Nugomi

Nûgomi

"Blow out the candle sweetie" ------said as she laid a white cake on the table.

"But ------, can't we wait for------" said ------ as the boy stood on a wood chair overseeing the desk. On it, arrangements of drinks, sweets, and neatly wrapped gifts were circling the red cake that had been placed. Four candles stood on the apex of the cake, creating miniature dancing silhouettes on the edges of the sweet pastry. ------ Stood frowning at the boy's stubborn nature.

"Dear, you know your ------ won't be making till later in the night and you know that you will be too sleepy." Said ------

"No!, I'll wait for ------." Said------ as he puffed his cheeks, puts his arms on his sides, and looks the other. The impertinent attitude was even too much for ------. ------ was known as the most loving and peaceful person in all ------------. However, her little -------- was the only one with the gift to push her buttons, even if she fully knew this was just normal child behavior.

"Now listen here --------, ------- will be too tired to celebrate even If the divines gave you the willpower to wait that late. He'll head straight to bed when he comes—"

"No! no! ------- will love to be here, even if he's tired," said the little boy.

Finally, a little line snapped inside ------ her head. Frustration and pity, all intermixed, gave rise to anger. Laying her hands on the table as gently as her emotions would let her and peering on her------- eyes, she said "Please, for heaven's sake, just—"

"I'm home " --------interrupted --------- in the middle of her sentence." Gosh, sneaking away was no small ordeal, but I wouldn't miss this special day for the world" -------- said as he laid a bag on the floor and joined the little duo on the white square desk.

"------------!!!!!!!!" Said the boy jumping up and down on the desk much to ------- dismay.

Wait. Where am I? What is happening?

"Wow, if that's not the biggest cake I've seen, I don't know what is. " said ------ as he jokingly inspected the desk "Of course, a cake like this is only befitting to a great boy like youuuuuu," He said pinching-------- cheeks.

"Hehehe!, stop ---------. I'm not a boy anymore! I'm a man now, " said the boy as he stood proudly on the chair.

"Sure you are. You are------ and ------- little man" said -------. The boy, with cheeks brightly colored, filled his lungs to the brim with air.

Where's that voice coming from? In fact, where is even is this? Who are these people? Think Marcus, I was heading towards the lloiza's town square and then.... darkness.

The boy blew the candles, extinguishing the little light beacons, encompassing the whole room in darkness. The dark room was filled with laughter, clapping, and cheers. Everyone was very, very happy.

Where is Alexandre? Did he follow me in .... wherever this is? Looking around, it doesn't seem like it. It's just me and the disembodied voice, or at least I think so.

"Blow out the candle sweetie" ---------- said as she laid a white cake on the table.

"But ---------, can't we wait for----------" said------- as the boy stood on a wood chair overseeing the desk. On it, an arrangements of drinks, sweets, and neatly wrapped gifts were circling the red cake that had been placed.....

.........I'm home " --------interrupted --------- in the middle of her sentence." Gosh, sneaky away was no small ordeal, but I wouldn't miss this special day for the world" -------- said as he laid a bag on the floor and joined the little duo on the white square desk.

The same story echoed around.....?, resonating along ......the walls?. I'll be honest, I have no idea where I am. The scene that had been displayed before me was completely submerged in darkness. The only thing in this place? Is the echoing sounds of the disembodied voice. No matter where I look pure darkness stares back at me. The only choice I have is to follow the voice and see where that takes me.

As I tried to navigate through the darkness, distinct shapes were brushing and scraping against my body. Some of them were short and stubby while others while thin and long. Furry; coarse; circular; rectangular; all sorts of objects? Were in the way as I tried to blindly follow the voice.

What are these?. I thought to myself as I reached to feel one of the objects that planted itself in the way. From the feeling of it, It had a metallic texture, smooth and squeaky when I ran my fingers through its surface. It was longer than it was high; as wide as two— maybe two and a half people; its surface was uneven in some places. As I felt my way through the object, I found a way around it without deviating from the increasingly loud voice.

"----------, Where's ---------? " said a young voice, Clearly sad.

Looks like the closer I get to the source, a different dialogue appears.

"My dear----------, sometimes we have to make hard decisions even if we don't want to," A gentle, warm voice spoke."Your --------- is a bit confused and angry with all that's been happening recently. He doesn't understand that you and I are special, not like those ------------" Said the melancholic voice.

"What's-------" said the young voice sniffin.

"Monsters" The voice echoed harshly throughout the wall? Can't really tell where the echoes as bouncing off from. However, I'm certain I'm close to the source of the voice.

As I walk through the valley? Of darkness, all of the sudden p I step on something familiar. Something coarse and slippery: sand. The further I go, the stepper the sand floor gets, making it harder to proceed.

"--------, I'm hungry. Where's ---------. " Said the young voice.

"Listen here, you're no longer a little boy. You're ten now and I expect you act like a grown-up and stop asking stupid questions" said the voice completely devoid of the previous love. "--------- was a fool; an i***t; a monster. I can't believe I trusted that man to -------- my ---------. He's just like them, monsters " said the voice increasingly agitated.

"If --------- was here, we wouldn't be in this mess—" The young voice was interrupted by a resounding slap and a soft-sandy thump.

"H-how dare you, it must be-------'s blood; that monster's blood, you've been infected" screeched the voice."My own --------, now a monster. I'm completely alone in this cold desolate world" She calmly said as a faint gasping and heaving sound lightly echoed in the distance.

".....P-please.......let......go" a suffocated rasping voice heaved.

"Die monster"

Dead silence.....

Completly shrouded in darkness and silence, I am completely lost. My only lead on whatever this place is has quiet down. I can only hear the thumping of my heart and the partying of the sand as my legs heave through

"Hello? Is anybody there" my voice was swallowed by the darkness."Alexandre!!, are you there?!! Are you anywhere? " Equally absorbed by the darkness.

Finally, the severity of the situation began to dawn on me, I'm stuck. In this God knows what place, completely blinded and alone.

"Alone?

Alone.

What is 'to be alone." The voice recommenced.

Is it talking to me? But from where? The echo circle all around me entirely making it impossible to pinpoint the exact location of the source.

"Alone?

Alone.

What is 'to be alone." The voice asked again. "Is just the state of being by yourself"The voice answered itself."If that is so, then I cannot be 'alone' because I have my family. But..... why do I feel so lonely" the voice echoed.

As the Voiced monologue with itself, I saw a faint glimmer in the distance. A speck of white in the far horizon. With all the physical strength I could muster, I ran towards the light.

"Is to be 'alone' the antithesis to the desire to be recognized? To have your existence observed and acknowledged so that consequently my entire self can become tangible? If so, why do I feel so alone? I got my family "

The glimmer in the distance grew from a speck to a hole as ran with all my strength to the light. The voice began to get louder the closer I got to the gaping white rip in the dark fabric.

"Can anyone explain this feeling of longing to something that I already have? Why do I crave; obsess; covet the simple reaffirmation of my being when I have my family right hear " Thundered the voice from the tear in darkness.

As I walk through the light, I was blinded by the sheer amount of light entering my eyes. As I got used to brimming light, I could scarcely make out a dark sillohoute in the distance. As I carefully got closer, the aspect appeared to be more female. Fragile and haggard, the figure had bones protruding under tight and dark elastic skin. On Her back, black webs sprayed all over the place with a child-like decomposing body hanging from one of the treads. Her ashen hair covered her face as she stood in place, only the sound of her grumbling and the Swaying of the body permeated the room.

Is this one of the so-called infected. I guess Alexandre's was not entirely wrong; they really are ugly. So they must be just as dangerous. However, given the limited options I have, I think the only way out will be through her—that thing. With slight resolution, I lightly tread over to the dark form, avoiding any sudden movements and triggering a hostile reaction.

"What is it to be alone," said the dark figure without so much moving an inch from pace. "Tell me, what is this feeling of loss that yanks the strings of my heart, that stabs my bowls and chokes my breath. What Is this incessant trembling inside my innards? "Said the voice

"Sorry bud, I don't think I can't answer your question, but is there any way out 'here'. In fact, what is even this place " Inquire the figure?

"I hate this feeling so much. I HATE IT, I HATE IT, I HATE IT." The figure began to tremble as their voice got louder and louder."Maybe if just remove the insides, the feeling will go away" In a state of madness, the figure lifts out an arm and jams it straight into their abdomen. As the hand slushed and squished through it inside, a black ooze dripped from the wound when it finally fished out their entire innards and threw them on the floor. Laying on the bright, white floor, the intestines fizzled and burned in place leaving behind only a black stain on the floor. Looking back to figure, the wound had completely healed.

"Tell me what is it to be alone, why do I feel so lonely when I have my little boy," She said as she slowly crackled her neck towards the hanging body. "My Sweet, sweet little Marcus Jones. You are so smart and handsome, just like your mother. Hehehe" The figure coughs as she returns to her usual pose.

What does it mean by Marcus Jones? Maybe her kid just happened to have the same name. Now that I think about where did the name Marcus Jones even come from? The first time I was addressed that way was big Mac when he first saw me. How did he come up with that name? Something in my head is nagging me, like piece of tread hanging just out of reach.

Stop Marcus. Focus.

This creature is clearly in some state of denial and delusional; prone to violence when angered. So I need to tread carefully or It could mean death. What is the plan here? I really have no idea what to make of the situation. Maybe if I—

"Do you feel alone?" Interrupted the creature without moving an inch

"Are you talking me, miss? I can't say I feel particularly alone given that there are two of us in this room. But say, what is this place, and where am—"

"TWO?!!, you mean THREE right? My son is up there " She said raising a blackened sharped arm aimed at me.

"YES, yes, I mean three. Slip of the tongue there. I hope you can excuse my offense " I said, heart, climbing my throat.

The figure lowers the arms and remains motionless.

"So do you where—"

"A typical lie. You say you don't feel alone because there are tangible organisms in this room, and yet your eyes are not looking at anyone; your heart does not feel anyone" the figure interrupted" You're just like me, alone in a room full of people condemned to be isolated by the powers that be." Said the figure

"What do mean miss, I'm looking right at you and your son. And the heart is nothing more than an over-glorified pump," I joked trying to look for an exit.

" You are looking but not seeing, there is only one thing reflecting in those eyes of yours; yourself. To you, everyone is just another bag of meat waddling and jiggling from place to place. There is no connection or emotion, just overpowering indifference. There is an unfilled void in the depths of your 'self ' that grows with every passing day. A hole that Consumes everything that comes near it. It chokes; it hurts; it manipulates your entire being. You're just like me, you're empty."

This thing is crazy, what in the hell is it talking about.

"What do you mean I only see myself" I inquire

"Tell me, when was the last time you truly spoke to someone. Not as a way to trick them, but as a way to connect, to create relation." The figure said lightly jittering in place

"Well there's—"

"Never" interrupted the disheveled figure. "To you every one is just a pawn; a means to your end. You are utterly alone" said the creature.

That not right, I got Bic Mac and....

I got Big Mac right?

Stop Marcus, concentrate. This is not the time to get depressed or get all sobby.

"Answer me, why do you continue to push on living. Propagating a painful and lonely life completely devoid of any purpose or meaning?"

"Sorry missus, but I really have no time for philosophical ta—"

"Is it fear of the alternative? Or the vain search of hopefully one-day things will change " the figure interrupted.

There has to be something right? A reason to why I wake up everyday. A reason to why I struggle to continue on living. A reason to why I can't just leave the island.... right?

"Listen, lady, I don't care about this purpose garbage or whatnot. But I have something I really care for and am willing to die for it" I sternly said.

"The island? " The figure scoffs "Were you not ready to abandon this shitstain the moment you feared for your life. It's just like you, trying to run away from reality by clinging to dubious, self-righteous quests. "

"Wait. How did you...."

"In reality, you don't give a rat's ass about this piece of rubble. You just wanted the thrill of coming face to face with danger; you wanted the adrenal liquid to fill through your skull just so that you could forget the ultimate truth. You are alone. From the moment that you were born to the moment you learned to think to this very moment, you have been alone. You could die right this instant and not a single person will weep for your death" Said the figure as its boney protection began to contort and twist.

Those words resounded deep in my stomach. A hole that I had not noticed before began growing; maybe it's always Been there.

"What are you," I said as the deep pit in my stomach widened.

"Tell me, Marcus Jones, is it that good to be human? A bag of excrements controlled by arbitrary impulses that deepened your pitiful state. Would you not want to become more; become one. An interconnected being that never feels alone; full of purpose. Wouldn't you want to become a nugomi" said the figure as the webs around the figure began to slowly descend like tar and adhere to the figure like a sticky substance. The skeletal remains of the young boy fuse together with the twisted bones to create a monstrosity.

This is a nûgomi? I thought as my breath began to quicken at the sight of the monstrosity.

The tar-like substance dripped unto the monster until it submerged the skinny figure.The fused bones began to sharpen and swam to every orifice of the tar creating a sharpened dagger in every direction of the blacked liquid.

"Tell me, Marcus, what do you choose eternal isolation or completeness," said the thing.

One huge red eyeball opens in the middle of the massive black jagged ooze. It stares at me somehow comforting, as if I had known this creature my whole life; surely the world would not care if some little unknown guy from some unknown island disappeared from the face of the earth. It would continue to revolve around as if nothing had ever happened. Maybe what it said is true. I was just trying to fill the emptiness with some absurd quest to save this place. Or maybe I was just looking for a place to die. To hell with everything I don't really care anymore.

I slowly step forward to the horrifying but strangely comforting mass, it crackles as the eye opens from the middle revealing a darkened hole. I went into it without a moment's hesitation completely being engulfed in darkness.

In the distance a muffled yelling could be hear

"Nooo...... marc......."

It's really warm in here like a mother's hug.