The Cutting Board Wish You Well

If I wake up one day, and if you are still there

I opened my eyes to the world of the living, there a girl of death and life spoke to me.

"Greetings, traveler. Seems that you have wandered onto the shore of hesterno."

Her voice carried a calming aura as it rang through my ears, easing the pain in my head as she approached me with slow steps, "Do you happen to need a hand?"

"The shore of hestarno?" Still gathering my thoughts, I looked around my surroundings and reached out my hand to the girl before me as she pulled me up, "Who are you? What is this strange shore that you speak of?"

I found myself standing on the sand. Behind me was a sea. Perhaps it had devoured my comrade who I had sailed together for good jolly days. Had the ship finally sunken to the storm created by the god? Or perhaps it's the Kraken from the beneath that has taken a liking to our fancy ship made of adventure and memories?

"Was there anyone else who was still alive aside from me?" I asked once again towards the mysterious girl before me, "I remember I had a dream, a dream to sail across the sea of currens and find the land of relicum. Dear stranger, will you be able to help me? We will find hefty treasures in the land. I promise you plenty of bounties if you can help this poor soul find these mates of his."

"Traveler of the sea, one does not simply be stranded on the shore. Those mates of yours are still setting sail on the sea. No Kraken nor storm had brought you here, for the shore of hestarno doesn't welcome unwilling folk," the girl paused and continued, "You have arrived here out of your own will. And if you wish to sail, your own will is the key."

"I don't understand." I shook my head again, the stranger's voice had made me even more confused, "How about answering a more simple question, who are you?"

"I'm a ghost from the past."

"Is it that hard for you to say out your name?"

"Uruha Rushia ."

"Then Rushia, forgive me for addressing you like this," I pause, confirming that I didn't detect any sort of anger or discomfort from the girl before continuing, "What is this shore of hestarno, if you may finally answer me once again not with riddle but with fact."

"If that's what you wish." She said with a smile before answering, "Some call it memories, some name it trauma, some address it as experience. This is the place for those who wish to meet those who or what they can no longer meet or touch "

"Intriguing." I replied as I ponder Rushia's answer, "Then, are you an inhabitant of this place?"

"Yes, and no," She paused and continued, "I am whoever you want to be, whatever you wish to remember. A phantom that will never come alive, a fragment that will never be whole."

"Phantom, huh. To be honest Miss Rushia, it's hard to believe anything you say."

I cleared the sand sprinkled onto my shirt as I looked over to the endless sea that was now covered by clouds of thunder and lightning and tornadoes that broke them, "But, the shore of this, is, to say the least, much more peaceful and comfortable than the salty air I have to breathe on the ship. So may I ask, would you mind having an extra hand on this island, Miss Rushia?"

"You don't understand." She shook her head with disappointment, "However if it's what you wish, then I have no choice but to accept. Let me ask one question before you make your decision then."

"Blast away, Miss Rushia."

"If you were to live here, how about your comrades on the ocean sea who are still fighting against monsters and storms? How about the treasures and adventures that you seek to search on land?"

"They will manage." I spoke as I answered her and myself, "The treasures and adventure aren't worth it anyway."

"Or is it?" As if she saw through the deepest corner of my heart, her ruby eyes looked over the ocean as she moved beside me, "The sea, do you like it?"

"No. As I said, there are many awful things there." I shook my head, turning my head to look at the side face of Rushia which was beam upon by the setting sun, "You who live on the land won't understand the horror hiding beneath or above the sea. Sometimes even pirates would appear to rob or even harm me and my mates."

"I see." Rushia paused for a while as she stood silent, sinking deep into thoughts.

"So, will you let me stay here?" I asked, for some reason feeling anxious at the same time. As if I will disappoint the person before me if I continue to press on with my decision.

"Maybe, if I'm feeling cruel."

And both of us stood silent as the sea wind continued to kiss our faces. Serenity set in onto the small shore we are standing on. I stared upon the ocean once again, the sea that I had set sail upon for decades. I set sail with a dream in my heart, hands in my palm.

"I don't wanna go back."

I muttered it out. Go back to sailing? Or go back to my mates? I don't know. But the desire to stay grew stronger every minute I'm here. I felt safe, I felt...At home.

"Let me stay please." Word turned into pleading. The desire to stay overwhelmed the shame that began to emerge, "I don't think I dare to go back."

"...You can't. At least, you shouldn't."

Rushia strolled through her hair as she spoke with a gentle voice. She declared.

"Treasure, you shall find. Mates, you shall have. Visits me if you wish but your journey doesn't end here."

"But I don't wanna continue," I said with a trembled voice as memory began to come back into me, my word barely audible, "I wanna be here."

The reason for my stranding is not of monster or weather but of my own decision.

"I don't wanna leave you Rushia."

"What is gone is gone. We all have our path to pursue, you and me. And to remain in a stalemate is the greatest insult to the people who had helped us this far in our journey, don't you agree."

"But you are here. And I want to be here, to be with you."

"Be with me for what? I have nothing but boring stories and journeys to share. Your future lies across the great unknown, the sea of currens that you refuse to sail."

Rushia said as she held my hand up. Moving it to my face, slowly touching it, comforting my weary heart that had lost courage from the danger of the sea as she again presented a smile to me," Stand up, be the hero that I wish you to be, if not for me, then for yourself."

"But, let me remind you once again." She turned her face towards me, this time with tears in her eyes, "Don't you dare to ever forget about me."

"I won't, I swear."

"I know you won't, my little fandead."

"May your future be merrier than what you have now."

And thus, the breeze blew, and the ship set sail. Rushia will move on, so will me. Perhaps one day we will again meet in the future, at our crossroads. And we will smile at each other, have some small talk, buy a cup of coffee for each other, and share some tales.

We will joke, we will be grateful. We will have fun, we will bid farewell.

And we will wish each other good luck on our journey to the land of hestarno, that we will find the treasures and adventure that we so desire.

May life be wonderful, for you and me.