Joe awakens with a start—not entirely realizing he had fallen asleep—and before him, across the fire, squats a small, thin man with ghostly pale skin, garbed in a shabby suit and coat, wearing small black circular sunglasses and a top hat. The fire is reflected in his glasses and he takes a sip from a bottle in his hand before looking absently around the alcove and sniffing the air. “Are you awake, then?”

Gathering in his surroundings, Joe notices that the man has put more wood on the fire. Then, Joe spots his lunchbox sitting next to him and contemplates going for his knife, but then, he pauses and watches as the little man still turns his head about looking at seemingly nothing in particular. Suspicious, he waves at the man, who appears to pay no mind. “I’m awake, yeah.”

The man looks toward Joe now and smiles; a rotten smile at that. “Good sleep?”

“I guess.” Joe rubs his neck and sits up.

“Name’s Ghede.” The man waves, “Hello.”

“Uh, my name’s Joe.”

“Ah, Joe. Joseph Takanara.”

Joe, agape, “How…”

“Walt told me. He was blathering on about it quite a bit. Considering no one else comes around these parts, when I felt the fire, I assumed you had built it.”

“Where’s Walt now?”

“Don’t know. Hadn’t seen him for a few days—that was when he was heading down to look for you.”

“You mean when he’d found me.”

“No. I think he was still looking for you.”

Joe sits and contemplates this for a moment. Then, without segue, “Are you blind?”

“Yup.”

“Is this your bed, because I—“

“Don’t worry. There’s not much point in being down here and being blind and then thinking there’s such a thing as a possession.”

“I’d really meant to pay you—whoever—back in some way.”

“Well, your money’s no good here.”

“It must be really difficult… uh… navigating around down hear without being able to see.”

“I make due.”

“Do you stay down here, or… maybe you would like some help. I’m trying to get out of here.”

“Oh. Well, that’s interesting, but no, I don’t really want to leave. I’ve got a nice job down here.”

“What do you do?”

“I’m the undertaker.”

Read the whole thread: The Hunger Engine

Characters and Places: Ghede, Joe Takanara