing the 'puppy eyes' they made.
Heaving a sigh, Charles reluctantly agreed. Although its going to be his first time going alone, he knew full well where to go, and the what and not what to do on the travel, as he does have experience flying multiple times with his parents. He was a bit nervous at first but he calmed himself as it was too late for regret.
He is currently in a small town called Harvington somewhere in the U.S. Its a town with only ten thousands people. Its a pretty small town that dated back in the civil war.
Charles great grandparents live here as they got to be the first pioneers during the gold rush. Back then, the gold rush made the town bustle having at least two hundred thousands population at one point.
Charles is walking down the streets as he had his phone on his hands, earphone om both of his ears, oblivious to the happening besides him.
As Charles walked through the streets, Bangs of gunfire sounded throughout that startled him. He dropped the phone he was holding as he jumped to run for his life. he looked back to see that a deranged man was running amock shooting bystanders left and right without any regards to human life. However, it was all too late.
A stray bullet hit him in the chest, as blood splurted out,painting the scolding hot pavement red. Charles ran as fast as he could until he collapse from blood loss making it difficult for his eyes to be awake, as sleepiness succumb his own mind, until he fully embraced death, unwillingly.
*******
"It seems an unfortunate soul finally managed to reach here, huh"
As I was about to succumb into what i presume to be a deep slumber, i suddenly heard a voice that is neither masculine or feminine of tone.
Realizing that i still have consciousness, i slowly opened my eyes as confusion and doubt beseech my mind.
"oyah? Looks like you took your sweet time sleeping, huh?"
Hearing the voice again, i slowly look around only to notice a blurred and corporeal silhouette of a person sitting beside me with an indian sit,left his elbow resting on atop of his left thigh while his his left hand is slightly curled into a fist which he rest his face to.
'He seems to have a bored expression, not that i could properly see it seeing that everything around him is blurred and faded'
Charles thought to himself. pondering as to what the hell just happened.
As Charles took his time to look at the being besides him, the being also did the same. While he was looking at the being, a sudden realization that woke me up from distraction suddenly hit me.
'Wait, what the hell? Who is this person and why am i here? Didn't i die after i got shot?'
As his mind is racing to get an answer, a thought him him that sobered him a bit from his confusion
'ahh... That's right, i died huh. damn i didn't know that visiting my grandparents would lead to my death, had i known, id never go to begin with and id go buy the limited edition poster at the time!*sigh*'
With a melancholic sigh, and with tears building up on his face, despite his effort to shed no tears, tears flowed out in the corners of his eyes as realized that despite this petty realization that he has, nothing would change as he didn't even know what this place is, and also, who this man in front of him is.
As he took some time, a generous amount of time, the being besides him just stared and scanned him, blinking far to the distance, as he found his expression amusing.
After taking his time to sober up again, Charles looked at the being at his side which, as if the distance was once an illusion, is again besides him and close enough for an arms length reach.
Charles, not noticing this change, looked at the guy again then looking at his surrounding.he could see no feature to where he is.
The sky is white and the ground is white as well.the ground has dirt texture on it that if you try and mold it, it would mold to whatever shapes you liked. He tried to scoop the 'dirt' out of the ground, only for it to ashes as he scooped them out putting him in a bit of a daze. With a slightly better hold of himself, he looked at the guy and thought.
'Who is this guy and why is he staring at me? Could it be that he is smitten with my looks?'
The being, reading what he thought, had the urge to smack Charles head as he stared at Charles with a quivering smile and twitching eyebrows. And said.
"Smitten your head! You took a generous amount of time ignoring me and here you are thinking I'm smitten with your looks?! "
the man besides him, feeling annoyed, has the urge to hit this fella to his head to make him know his place. he decided to not pry to this fellas mind any further as he might just vomit blood from his shamelessness.
"I- i'm sorry! i didn't know why you were staring at me and i thought you were just gay and admiring my looks! i know many girls that i feel have feelings on me because of my looks, also there are guys as well and i figured-"
Before Charles could continue, the man besides him, who have been listening to his excuses wad a tick mark on his head as his fumes of steam seems to rise up from it. he decided to hit this fella with enough forces on the fellas head, as he couldn't bear be with this fella no longer.
*smack*
Charles, who was explaining himself, got hit with a hard knock on his head, stunning him for a bit until the pain succumbed his mighty head.
"AAARGGGHHH!!! my head! my head! you! why did you hit me that hard! my head feels like it would split because of the hit that you made! do you not know restraint! ive always been civil with people but you are quite unreasonable! "
the man besides him looked at him. his anger subsided as that always felt refreshing. he knew that he did went overboard but he would never admit it. he often did that with his younger brother when he was still alive, as such he thought that it would be an effective way to put this fellas shamelessness and it seemed to have worked.with a slight nod, the man cleared his throat.
*KUHUM!*
"young man, although being shameless is not a sin, you should know that as an elder, i still have to be respected, or at the very least, not be disrespected. all i did was give you a small tap in the head and your crying about such little pain? young man, at this point i might just think that your not a man but a young girl instead."
the man abruptly stood up and faced the other direction where Charles is as he put his hand onto his chin stroking it as if he had a beard.
Charles mind went blank.
he didn't expect that this shameless old man was this so thick skinned that he wouldn't even admit his own wrong doings. although Charles did misunderstand what he was doing, and he would admit that it was a bit insulting, he still felt that the almost unbearable hit that he got, was not justified considering that all he thought was that he was gay.
'respect your ass! not only did you hit me, not apologizing for it, you also insulted me to being a girl just because you saw me cry in pain? shameless! absolute shameless! if you were a truly respectable elder you wouldn't have to hit me! respect? just because your an elder doesn't warrant you any respect! i, as a western man at heart, would only respect individuals that truly deserves respect! how about i also give you a love tap in the head and see what your reaction would be...'
Charles thought to himself, not daring to say those words as he didn't want another love tap to the head, as he coined it. he is lucky that his mind is no longer being read, as he forgot that this man had a capability to do so.
deciding that trying to one up this fella from verbal words would be useless, he decided to put on a timid demeanor and said.
"I am sorry about that. Ha ha ha just think of it as a, joke, elder.."
the 'elder' smiled and stroked his beard as he turned to face Charles with a mysterious demeanor towards him.
"Umu! good very good! it seems that the younger generation still knows manners. umu. as an elder, i will be magnanimous enough and forgive you for that little joke you made. although i should hit you more for your shamelessness, I'm still magnanimous enough to let this matter drop"
Said the elder with a slight nod and a look of absolute elation to his face.
Charles really wished to hit him straight to the faced.if only he isn't weak and the old man isn't strong, he would have beaten this guy half to death.
Charles felt weird that this old man was elated as fucked to be called an elder, he also felt that this old man really knows no boundaries to his shamelessness as the one who should seek forgiveness is the one giving forgiveness, where as him, the victim, seems to be the one asking for forgiveness instead.
Charles almost cried, as he really didn't expect that after he died, he would encounter such despicable old man that threatens to break his fragile heart and mind into pieces.
Charles held his emotions as much as possible as he didn't want to be with this old man as much as possible as he knew the dams that hold his emotions would start to crack and break the more he spend time with this old man. Charles let a tear in the corner of his eyes as some of his emotion leaks out.
the old man looked at Charles as he noticed the eternal turmoil that he seems to be going through. he thought that he is having tears of joy from being forgiven as he again stroked his chin, turned to the distance and said
"umu. although its hard to forgive this elder is willing to do so. fret not young man, I wouldn't mind seeing you cry tears of joy, as even those mighty emperor in my days would do the same, as my pardon is worth more than the value of any amount of platinum spiritual crystal in my hay day ."
charles, unable to hold it any longer, cried as loud as he can. his face was full of tears and snot. with his knees on the ground, both forearms resting on the white dirt, he continued to cry. as he cried his hearts out, you could see him mumbling nonsensical things, not only that, he also sometimes hit the ground as well as if the ground is his enemy.
if one were to listen closely to what he is saying, you would hear him say things like 'old pedophilic bastard' 'pillow bitter' ' i wish your mom swallowed'... etc.
the elder stood there stoking his chin as he stared into the distance thinking that he have given the young man a magnanimous pardon.
after a while Charles finally stopped. he stood up, facing the old man in front of him, decided that he lick this fellow boot since he didn't know where he is currently.taking a big breath. Charles demeanor no longer looked the same as before as he no look calmer and sharper than before. he knew that since he couldn't beat him, might as well join him and stroke his ego since that's the only thing that he could do at the moment. calming himself, he looked at his surroundings for a bit until he bowed his head, with his hands cupped into a fist, he decided to ask the old man right in front of him where he is and what is going on.
"elder do you know where this is? i seem to remember that i have died and i have no idea where and what is going on. does elder have a clue?"
the elder, who was stroking his chin stopped, as he looked at Charles. with a grim and serious expression, he stayed silent for a while until he replied.
"this is The Purgatory of Stagnation. we're in a damned place where our souls would never reincarnate "