Chapter 10.4: It Appeared IV


    The<em>i</em>young<em>i</em>man put his head on the floor and started to get down on his knees.


    It<em>i</em>was<em>i</em>evident that he was in dire need of help, no kidding.


    ording<em>i</em>to the details, he was trapped by arge copsed tree and owing to the immense impact, his spirit was detached from his body, leaving him in an ongoing state of suspended animation. While<em>i</em>he was narrowly holding on to life, his death would be imminent if the situation were left<em>i</em>unattended.


    Therefore, he<em>i</em>requested me to go with him into the sea of trees to search for the location of his<em>i</em>body.


    Are<em>i</em>you<em>i</em>kidding<em>i</em>me?


    This<em>i</em>development was not in the least amusing. The<em>i</em>sea of trees, we were talking about that sea of trees.


    He<em>i</em>went further in through the copse around the convenience store. It was said to be a boundlessbyrinth that an amateur would never be able to return to if ventured into thoughtlessly.


    Moreover it<em>i</em>was a suicide spot, where<em>i</em>it was reputed that many people came to abandon their lives every year. And<em>i</em>he wanted me to go there?


    The<em>i</em>mere thought of it made me shudder. Simply<em>i</em>being in that convenience store alone was overwhelming, so what would happen to me if I went to a ce with such a dense aura of negativity? There<em>i</em>would probably be tens, if not hundreds of them. Not only that, perhaps inside there might be real ones lying around or hanging besides spirits and the<em>i</em>like.


    D-Dont be<em>i</em>ridiculous! How<em>i</em>can I go to that ce! F-First of all, why the hell did you go into that ce! Normal people wouldnt do that! Are you<em>i</em>suicidal!?


    Its<em>i</em>not like that! I had to enter it for work, and it took me longer than I thought it would and I got retaliated against No, I mean! I screwed up! Yeah, I screwed<em>i</em>up!


    You<em>i</em>screwed up and nearly died More importantly, what kind of job required you to enter the sea<em>i</em>of trees?


    Well, I<em>i</em>run my own business and work behind the scenes so I dont want anything too out in the open, like cops.


    Seriously, what<em>i</em>kind of job would that be?


    Even<em>i</em>if its your own life on the line!? You<em>i</em>cant afford to be so modest about it!


    But it doesnt guarantee that Im going to die yet.


    If youre going<em>i</em>to seek help from a civilian, go to the police, theyll save you for sure. Ill call them.


    Whoa, hold<em>i</em>on! Hold<em>i</em>on! If the police are involved, trouble will follow or rather, even if I make it back alive, I wont be able to go<em>i</em>home.


    Were<em>i</em>you a criminal?


    If you dont like it, give<em>i</em>it up. My bad, I wont move even a muscle. I<em>i</em>seriously dont want to put myself in danger.


    Ah. Trantor: MadHatter


    I<em>i</em>was<em>i</em>nothing but a convenience store staff member and not benevolent enough to willingly extend my hand to a customer I once met who requested me to enter the sea of trees with<em>i</em>him.


    I<em>i</em>am<em>i</em>sorry but dont get me embroiled in anything strange.


    I<em>i</em>wondered if that was a roundabout way of telling him to die. Even though he was a total stranger, I felt like a wicked guy for saying this to<em>i</em>him.


    I lit<em>i</em>a cigarette and smoked it topose myself. If I could, I would save him, but the conditions were too adverse. At this hour of the night, and with<em>i</em>him in a state of astral projection, it would be suicidal for me to go into the sea of trees with him. In case I messed up, I likewise would end up lying in the sea of trees as a<em>i</em>corpse.


    Even<em>i</em>I feared for my own safety. Too many incidents in the past few days had driven me to the point where I strongly felt that I had to protect myself. While I did understand that this young man in front of me was facing a crisis and needed someones help, there was no way that it had to be me to<em>i</em>help him.


    There<em>i</em>would be others who would be willing to offer their help instead of me. Though, he had to choose the way to present himself.


    I-I<em>i</em>guess so


    Instead<em>i</em>of reacting furiously to my denial, as I had anticipated, the young man looked up apologetically with a small smile on his face.


    Indeed I<em>i</em>showed up out of the blue and asked you to apany me into the sea of trees. What I said was too outrageous. I messed up on my own, and I<em>i</em>was too naive to ask someone else to help me out. Sorry, sonny, for the trouble I caused you, and I hope<em>i</em>you forgive me


    YouNot shared on aggregator sites


    During<em>i</em>the<em>i</em>day, I<em>i</em>was desperately trying to find my body but I couldnt locate it. I have a friend but that guy has no sense of direction and I have<em>i</em>no idea where they are right now, so I was brainstorming about who might be able to help me instead, and your face came to mind, the same sonny who gave me<em>i</em>a towel yesterday


    <em>I couldnt help myself, I had no idea where to turn. I thought you might be able to help me, </em>he<em>i</em>said.


    Yeah. But<em>i</em>you know, its your thing, and you have to clean up your own mess.


    <em>Iihave disturbed you</em>


    After<em>i</em>saying this, the young man began to be thinner and thinner and more transparent. It was as if he was fading away.


    Hey


    Tomorrow<em>i</em>night, Im going<em>i</em>to go to the convenience store again. If I dont show up at the convenience store then please call the cops.


    T-That<em>i</em>means


    Before I could<em>i</em>say anything else, the young<em>i</em>man grinned at me.


    What? That<em>i</em>possibility is highly unlikely. Ill see you tomorrow night<em>i</em>at the convenience store, sonny.


    Are<em>i</em>you<em>i</em>certain youll be fine on your own?


    I<em>i</em>have<em>i</em>no one else to rely on, well, Ill manage! Ill get myself out of this mess!


    Even<em>i</em>though<em>i</em>he was dying, what was he saying so self-confidently? As I was about to tell him so, I found that the young man was indeed trying to disappear from the spot, or rather, he had alreadypletely vanished, down to his upper body.


    Hey!23SX


    See<em>i</em>youter, sonny.


    Hey! You2X


    Hold<em>i</em>on. By the time I said that, it was already toote. Like<em>i</em>mist, no trace<em>i</em>of him lingered. The young mans figure was utterly out<em>i</em>of sight.


    Was<em>i</em>he<em>i</em>gone?


    Is<em>i</em>he really gone?


    I<em>i</em>called out to him, yet received no<em>i</em>response. There<em>i</em>was no presence.


    I knew it. It seemed that the young man had returned alone to the sea of trees to search for his body.


    What<em>i</em>had just ensued was so unrealistic that I was dazed for a while, but no matter how long I waited, there was no sign of the young man emerging<em>i</em>again.


    2wq


    For<em>i</em>now For a change of mood, I decided to open the window and have another smoke.


    A<em>i</em>slight yet<em>i</em>cool night breeze was flowing in.


    While<em>i</em>blowing out the smoke at random, I<em>i</em>gazed up at the night<em>i</em>sky.


    I<em>i</em>wondered<em>i</em>what was going to be of that guy Would he make it back alive and actually visit<em>i</em>the convenience store tomorrow night?