Oleander's Journal

The thin man found himself fleeing to the concession stands once more. It was something familiar, ever so slightly more than anything else here. A man who always reverted to known safety, known familiarity, anything to help calm his nerves. He had been here previously, so it was recognizable. He knew the exits, he knew his escape routes. There wasn’t much that was familiar in this place, having been reincarnated and thrust into such a strange and often terrifying position.

The grip around the briefcase tightened as the grey eyes darted around the plainly furnished room. Two exits, one the way he came from, while the other was through some oak double doors on the wall adjacent to him. There was a wide table, covered with a white tablecloth with food and drink on display. Oleander was not hungry, not when his nerves wrapped around his stomach as tightly as he gripped the briefcase. He inched along the wall, nearing the table and slid quietly behind it, staring at the display. Small in stature, he looked kind of like a rabbit and certainly had the mentality to match. The trembling was ever present, even if no one else was.

『︎ You called to your echo; your echo replied. 』︎

“O-oh! My apologies, I-I’m…” the man stuttered, nervously licking his chapped lips. He looked back down at his dress shoes, backing farther against the wall. It was comforting in a way to know there were other people who dressed as formally as he, but not comforting enough to calm the salaryman down. His dull grey eyes trailed the long table as he gingerly reached for a glass. His trembling hands poured some water before he retreated to the corner once more. It seemed he had no intention of introducing himself nor even interacting with the other.

Oleander quietly sipped the cold liquid, staring to the side. He didn’t want to seem rude as to staring at the other who had just entered, but it was hard not to as a prey animal. He wanted to see the danger, and anything that could be dangerous. He needed to see everything to make calculations, to find an exit, to stay alive. Ironically.

『︎ You called to your echo; your echo replied. 』︎

The man recoiled upon the other approaching him. He seemed to shrink under the figure, his eyes looking around frantically for an exit. His fight or flight reflexes screamed at him, and he chose to be a deer… in the headlights… and freeze. He flinched upon the asking of his name, the shaking becoming worse with each syllable. He gripped the briefcase handle tight, perhaps he would use it as a weapon if need be.

The slight backing up did little to ease poor Oleander’s nerves. If he were to take on any other kind of animal, he surely would’ve struck the other. The appearance of the other didn’t assist their case either. His thin frame cowered in the corner. In order to hopefully confirm his safety, he thought it best to answer the question.

“I- O-Oleander,” he whispered very quietly. It was very much a one-sided reply.

『︎ You called to your echo; your echo replied. 』︎

Not only was he unnerved, but now bombarded with questions. The difference between the two was startling. The pale man who shook so fiercely it was a miracle he was still standing. His thin gaunt neck that Julian could probably wrap his hands around with ease. The black tie that adorned that thin neck, which matched his dark suit. The dull, tired eyes that shot around with the speed of a cheetah on crack. His short height, his light weight, everything about him seemed frail and weak. A truly pitiful man.

“I-I.. a-actually, it’sss- it’s Tragedy,” the salaryman stammered upon the second question that was more of an assumption. The deity of hollowness, hollow.. how interesting. Oleander could relate faintly to the hollow feeling, after all, he was just a replaceable husk in life. He was very much a background character, not even worth a stare, just passing through. He gave a stiff smile, barely, faintly, ever so slightly.

“M-my name.. i-isn’t that- that i-interesting.” It wasn’t. A highly poisonous flower. Oleander couldn’t remember his real name anymore. Just, Oleander. Upon death and entering this strange world, it seemed he forgot his identity. Well, his name, really. He didn’t remember who he was, which was typical in this situation, right? Ripped from the supposedly peaceful eternal slumber to exist in this cruel adaptation of life.

『︎ You called to your echo; your echo replied. 』︎

The man froze, scared shitless when Julian put a hand on his cheek. He paled even further, if that was even possible. He looked like he was about to faint, he didn’t luckily. Not yet. His fear instincts screamed internally at him, finally raising his briefcase as a sad attempt at a barrier between them.

Upon having a stick of lip balm forced into his unburdened hand. He was confused about the whole action and kind of just stared at the unopened chapstick. He knew his lips were chapped, it was a given since he  lacked the will to take care of himself properly. Although a mostly gentle action, it was unnerving to receive it by such a large person.

I think I’ll call you Ol.

Well, this certainly wasn’t the first time someone decided to “name” the poor man. Oleander didn’t care who called him what, frankly. It didn’t matter to him, as long as he wasn’t in danger, which was questionable in this situation. What was Julian’s birth name? He decided it was better not to ask questions, at least at the moment.

A wave of relief washed over him as Julian backed away to drink his cola.. soda, pop, whatever. It was an odd statement, something that really confused Oleander. He bit his lip gently, shoving the chapstick into his suit pocket not really knowing what to do with it.

“I- Um… thanks..?”

『︎ You called to your echo; your echo replied. 』︎

Out of fear, the man nodded slowly, agreeing to the plan. A plan which he had barely heard due to his racing heart that thumped loudly in his ears. It was the natural instinct to do anything to stay alive, which included agreeing to whatever in hopes of ensuring your survival. Something so ingrained within the man that it became a part of him, the need to survive. It was ingrained with in his body, his instinctual physical personality, and not his mental condition.

It was strange. Strange how the man was made of contradictions. He felt the primal need to survive, yet he couldn’t care any less about living. He made no attempts to make his life better, when he was alive, and yet here he was, almost begging for his life. There was always that uncertainty, if he did survive what would he do? Where would he go? Oleander didn’t know, nor cared to know.

“Y-y-yes… sure..” The offer of protection by such a large entity was indeed an appealing offer to Oleander, so he was eager to take it. Although still anxious around the other, his grip loosened from the briefcase, revealing some sort of calming down. A very faint sign. But if Julian gave protection to him, what did Julian want in return? There was always something wanted in these sort of situations.

“W-what do you… want f-from me?”

『︎ You called to your echo; your echo replied. 』︎

He winced slightly from the touch, but relaxed slightly when he realized it was just a head pat and not a threatening gesture. You know, maybe Julian wasn’t as scary as he originally though, still pretty scary though. The height difference really added to the intimidation scale for the short man. Having never truly had a friend either, at least one that survived, he was as clueless as the other. How could he be so sure this man would not die? Everything died that connected to him, tragically but that was a given since he was the deity of tragedy.

Oleander attention was pulled from his internal monologue when the other spoke once more. Roommates?  He had a roommate previously, but that deity just up  and left, cementing the poor man’s thoughts that everyone left him eventually. He had been enjoying his private quarters, but seeing as Julian was so adamant on everything else, it appeared he really had no other choice.

The man loosened the tie around his thin neck slightly, the air suddenly feeling very suffocating to him. The tension between the two men never faded, still very much a predator and prey situation.

“S-sure.. that’s o-okay..” Oleander replied quietly. “… I d-did have a r-roommate p-previously… but he’s n-not there anymore.” He added quickly.