Negotiate

PROGRESS... 25%

PROGRESS... 50%

PROGRESS... 75%

ERROR

I hung my head with a sigh. Five more than last time, but still... After two and a half weeks of this, I could see the message when I closed my eyes.

A pinging noise drew my attention to the bottom right of the screen.

***

R-Senpai: “Dude, it's past one in the morning. Why are you still awake?”

***

Because I've opened Pandora's box and must atone for my sins. My neck cracked twice when I stretched it. How often have I thought to delete the code and start from scratch? I would have done it if it didn't touch the database systems. At least my manager assigned some resources to help with the problem, but I could have liked some more experienced colleagues. While I have nothing against junior developers, those fresh out of college often come with an unnecessary attitude. Nothing other than the latest and greatest exist in their world, with the term 'legacy code' being downgraded to a curse uttered at code deemed inferior without explaining why. But I digress; their assistance moved the bar twenty percent closer to completion, so I'll keep my complaints to myself.

***

Me: “Wrapping up. I'll be offline in ten minutes.”

R-Senpai: “You suck at lying.”

Me: “Need to practice more, then.”

R-Senpai: “I'd practice aiming. Saved your ass too many times in our last game.”

Me: “Yet it was you who the monsters carried off.”

R-Senpai: “Ugh, don't mention those. I'm still pissed about that damn spider skeeting me out of thin air.”

Me: “Heh, we'll nuke them tomorrow.”

R-Senpai: “If you're still alive. Go to bed, now. Before the shade pops up again.”

Me: “Fine.”

***

Shade... I shifted my gaze to the crumpled note beside the computer. Right.

Nothing else had happened since the encounter, and the existence of the shade girl remained debatable. Further research on the topic proved beyond a doubt the human mind doesn't take kindly to severe exhaustion, and pushing code for sixteen hours a day for the past two weeks qualifies. Maybe this Airiel was the manifestation of a desperate brain yelling at me to quiet down.

But how would that explain the note? I picked up the piece of paper. The words were a whisper of graphite in a font far from my blocky hieroglyphics. I couldn't think of a way this was written by my hand.

“He's right...” I threw the note onto the table with a sigh. “I need rest.”

“... Yes, listen to your friend...”

“Huh?”

“... You need rest... You know this as well...”

“Y... you!”

The white smile widened at my surprise. “... It seems you have found my note...”

“It... was a bit hard to miss.” I swallowed nervously. “Why are you here?”

“... I promised I would visit again... did I not?...”

“But why? Why are you coming here?”

“... I saw somebody in need of comfort... I wished to provide it...”

“Again, why? You don't know me, so what's it to you?”

The shade's head tilted marginally before turning slightly away from me. “...I thought we were alike... two souls... yearning for company...”

Not exactly what I had in mind... unless you're just a figment of it. I bit down on those words. “So, what, you're... lonely?” She nodded her reply. “But... how? I... I'm not even sure you exist... so... ehh... how?”

“... We are beings similar to humans... emotion is not foreign to us... including loneliness...”

“Beings? There's more of your kind?”

“... There are many, indeed...”

“Then why don't you visit them instead?”

“... I did not wish to converse with them... I wished for... a new friend...”

“So, you came to a stranger...”

“... All friends are foreign at the start...”

“Right...” A yawn snuck up on me. “Well, sorry to say, but I'm not the best company tonight. I was just about to hit the bed.” I glanced at said furniture, then back to the shade, as if my suggestion alone would convince my addled mind to stop seeing things.

But she remained.

“... I know... I came to ensure you did...”

“That's creepy. So, eh... if you don't mind...”

“... Sleep well... I will visit again...”

Her disappearance was as rapid as her entry; a blink and she was gone. “Right...” I scratched the back of my head. “That was no hallucination...”

***

PROGRESS... 25%

PROGRESS... 50%

PROGRESS... 75%

PROGRESS... 80%

ERROR

Ugh... I pressed my palm against my forehead as the computer received the bird from my other hand. Three weeks, and while I had a lot to show for it, there was nothing to pass to a reviewer while I caught up on lost sleep. My future remained glued to a chair in a dimly lit room for as long as the computer voiced disapproval.

“Maybe buying it some new memory will make it happy,” I muttered while reaching for the mug. Only a cold puddle of dark sludge remained from the previous trip to my drug dealer, so another visit was due. Once again, I thanked the Creator for giving me a weaker heart than most people. I would have caffeinated myself to death were the stronger stuff within my ability to consume.

I chuckled at the morbid thought. “Hopefully, I'll be released from the code in death.”

“... Do not jest... Death is nothing worth envying...”

The voice was familiar enough not to send me jerking in my chair, but that didn't stop my heart from a rhythmic acceleration. A good thing, I suppose; I'd wager having shadows talk to you isn't something one should grow accustomed to.

“You're back.” The shadow had upgraded from ominously standing next to a wall to ominously sitting in a chair, not unlike a proper lady of ye olden times.

“... As I said I would be...”

“Punctuality remains in the shadow world as well, then.”

“... We have nothing but time...” Her gaze adjusted to look past my shoulder. “...Are you making progress...”

“Not where I want to be, but the end is getting closer.”

“... Then your torment may not last much longer...”

“I really, really hope so.” Joints popped as I unstuck myself from the chair. Coffee... coffee... Only when I reached the door did I realize the shadow had never left the chair, yet its eyes were locked onto me.

“...Please, continue...”

“Uhm... I'm about to make some coffee. Do... you know what that is?”

“... Yes, coffee is not unknown to me...”

Of course she does. Who doesn't know coffee? The urge to hide embarrassment with a head-scratch could not be ignored. “Right, right. Do... you want some?”

“... Sorry... your food is not compatible...”

“Right, right...”

“... But I will accompany you...”

I watched her stroke the back of her legs as she stood up as if to straighten a dress or skirt, yet I didn't see anything resembling one. It must have been an old habit. “Sure. This way.” She took the lead after I held a hand out towards the hall. Each step was measured, but I did not hear a sound as she walked. It is as if she seemed cautious to continue further. But what would a shade have to fear?

“That's the front door.” She turned around when I stopped at a door halfway down the hall. “Kitchen is through here.”

“... I know... I wished to explore...”

“Ah. Well, don't let me keep you.”

She chuckled in return. “...There is always another time...”

“I would assume so.” I stepped into the kitchen and extended my hand.

“STOP” The screech was shrill enough to raise my neck hair and stay my hand. “...Do not touch that...”

“Wh- wh...” The lump in my throat was difficult enough to swallow. My heartbeat throbbing it back up didn't help. “What? Th... the light switch?”'

“... Do not touch that...”

“Okay, you... you can relax. I won't turn it on.” Her eyes only returned to her regular size when I lowered my hand. “Does the light hurt you?”

“... We are beings of shadow... light is painful to us...”

“Okay... okay.” I blew out a deep breath. “Okay...”

“... Sorry...”

“Excuse me?”

“... I have scared you... I should have been gentler...” She shook her head while taking a couple of steps backward. “...Gentler... not forceful...”

“Don't worry about it. You just surprised me.”

“... No... no... I... I must be going... I will return...” She darted down the hall.

“Wait, Airiel, it's...” A small patch of coffee split onto the floor as I rushed to the door, but she was gone when I peeked down the hall. “Of course.” A full minute of waiting failed to resummon her. In the end, I could only retreat to the caffeine dispenser.

“Right, right...” The machine dispensed liquid drugs with a whirr. Was it my sixth cup of the day? Seventh? I couldn't even remember. I glanced at the hall when the machine finished but found only emptiness.

“No. Staring at corridors won't fix the bugs.” Warmth returned to my fingers when I picked up the mug, and my mouth gave its approval after a sip. Muffled footsteps puffed from the floor as I left the kitchen. “Don't go running after shadows...”

***

... No... no, no, no, no... I should not have left...