17 [Voice]

[unseeing_sight]

It's my nineteenth birthday today. I think. I might be wrong. I was counting from Christmas. But I haven't been sure about my birthday for a very long time.

Even though I suppose I'm still seventeen. Still. It's my nineteenth birthday.

Comments

[kamui_vampiro]

... Happy birthday.
tsk.. I can't stop thinking how young you are.

[unseeing_sight]

I'm not really young. Had I been normal, I would probably be a husband and a father by my nineteenth birthday.

...

And, well, you don't sound any older than me.

[kamui_vampiro]

Really? It seems... strange to me, but, anyway, every world has his own rules...

Do you think so? -you can hear a soft, really soft, and brief laugh.-

[unseeing_sight]

Many things I hear are strange to me. It's only natural that some things about my life would seem strange to you.

[Slightly awkward pause]

Um, so how old are you?

[kamui_vampiro]

IWell, not so strange. I saw a lot of worlds where men around your age are called adults even if for me it's different.

I stopped counting my age long ago, when I started... running away with my brother. In my world I would be around your age, I think, but... I'm really older than you.

[unseeing_sight]

Your voice sounds like somebody my age, but sometimes you talk like an old man. I thought for a while...but I put it out of my head.

[kamui_vampiro]

I'm not, I'm still really young for my race, but I'm older than you, that's for sure.
You already noticed it? I think I was really nervous and confused when I entered in this place the first time, so I don't remember exactly what I said.

[unseeing_sight]

Sometimes, the things you say...you sound tired. Like you've already seen everything the world has to offer you, and it wasn't enough. Does that make sense? I don't think it does. Sorry.

[kamui_vampiro]

Don't apologize...
-follows a brief pause and you can hear he sighing.-
Well, sometimes I was tired, maybe... but we were talking about you and your birthday, weren't we?
Just... happy birthday.
I'm surprised you can still feel the flow of the time, I've to admit I alrady lost the count of the days I spent here...

[unseeing_sight]

Thank you, Herr Kamui.

...

I count. On the wall. I have my knife that my father gave me. So I mark every day, and then I put a line under the days every full moon, and it makes sense to my fingers.

[kamui_vampiro]

W-why are you thanking me?

...
I understand, it makes sense. I should do the same, even if I think time here is not so important.
...
So, how many months are from the day you arrived here?

[unseeing_sight]

Time isn't important. I just like to keep track. I tried when I was alive, but I can't count well, and there was nothing to mark the passing of time.

I think it's somewhere between thirteen and fourteen. I've been here a long time.

[kamui_vampiro]

I understand. Hadn't you some kind of school in your village?

...
You were really young when you died... I think I should say I'm sorry about that.

[unseeing_sight]

School? Rich people and monks go to school, not normal people. I learnt to count sheep and horses and coins.

I wasn't really. I was the age I am now. Seventeen. Seventeen isn't young.

[kamui_vampiro]

Ah, yes, I understand.

If you say so... At least, somehow, we're alive here.