I had been feeling restless for some time, so, to clear my mind as usual, I decided to take a short walk around the area where I lived.
I didn't have any specific place to go, so I just walked.
There was somewhere I would have liked to visit, but it was a shame it was too far awa— one of the few green spaces in this city.
The Asry district had a rather strange structure when I thought about it.
The place was filled with skyscrapers, and at each level, bridges connected the buildings like an interwoven network of paths.
One could choose to walk on the ground or in the sky, so to speak.
The architecture of this district truly made the most of its space.
Everything was perfectly organized, and the soft, diffused light enhanced the sense of calm.
Of course, thinking about how well this city was built was just one way to occupy my mind. I didn't really know what was bothering me so much.
There was no one in the street.
As I walked, I suddenly felt something and turned around.
But there was nothing.
I could have sworn someone was standing behind me. Was my mind playing tricks on me?
The weight on my heart suddenly lifted. I felt lighter, refreshed, my thoughts clearer, as if the haze clouding my mind had vanished.
What could that mean?
When I turned again to continue my walk, I froze. Someone was now standing right in front of me, and I hadn't heard any footsteps.
He was there, in the middle of the street — a man I'd estimate to be in his forties, dressed in a strange outfit that looked like traditional clothing from one of the civilizations that existed before the Unified Calendar.
I stepped to the side of the road as the man approached.
His eyes were ringed with deep dark circles, as if he hadn't slept for days, and his messy hair gave off an aura I couldn't quite describe.
He definitely left an impression on me. What a strange person he was.
He didn't pay any attention to me and continued on his way.
As he passed me, I was able to observe him more closely: his footsteps made no sound, he had no presence, and most of all, his body at first glance looked like that of a corpse.
In the video game I'm planning to create, if someone had to embody Death, it would be this man.
He walked past me and disappeared. I didn't have the will to look back; I immediately continued on my way home.