Afterlife (Edgerunners)

Afterlife: Putting a pin in it.

Lucyna Kushinada-Martinez

About a week had passed since our camping trip.

We had fully recovered already... Well, physically at least. I really didn't expect this to affect David so much.

All he does now is sleep, and pace back and forth through the apartment in front of a board with pictures over it like a conspiracy theorist, constantly trying to find out why we were attacked let alone by... Him.

The pictures just consisted of Arasaka projects, all relating to that mikoshi thing... He thinks it's wrapped up in this, not even just the incident either, even this world.

It was very early in the morning, with the golden hue of light barely shining over the horizon and into our apartment window.

He was asleep next to me, as soon as he fell into the bed last night he passed out, exhausted from spending the day scouring over this world trying to find out what it all really meant.

He didn't even get to see the gown I was wearing for him.

But I got up after giving him a kiss, and I walked toward the fridge, with the skirt of the gown softly dragging along the floor behind me.

Wearing a damn thin silk gown with lingerie underneath, while eating one of the sloppiest hawt dawgs in my life... But I was content.

More than content actually, just finally realising how lucky we are to have lived... Well... 'lived' through that.

Are we dead, or alive? I don't really know... It feels real, it is real... But everything that happened was left behind, and we all acknowledge that the past was true.

Oh well... Just overthinking it I guess... I'm just happy, for once. Happy to be able to love forever now with my David...

I stood in front of the window, staring out into the sunrise, with the light from the sun shining across this same, yet new, city.

The sun finally had shown itself, and it's light softly kissed my body, and turning around, David had sat up, rubbing his eyes before going to look at me, and then freezing.

"Holy shit..."

"I put it on for you last night... Wanted to surprise you but you were so tired..."

"Well... I'm gonna go out again... Check around the plaza back in 2059."

"When you were born?"

"Well... I checked out the plaza back in 2056, and found nothing to do with you surprisingly... So I'm gonna try my luck this time."

"Or you could... Just stop it?"

His stare went from warm to melancholy, not angry or confused. It was understanding, yet still denying.

"I'm not gonna get hunted here... And I'm sure as shit not gonna let you get hunted too...-"

He stood up, approaching me as he said this, and rested his hands against my hips.

"-I'm not gonna let a fucking thing touch you Luce... That's a promise that I intend to keep, no matter what."

His hand rested against the back of my hand, and I pulled myself toward his embrace, melting in his presence.

"I'm not gonna let them hurt you either David... We're together now... Remember? Together forever..."

"Yeah..." His voice deepened, as he began to slowly caress the skin where my port met, as gentle as ever. "Forever..."

I looked over at his little conspiracy board, wanting to see if I could help with anything.

And I think I could, because one thing clicked.

'^ The fuck does the blue light stuff mean?'

It showed off a rough sketch he had made next to the text, of smasher on his knees, fading into what looked like dust, whilst pixelating like an engram.

"David...?"

He looked down at me, concerned from my tone.

"I think I got it David... Our souls are in Cyberspace..."

He didn't utter a word, just a single, quiet, shuddering breath as I felt his heart begin to pump faster.

"Wait... Does that mean arasaka owns us?"

I was afraid to answer his question, even if they always truly did... This time it has a different meaning.

Now they may own our very souls.

And then... A thread opened up near our door, tearing itself open to reveal a world of deep blue light, with a yellow spire in the middle.

"Come children... Please... And I'll tell you everything..."