A Soul Contract

2

He flinched. He recognized that name... But from where? He wanted to remember, but it hurt. As if something was tearing his brain apart.

"Leave," He repeated. "You're lucky I was the one to find you." The woman didn't seem deterred in the slightest. Actually, she was getting closer. He was going to shout something at her but found nothing came out.

Then, she touched him.

Suddenly, a wave of euphoria overcame him. It was as if he had found his missing piece. It felt so peaceful and relaxing... So much so that he almost forgot the whole reason he was out here. But when he looked around, he was seeing things from her perspective.

"Obanai?" She called out gently, looking around.

"I'm right here," She jumped and looked around. "And don't call me that."

"But that's your name?" He sighed.

"Just leave the forest, and I'll try to clear things up."

Thankfully, she listened to him this time.

Once they left, she sat on some driftwood on the nearby beach.

"So, what do I call you?"

"Masked." She tilted her head at this. "We're named by how we died."

"Oh... That sounds disturbing..."

"At least we have one thing still tied to us."

"Why can I hear you in my head?" He was silent for a moment. Why did that happen?

He searched his mind for some answer, then it came to him.

Their saviour explicitly told them to never interact with humans beyond killing.

God damn it. Someone kill him a second time.

"You happened." He growled, making her flinch.

"Uh... Sorry? Is there any way for me to help you?"

"I'll think about it. Don't talk to me." She sighed but seemed to get the memo, getting up and beginning to walk off.

Shinobu stared at her phone boredly as she scrolled through random clickbait posts from accounts she had never followed before she looked up.

How long was that damn bus going to take to arrive? She was early, right?

She took a quick glance at the schedule...

It was 2:15 when she got here...

The bus was supposed to arrive at 2:25...

Now it's 2:40...

She sighed and sent a quick text to her sister, telling her she'd need to be picked up. At least with her newly found free time, she'd be able to gather some medicinal herbs that could only be found here. She carefully stalked close to the lake's shore for the flowers, avoiding the nettles as she searched.

As she went to touch one, her lungs abruptly began to burn as she gasped for air. She staggered forward for something to hold onto, but the only thing she could hold onto was some grass,

and the pebbles in the water as she plunged into it.

Drowned really liked the flowers by the pond. Even if this was where he supposedly died, the beauty paired with the sparkling stars above was very relaxing.

This night was going just like the ones before. He'd sit by the edge as he buried himself in the flowers and nettles, staring out into the sky until the sun began to rise. But this visit was different, as he saw a young lady about his age of death coming over to the flower he was lying beside. He sat up and was about to head back to the forest but paused when he felt the cold air digging into the torn parts of his pants.