Chapter. 47: Friends (Patreon)

I walked through the forest, once I knew I was far enough from the Old man, I summoned my scythe. The shadows gathered from within everywhere amidst the dark, and in an instant the scythe hummed a greeting to me. I had to gather wood to make a fire? I nodded to myself, something dry was probably better.

My scythe was also accompanying me, at the same time I made an effort to tune out the Old man’s and Ash’s emotions, not wanting to know how they were doing ⁠— last thing I wanted was to be disturbed by them arguing or something, but I sincerely believed that wasn’t the case.

I looked at a small tree, as the sun had begun to set. Its tree bark was incredibly dry and most of its leaves were missing. It should suffice. I turned to my scythe with slight sadness.

“Sorry, but this is just a small thing⁠…”

The scythe hummed and tried to reassure me, I rubbed it and its happiness made me smile. A companion? I remembered what the Grim reaper had said, a companion for me. Something that would stay with me for the rest of my life, was it? My scythe was… not me.

It hummed in happiness, perhaps it was good for me to think of it as a companion too. I smiled and pulled the blade back before swinging it against the branches of the small tree, in one swing dozens of branches fell. I swung once more, and the branches followed after. After the third swing the tree was devoid of all that was branch, with that in mind I proceeded to the next step.

I swung from right to left, cutting small logs of the wood until the entire tree had been vanquished. The tree was gone in less than a minute, gathering wood was surprisingly easy it seemed. I nodded to myself and smiled at my scythe.

“See you later.”

It hummed, and I smiled before stowing it away. I reached down and grabbed the logs and as many branches as I could fit on my arms. The wood towered over my head as it had become a small balancing act, but I could manage.

With a slight struggle, I returned to where i came from.

◇ ◇ ◇

I reached the camp and placed the wood down, Ash and the Old man had welcomed me with pleasant voices.

“Hmhm,” the Old man mused. “You are very strong, Kaiti.”

I shuffled awkwardly, “Is that enough wood?”

The Old man nodded, for some reason there was an odd atmosphere between the two. And both seemed content to simply be there. Both were sitting on chairs at their leisure. Which made me even more confused.

“Can we… start a fire, please?”

The Old man seemed to pause for a second and Ash let out a chuckle. “Ah, yes of course.”

The Old man stood up and approached, before requesting Ash to fetch some things. But I ignored that as I stared at both of them, something weird was going on. It was as if both of them had become best friends in a matter of minutes.

Soon the fire had sprung to life and we all sat around it, but I felt slightly left out. That was until the Old man turned to me.

“Kaiti, what do you want to be when you grow up?”

“When I grow up?” I tilted my head and looked at Ash for help, she simply smiled.

The Old man nodded. “Yes, when you’re older.”

I hesitated. “I want to be like my dad…”

“Hmm, how is your dad like?” The Old man prodded.

I thought for a second, recalling my few encounters with him.

“Kind and merciful…” I hesitated. “Pretends to be tough, but has a lot of soft spots, wait⁠—” I looked at Ash. “Hey, shouldn’t you stop him or something?”

“I approve of this.” Ash said nonchalantly.

The Old man chuckled. “I didn’t think family was forbidden. But if you want to stop answering you can stop.”

I paused and took a deep breath. “I do not… I do not want to stop…”

“Very well,” he smiled. “Do you want to be kind and merciful, while being tough but with soft spots?”

I nodded hesitantly. “I do not know about being tough, all⁠—” Grim reapers. “All the people in my dad’s job are unfeeling. I met one just recently and they said that loneliness was normal and that I should get used to it.”

The Old man frowned. “What a twerp. Kaiti, you don’t need to listen to it. Being lonely is the worst.” He said with resignation. “Something about not knowing what you are doing, or simply wandering is the worst. You should surround yourself with lots of friends.”

I nodded seeing his seriousness. But something struck me, it was an old memory.

“Though I struggle to see how. I have none.” So far I have made no friends. Whether it was in the Underworld or here. No one seemed to want to stick around me. Whether it was the kids, the nobles I met or the people here. Most of my interactions all this time seemed to be a one-time thing.

People here were kinder, but… friends? It was doubtful. Just like in the Underworld, most of them seemed to get fed up with me after a few minutes of talking, and some would simply scoff in my direction. It stopped happening as soon as I stopped approaching people, but when I first arrived here for every single person I spoke to that was nice, there were three others that were not.

No one wanted me around.

The Old man paused. “Isn’t Ash your friend, or is she some type of guardian?”

“Let’s just say both?” Ash scratched her cheek. “More friend than guardian.”

I paused, had I heard right? “Ash and I are friends?”

“What did you think we were?” Ash scoffed.

We were friends? Since when? I couldn’t remember. When did we become friends?

The Old man chuckled. “Sometimes you don’t realize you’ve made a friend until a long time has passed.”

Ash and I were friends? I couldn’t tell when, but I had even fought with her. Was that a friend? I enjoyed her company and I thought she was great, though sometimes she was also annoying. But at the end of the day, I could rely on her. That was a friend…

A realization hit me, as I couldn’t stop my lips from curling up.

“I…”

Memories flashed through my mind of the Underworld, during my time learning things. All this time I wanted friends. And now I had finally made a friend⁠— tears welled up in my eyes. I had made a friend.

“Kaiti are you alright?” The Old man called with concern.

“I finally made… a friend.” I nodded. “I am just… happy that it finally happened…”

Tears wouldn’t stop pouring out as Ash awkwardly shuffled, meanwhile the Old man stood up and approached me giving me pats on the back.

“There, there…” There was a certain sadness to his tone but I ignored it. Instead choosing to hug him.

“I finally made a friend…” I squealed on his arms, feeling safe. I didn’t want to let go of him. I had finally made a friend after so many years.

“Oh, Kaiti,” the Old man sighed. “All this time we have been friends, you and me too. If I had known, I would’ve told you sooner.”

The Old man and I were friends too⁠— all his advice, all our talks⁠— everything. I had always been looking forward to meeting him, and while we never fought, sometimes he wasn’t available, but even then, I felt that I could rely on him. We were friends all this time too.

My hug tightened from the realization.

Dad, I had just made… two friends⁠— all this time i had two friends, I don’t know when it happened but… I finally did it… I know you were always sad when coming home and seeing that I was alone⁠— I could always see it…

But dad, I think you can be at ease now…

I finally made friends…

The hug continued forever until the Old man began to cough. He rocked forth a bit before stopping as I stared.

“Are you okay, Old man?”

He chuckled. “I am fine. More importantly, are you fine with crying so much?”

I paused feeling the coldness on my face from my tears. Suddenly I felt embarrassed as Ash simply smiled awkwardly and the Old man seemed to be happy for me. I wiped my face off in a hurry, feeling slight embarrassment.

“Sorry…”

The Old man patted my back. “There is nothing to be embarrassed about.”

I nodded, not fully convinced.

I felt his hand on my back. “I mean it.”

“I… understand.” I didn’t know how to tell him I got it, but I nodded once more.

We spent the rest of the day waiting for the sun to set, and eventually the Old man prepared dinner. It was canned food that was heated over a small stove. The fire crackled in the background, its warmth warding away the cold.

Eventually the stars sparkled, and with its final breath, the fire died. We simply looked at the stars.

“Kaiti, do you worry about not being able to be like your dad?” The Old man asked.

“Sometimes, but sometimes I worry about ending like…” I trailed off.

“Like me?” Ash asked with a chuckle. “Perhaps, but you can count on me at least.”

I smiled.

The night ended.

◇ ◇ ◇

The morning was spent packing up things, even though the night was magical, none of us chose to mention it to one another. First the Old man was dropped off at his home, and then the things at our home before finally dropping off the rented van.

Ash stretched leaving the parking lot.

“That was a nice trip.”

I nodded with a smile. “I am glad it happened.”

Ash paused. “Me too…” She scratched her cheek.

I paused sensing the sudden awkwardness coming from Ash. “We should… get some food.”

She nodded. “I know just the place.”

“Same place?”

“Same place.”

Though everything was going well until Ash received a phone call, one that made her throw the phone across the street, as the passerby stared.

“No rest, huh?” she sighed before turning to me.

“Is it what I think it is?”

Ash agreed. “Do you want to come with me, or want me to do it alone?”

I pondered for a brief second, before something came to my head. I could rely on Ash… Ash could rely on me…

‘I will come.”