Asura (english version)

Chapter 3

When Shia's alarm clock rang loudly, destroying dreams, Asura was close to the end of the first book. His eyes were wide, focused on the book, and surrounded by dark circles. All of his senses were drowned in the book.

»Asura?« She asked, searching for the alarm clock with her hand. Finally she found it and slammed it on the other wall, which put an end to his nerve wrecking beeps.

Asura flinched, very startled, whereupon she laughed a little with amusement and, after crawling out of her blanket, looked over his shoulder. »Oh, you're almost done.« She patted his shoulder thoughtfully. »I'dll get you some handkerchiefs. The end breaks hearts.«

»It's okay,« he said, closing the book with a loud bang. »I'm done.« 

Shia crouched down in front of him and eyed him extremely critically. Not a single tear.

She nodded enthusiastically. »Not bad.« She helped him up, keeping his hand in hers for a second longer before they let go. »Aren't you sad?« Shia asked, looking sadly down at the book that had made her cry for days. She was built very close to the water.

»When you're dead, nothing can break your heart anymore.« She had to swallow and gave him a quick look before wringing her fingers nervously and glancing at the door. 

»Should I bring you something to eat?«

»Nope. I don't eat anything.«

»Oh. Nothing?« She asked confused and he nodded slowly.

»Do you really think ghosts eat?« He laughed mockingly and she slapped him roughly on the shoulder.

»Don't laugh at me!« She said aloud. »I'm just worried,« she added contritely, actually didn't like being rough and loud.

»You don't have to. I've been traveling alone for a long time. The mere fact that I was allowed to lie on a fluffy carpet, under a warm blanket and with a good book in my hand, is more than I would have expected. Maybe more than I deserve. Besides, nothing can happen to me anyway.« He shrugged carefree.

»All right,« she said. »Wait a minute, what do you mean by ›deserve‹?« Her eyes widened and she took a few steps back.

»Don't worry, I haven't killed anyone,« he tried to calm her down and came closer again.

»K-killed?« She cried in horror, and he could no longer suppress an amused laugh.

»I'm just kidding!« Shia rubbed her upper arms because she had left the window open overnight and now, outside the warming cocoon of her bed, she was beginning to tremble and goose bumps formed on her arms.

»You don't make fun of that.«

»I know.« He rolled his eyes and dropped like a puppet, of which the threads were cut, into Shia's bed. When Shia turned around, she folded her arms and frowned in anger.

»Asura...« she warned, and he looked up innocently from the soft bed, reminded her of a dog that stole onto the bed at every opportunity.

»What? I thought you mean when you're not on it? Okay, I'm already gone. Don't look at me like that! God, you scare me with that look!«

»I warned you already. Can you please go out for a minute? I'd like to change, so...« Shia waved her hand vaguely at the door.

»Oh, sure,« he said, but turned to her again. »But ... I hope you're aware that I can see through walls?« Shia opened her mouth in shock and Asura started to laugh out loud.

»I'm just kidding!« He soothed her again, patting her bare shoulder.

»Stop that! And if you dare to watch me or something-« she raised her index finger threateningly, waving it through the air like a wand. He almost expected a glittering shower of sparks, but nothing happened.