[69]

[silversnowfall]

[It was almost a relief, to hear about so many people going home recently, even as more were due to arrive.

It was too sad to mention, knowing that one of those people was Professor Nebilim. That she wasn't really returning to anything. Just to the completion of a sad tale of a boy who thought he should be able to do everything.

And now Nephry is lonely. She has been, off and on, for a while; she feels it especially strongly today. At first she tried cleaning the kitchen but now she's sitting there, chin against her hands, staring at the table. With almost half of the house away or out of commission...things are quiet.

In the silence, she turns to her journal for a while.]

What do you believe happens...when you die?

Comments

[voice]

[silversnowfall]

You do need to wait about seven days, I suppose.

[voice]

[neverplaysfair]

But there's no risk to it. Or to put it a different way, no thrill.

[voice]

[silversnowfall]

So you find death "thrilling." I understand that risks are necessary sometimes, but those that might kill you...

[voice]

[neverplaysfair]

When there's no entertainment in living, flirting with death starts to have its appeal. There's a reason the phrase "so bored you could die" exists, after all.

[voice]

[silversnowfall]

I don't believe any life is so terrible as to "flirt" with death instead.

[voice]

[neverplaysfair]

In that case, you haven't been bored enough. Hee hee.

[voice]

[silversnowfall]

[This conversation is not going to go well, is it.]

And when you finish your game?

[voice]

[neverplaysfair]

[ Get Joshua onto the subject of death and conversations rarely do. ]

As I said, you get the chance to return to life. If you've survived that long, of course.

[voice]

[silversnowfall]

...If you are already dead, why is there a need to survive?

[voice]

[neverplaysfair]

The dead can be Erased. And in that case, they're gone, no questions asked.

[voice]

[silversnowfall]

[Okay, she'll bite.]

How does one become "erased"?

[voice]

[neverplaysfair]

Some say it's what happens when the soul can't hold itself together.

[voice]

[silversnowfall]

I suppose I meant...how do you lose this game? Or how do you win?

[voice]

[neverplaysfair]

You lose when you're Erased. You win if you survive. It's quite simple in the end.

[voice]

[silversnowfall]

[There's a lot he isn't saying. She can tell.]

Can everyone who plays win?

[voice]

[neverplaysfair]

I don't think there's anything that says they can't. But as far as I know, that's never happened.