I was born today, opening my eyes to a beautiful and bright clear sky. I rested flat on my back, the grass brushed against my skin. This felt like a lucid dream, but I never remembered them being this clear. I stood up in the first time in forever; my legs were weak but I managed.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLLobSGyGnb
My name was Echo Raine, and I experienced a complete reset. It was painful, but necessary. My life before this was a mess; I don't remember much of it, but I remember falling... far down into the deep blue, somewhere I could no longer breathe, and somewhere I would never be found.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUYJuhO5U7L
As I reached the bottom of the hill, I was standing on the other side of a field, with several kids kicking around a ball. They looked at me, and as I expected fear or hatred, they just smiled and waved, and I did the same.
I walked down a busy sidewalk. A man bumped into me, apologizing profusely. I told him it was okay, and continued walking. It was the first genuine apology I ever heard, from someone other than myself.
I needed to find a place to stay, for I wouldn't be able to live very long on the streets. I entered a nearby cafe, the bell chimed, and I was welcomed by a middle-aged woman with flowing pink hair.
"Hello! This is 'Belya Cafe'. Go ahead and take a seat, someone will be with you shortly."
As I tried to explain that I had no money, she was already gone, disappearing into the kitchen somewhere. I took a seat in the back of the cafe, and waited patiently for someone to arrive. My eyes were glued to the window, watching as a man sketched something in a notebook.
I turned back, noticing the menu on the table; I opened it up to look at the prices. To my surprise, they weren't listed. It showed nothing but pictures of various coffees, teas, and desserts.
"Are you ready to order?"
The waitress seemed to be a younger version of the previous woman. The same hair color, the same enthusiastic energy, but a different outfit. This girl was wearing a school uniform.
"Where are the prices?"
"Uh... what are prices? Are you going to order something or what?"
Her words were aggressive, but her tone remained the same. "Yeah, I'll take a lavender tea." I answered, only to stop her before she walked away. "E-Excuse me, I need help with something. I uh... lost my memory, and I don't seem to know where I am."
"Oh... my apologies. I didn't realize that you just arrived here. This is the city of Selonika, a place for wandering souls."
"I'm dead?"
"Well, that's the simple way to put it. I'll show you around the city after my shift ends. If you want anything else, just call me over."
I mean, I wasn't surprised by it. I wanted to die after all, but I expected something more vast and empty, a black space where I would unconsciously rest for eternity. No problems, no yelling and screaming, just nothing.
The waitress came back with my tea, sitting down across from me. I introduced myself, and she told me her name was Mia Belya, and the other woman working here was her mother, Natalie.
"I managed to get the go ahead from my mother. I had to explain the situation to her, hopefully it wasn't too personal for you."
"I don't mind." I finished my green tea, and we left the cafe together. Lavender tea was something I used to drink quite often, but mine seemed to always have a metallic taste. "So... what's with the school uniform?"8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa2SGgVgLl0
"The school allows students to have part time jobs during school hours. They're allowed to work three days a week, but are required to show up to school for the other two."
"I'll need to apply at some point, but first I need to find a place to live."
"Yeah, and I know a few places that just appeared."
I was confused by her wording, but didn't push any further. She led me down a small, but beautiful street, that seemed all too familiar. "Tell me, Echo... which house calls out to you? Which one looks like home?" I unconsciously pointed at a white house, with a little playground in the backyard.
"T-That one? Are you sure it's that one?"
"It's an unconscious decision."
"Then it must be correct. I feel sorry for you."
"Why is that?"
"The people of Selonika knows the lives of all their neighbors. The dark, ugly things that they face, these houses are not built, they just appear. They appear when someone new enters our city, and every house has an aura, and this one is violent, cold, and unwelcoming."
"That sounds about right."
"I recommend moving in with someone. It can't be anyone though; it needs to be someone who deeply cares for you. I already have someone living with me, but I have a few friends I can introduce you to. Go to the central park during the night, if the park's ghost accepts you, then we'll be great friends."
"The park ghost?"
"You'll need to find them yourself, don't use your eyes; use your ears... I need to go now, have fun exploring the city, Echo. Don't be afraid to talk with others, Selonika is filled with good people."
I was alone again, and the day crept into the evening as I walked around aimlessly. Strangers waved at me, and I waved back. They were respectful, kind, and generous; so much so I felt alienated, like I was a villain who deceived a god. I made terrible life choices, I didn't believe in anything, nor was I successful. So why was I cast into such a beautiful world?
"Dispense I say! Give me my soda, you thief!"
To my surprise, I stumbled across a boy screaming at a vending machine. His striking red hair was as bright as a poppy flower. He also had a rebellious sense of fashion, which made him stand out like a sore thumb, a circus clown on the street... except nobody seemed to be laughing, they just walked past him like nothing was happening.
"You're not going to get a soda that way."
"Are you sure about that? If I make a hole, I'll get all the soda I want."
"That's a bit extreme, don't you think?"
I clicked on one of the buttons and the vending machine made a sound, almost like two sodas clashing into each other. The boy looked in the dispensing tray, and there they were, two sodas with two different flavors.
"Yuck, you drink grape? You know what, it doesn't matter; my girlfriend complains all the time about my wacky food combinations." He held out his hand to me, covered by black, fingerless gloves. "I'm Jintei Raisei."
I introduced myself as well. "You're definitely new around here. I can tell with that lost look in your eye. Do you have anywhere to go at the moment? You can hang out at my place, and I can show you an album from my favorite idol."
"That's a bit forward, don't you think?"
"So what? If you ended up in Selonika, you can't be all that bad. If you change your mind, you can find my place in the Scrap Yard. It's the region next to this one, the Central District. It's a dark and sketchy looking place, but we take care of each other.
Jintei ran off with his soda, and just like that, I was alone again. I didn't mind being alone, the moon and the stars kept me company. I visited the park just as Mia suggested; it wasn't too far from where I already was.
I crossed through the gate, and to nobody's surprise, it was empty... or so I thought. I didn't know if I heard something faintly, and got lured by the harp of a siren, or it was just sheer luck, but as I stepped closer to the cliff, looking at the other city in the distance, I heard the sound of a violin.
At first, I thought the wind was playing tricks on me, but the melody didn't end. I looked around for the source, only to discover a hidden path beyond a few bushes. A stairway spiraled around the cliff, and out of fear, I pulled a stick from a nearby bush for protection.
I took cover, peeking a glance at the tree in the distance. A cherry blossom, a tree I have only seen in pictures, and now for the first time in person. Underneath it, was undeniably a ghost playing under the stars.
She sat at the edge of the cliff, kicking her feet like she had no fear of falling, and she was dressed like it was winter, a pink scarf peeked from the front of her coat. With her being so high up, her long violet hair danced with the wind.
Her piece came to a close, and with an almost inaudible whisper, she spoke. "Are you afraid of me? I am the ghost who haunts this park, if that's what you wish to believe."
"No, I'm not afraid. I have to ask though... are you really a ghost?"
"My name is Violet Elysora, does that name ring a bell?"
"N-No, you see... I just arrived here today. I woke up on a green hill."
"The place you're referring to is called, 'Resurrection Slope'. Welcome to Selonika, the city of the dead, a place for wandering souls. Yes, I am a ghost, and so is everybody else here. I also happen to be the district mayor's daughter."
I introduced myself, telling her about the girl at the cafe. "So, that's how you found this place so quickly. Mia is a good friend of mine, she was the first of my friends to ever find the park cliffside, but she's also the last person I expect to keep a secret."
"So... is there a challenge or something?"
"What do you mean?"
"Mia explained that I needed to be accepted into something."
"Oh, don't worry about that. I think she views our 'meetings' here as a sort of secret society. To be accepted, I only ask that you keep this cliffside a secret. I am quite popular for obvious reasons, so it's quite difficult for someone like me to make meaningful friendships."
"I understand."
"Good. I do feel quite sorry for you, Echo. That house of yours is the most depressing place I've seen in a long time. Normally, the people who get sent here are good-natured, or so that's what we always believed. I hope that remains true, and that the tragedies in your past life, don't change who you are internally."
"Are houses usually pleasant to look at when you first arrive?"
"Yes, those who are extremely pure, usually live in mansions or small castles, others live in urban or suburban houses. Those with houses like yours, are forced to make a choice. You can either face the hell that lives inside it, or you can leave it behind and live with someone else. I recommend leaving, but if you think you can withstand its beatings one last time, then I'll applaud your bravery."
"I see, but how can I make the choice. If I step inside the house, will that mean I chose the former?"
"The house itself will let you know when it's time. The front door will one day open without you touching it, and standing in the entrance will be a figure from your past. Let your instincts make the decision if you can't. If your body decides to flee, let it take control, and watch as the house crumbles to dust."
"Right, I'll keep that in mind."
"It's getting late, you should go home and get some rest. I will be doing the same. Try exploring other regions if you can, or at the very least, go to the library and read about them."
"When are the meetings?"
"Very early in the morning. Mia will bring snacks, so come with an appetite."8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwNkMYtLf6G
