Good Night

Nights are the worst when you’re a sword.

Eight hours of darkness with nothing but moonlight shining in

At least during the day, there’s the sound of birds and insects chirping. All I hear now is the rustling of the wind.

Carrying along with it are whispers of the past. With only the most pleasant memories of course.

“Weakling”

“Creep.”

“Fuck off.”

“Go back to where you came from.”

“Are you an idiot?”

“Loser.”

“For the love of god just die.”

“Why did you do that!?”

“Dumbass.”

“Just quit.”

“Would you look at that, now you made things worse.”

“The fuck is wrong with you?”

I don’t know.

Is there something wrong with me? Or is it with everyone else?

What do they even want from me? Have they not done enough?

I guess it makes sense that I’d be hearing shit I’ve heard in school given how I’m in school right now.

Have I gone mad? Or was I always insane?

At least I haven’t started shouting at these voices.

Then again, there’s no one to hear me except Abigail even if I do.

Can she even hear me when she’s asleep? I’m assuming that I talk to her soul rather than her ears, so maybe she won't wake up?

Hmmmmm….

It’s still dark out so I’ll try it later.

“DING DING DING DING!”

I did my best to imitate an alarm.

It was 15 minutes from 6 o’clock, so she's not missing out on that much sleep.

“Urgh….”

She groaned from under her sheets and got up.

“Wait, it’s not 6 yet…”

And so, she slumped back down immediately.

Wow, she can only wake up at six, huh. Should that be considered a blessing or a curse?

Fifteen minutes later, sure enough she woke up as if nothing happened.

“So what was that for?”

“That?”

“The ringing.”

“What ringing?”

“The ringing that woke me up earlier.”

“No idea what you’re talking about,”

“It went something like “DING DING DING”.”

“Ah, there were actually four D-.”

Fuck.

She looked at me, suspicious. I didn’t think this one through, huh.

“Yeah, sorry about that, I wanted to see if me shouting would wake you up.”

“Huh?”

She looked at me, confused.

“Well, if I created sound, other ears would hear. So I'm assuming that I'm not talking to you via your ears. So I thought I was talking to you spiritually or something and…..”

I started speed talking through my explanation, which only made her more confused.

In the end, she just gave up .

“Please..... just don’t do it again…….”

“Yeah, sorry.”

“Apology accepted.”

She got changed and we headed off for the morning run.

Abigail’s POV:

It’s been a week since the tests and I’m getting used to running out in the morning.

I’ve managed to cut my run time during warm up down to ten minutes which means I’m now completely safe from the last place penalties.

Still doesn’t make it any less exhausting though.

“Bell’s gonna ring soon.”

“Hah…. yeah…”

It’s a weekend so I can train more, but I’m too tired and hungry.

When I came back in, I found letters hanging from strings on everyone’s door knobs.

Confused, I took mine back into my room and read what was inside.

“Hello students, we hope you are doing well after the first round of tests. The results will be handed to you tomorrow. As many of you know, today is Remembrance day, the day of peace but also of tragedy as we recall those who have left us behind. For this special occasion we’d request that everyone of you roam the school in uniform despite it being a weekend. If it isn’t too much to ask, we’d also appreciate it deeply if you were to visit Saint Edward’s Cemetery. There lies the souls of over a thousand and three hundred of our students who valiantly fought during the war. We’d like to see to it that their efforts were not forgotten. Thank you.”

“Wait, hold on, Remembrance Day?”

“It’s the day that the peace treaty between the monsters and humans was signed and the monsters surrendered, named Rememberance Day to commemorate the lives we lost over the war.”

“Oh so I have my own day now.”

“I mean, it’s for all the soldiers who died.”

“Eh, they’re barely worth anything. So it's basically me.”

“Sure….”

Thankfully no one could hear him. It's not hard to imagine him getting expelled or suspended for saying something like that in a military school.

“So, does this count as becoming a deity?”

“Huh?”

“Remember what you said a few weeks ago? You said that you’d provide me with an offering if I became a deity.”

“You actually remember that?”

“Why of course, my lass.”

“Lass?”

“Makes me sound like a deity, don’t you think?”

“You sound like an old man.”

“Well I sure hope so, deities have lived for centuries. So where's my offering?"

“I’ll put a flower on your grave at the cemetery?”

“You’ll have to do a bit more than that to appease me.”

“I’ll add a leftover strawberry we had from the kitchen?”

“Hmm…. make that two.”

“Fine…. It’s your day after all.”

He’d probably have something to say to the graves of his friends as well.

“Let’s go after breakfast.”

“Sure.”

The cemetery was about an hour away by foot from the school.

There were already a few people lined up at the entrance along with a girl at the front was handing out flowers.

I took one and put it in the basket along with the two strawberries.

Thankfully, the basket had a lid over it so people won’t ask why I’m using a basket for two strawberries. Maybe I should’ve just carried it in my hands?

Then again, carrying only two strawberries out in public is just as weird.

After a bit more of a wait, we made it through the line and were met with rows and rows of white crosses, each with a name of a soldier who died.

“Your name was Albert Greathorn right?”

“Yeah, but don’t bother looking for it. My name's probably not on there.”

“But didn't they say all thirteen hundred of you were buried here? It's probably on a grave somewhere.”

“You don’t get it, lass. I’ve seen them bury people before. What they do is dump over fifty bodies in a big pit, bury them in dirt, and then put a cross over it with the name of the highest ranking officer. Hell, sometimes they don’t even have a name. There's no way a low ranking soldier like me would have my name on there.”

“Really?”

“Of course, what, you think all soldiers have equal standing in the army? How many cemeteries do you think we’re gonna need to give everyone their private grave?”

He laughed bitterly.

I guess he’s right.

Will I be buried like that one day? I shivered.

“Now then, let’s just pick a random grave and be done with this.”

“Okay.”

I picked one about twenty graves forms the entrance, not too far but not so close that people would notice me.

I laid the sword in front of the grave with the flower and two strawberries.

“Does this work?”

“Yeah, that’s fine. Thanks.”

I put my hands together to send a prayer to my so-called deity. I can probably just say it out loud though.

“I don’t know about your efforts during the war, but I am very grateful for the advice you’ve given me. Thank you.”

“As brief as always. Anyways, as your local deity, you must kneel before me to truly show respect.”

“Don’t push it.”

“Hah… fine. And you’re welcome, by the way.”

“Now let’s go.”

“Ah, can you give me some alone time? As in go outside and come back in about five minutes.”

“Sure.”

I can give him that much.

So I headed out and stood to the sides next to a wall.

I have to wonder, though, why does he need me to head outside for this? Giving a prayer to your friends who have passed away seems perfectly normal.

Wait a minute….. Al never really talked about having friends. In fact, didn’t he seem to hate his classm-

“HEY ASSHOLES, HOW’S IT FEEL TO BE BURNING IN HELL?”

I felt my entire body jolt up.

I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised. But he does realize I can hear him, right?

“BIT HOT DOWN THERE, DON’TCHA THINK? MAYBE YOU FUCKS SHOULD’VE RECONSIDERED WHEN YOU DECIDED TO BEAT THE EVERLIVING FUCK OUTTA ME EVERY FUCKING WEEK, HUH?”

Come to think of it, this is the first time he’s expressed genuine anger at something. I guess it would make sense for it to be those he hated.

“YA GOT ANY IDEA HOW HARD IT IS TO PISS AFTER BEING KICKED IN THE BALLS FOR THE NTH TIME? AND NOW LOOK WHO’S ON TOP. LOOK WHO'S STILL ALIVE AND TALKING. ME. BIG DADDY HERE. YEAH, SUCK MY DICK AND FUCK OFF. YOU THINK I GOT TIME AT NIGHT TO HEAR YOU SHITHEADS BITCH ABOUT MY PAST? WE FUCKING GET IT. I WAS RETARDED. I WAS AN IDIOT. I MADE A FEW BAD CHOICES. HOW LONG ARE YOU GONNA KEEP SHITTING ON ME FOR IT? FOR THE LOVE OF GOD….. JUST LEAVE ME ALONE! I just want some peace at night, for fucks sake!”

It seems he’s finally run out of breath, or at least, he ran out of things to say.

Good god he’s so loud he probably woke whatever corpses they had under that cross he's to the side of.

So he doesn't ever sleep, huh… I wonder if there’s anything I can do to keep him entertained at night.

Assuming this was the end of his rant, I went back to pick him up.

“Ah, Perfect timing! I’m done!”

“I can tell.”

He paused.

“Wait you heard all that?”

“Yes? You weren’t exactly quiet.”

“I thought the walls would be thick enough!”

“Didn’t you say this morning that you thought you talked to me spiritually or something? Why would walls matter?”

“Ah. Well sh- I mean damn.”

“You could swear if you want. It’s not like I care.”

“It’s not about that. As the local deity, I must maintain the image that I’m pure and proper.”

“I’m the only one who can see that image and I just heard you on a rant filled with you using swear words.”

“Uuuuuuh, erase that part of your memory with magic!”

“Not happening. And I don't think that magic exists.”

Still, it must have been hard for him, that's for sure. Sounds like he was bullied in his past?

Maybe him being put into a sword is just God's way of giving him a second chance at life.

Now that I think about it, it's not like I know much about him besides the fact that he came here in his past. Maybe I should ask him. 

Just not today. 

“It’s embarrassing alright? Think of my pride as your senior! I can’t just go and set a bad example for my pupil!”

“You fell from the position on day one when you called yourself big daddy, like you did in that rant. I don’t remember becoming your pupil either.”

“Dammit just work with me here!”

“I refuse.”

I smiled. He laughed back. And back to normal we go. I hope he found some closure with that rant.

You know, smiling to myself randomly in a graveyard probably looks really weird. I better get going.

The day went on as usual after that, except everyone wore uniforms and and were a bit more serious than usual.

They had everyone attend an assembly as well.

Having an entire day dedicated to celebrating me sure is nice though. It’s like a second birthday.

My birthday was the only holiday I celebrated back then.

What I would do was light a candle on a single slice of cake I bought from the local bakery and blow it out in the kitchen. After that was just digging in and singing a quiet little happy birthday to me.

God that looked depressing. At least this time I was able to share this holiday with a friend.

I looked up at the night sky once more,

The moon light shone in as always. This time Abigail decided to put me next to the window for some reason.

Ah god just thinking of Abigail makes me want to forget that rant ever happened.

I definitely sounded like some petty bitch.

I should have thought that one through a bit more before going on my tantrum.

Then again, that line could be used to describe most of my life, one filled with on-the-spot decisions that turn out to be poor choices.

Well, at least it felt cool when I did it.

The winds rustled again, and the voices echoed in my ear? Handle? Whatever I hear with.

“Just shut up already… let a man sleep.”

Not that I can.

They do seem quieter though. Maybe letting out my anger quelled the spirits?

Who knows.

I just want to be able to sleep. Oh how I missed being able to dream. 

Author's note: I probably won't finish this by the end of the contest, but I hope you stick with me to the end. You have no idea how much I appreciate it. Thank you very much for reading.