How Long is Forever [COMPLETED]

The Dark in All of Us

Minutes tick away while you just stare at the cap moving in the wind. At least people were there to bury Tatta after he died. There was no grave for Ichika and all the others who had been killed during the Witch Hunt, they just burnt down together with the Beach itself. And even if you died, Chishiya wouldn't waste his time burying you. He wouldn't even shed a tear for you.

What about the friends you made here – Kuina, An? Would they ever learn about your passing?

This is not a simple camping vacation. And it is about time you manage to leave this cursed place.

"A grave, huh." The sudden sound of someone talking makes you jump in surprise, and you spin around to face Chishiya, who is curiously examining the grave. "What a rare thing to find in the Borderlands."

"His name was Tatta." There's bitterness in your words that you can't hide, and another gust of wind makes you shiver. For some reason, you feel like his name has to be shared, even though Chishiya doesn't seem to care too much.

To your surprise, he nods. "He was the caretaker for the Beach. Not the smartest, but he wasn't a complete waste like some others."

You look up to him, your lips quivering while you force yourself to hold back more tears. "At least he had friends who cared about him. But he didn't deserve this! Tatta was one of the good guys... I- I just hope he didn't have to die alone."

Had someone been there, holding his hand and saying nice things as he passed away? Did he have to feel pain? How does it feel after all – dying?

Chishiya sighs, shifting from one foot to another. "We're born alone and we die alone. Besides, the game masters don't care about who is good and who is not."

"Why do you say that? There could still be someone holding you hand. Someone standing by your side when you have to leave."

"Might be, but no one can follow you through whatever lies between life and death. And I don't think anyone who came to the Borderlands is purely good. Every single one of us has a dark side, some more than others, but it is there nonetheless. I have it, you have it. Tatta had it too."

You want to disagree, want to say that someone like Tatta could never be a bad person in any aspect. But then you remember the memorial that has been held after the Witch Hunt. There was nothing you could tell about Ichika other than her name. No favorite color or food, no information about her job or family before she came to the Borderlands. It's the same with Tatta. You know he was talented when it came to repairing things like cars and other machines, but that's it.

Only when you feel the warmth of Chishiya's touch on your skin, you realize how cold the wind actually is. He has wrapped his arm around your shoulder, and you lean against his chest as you take a last look upon the grave. At least he has a beautiful view far across the ocean.

"Let's go back to the caravan." Chishiya's voice is low and calm, and you nod in agreement. Both of you start to walk, and his hand drops down to your waist, remaining there as you leave the hill. This time, you don't follow the river but head a bit deeper into the city, hoping that the buildings will shelter you from the wind.

After a while, you near a huge fair with dozens of food stalls, mini games, and a giant wheel sitting in the middle of it all. You can almost hear the music and hundreds of people talking as you walk through the tiny huts, and you smell burnt almonds, crepes and fireworks. It would be easy to imagine children running through the alleys with colorful balloons and stuffed animals, adults chatting and drinking beer together – if it wasn't for the animal remains lying around everywhere.

Most of it is just bones and dried blood on the streets, since the bodies have long served as a huge feast for the wild life in this area, but it's most likely that this fair has been a game area. Spades, probably.