Floating Worlds

“What was that?” Baby Doll asked when she came to.

“You saw it too?” Botan asked. Baby Doll turned her head.

“What did I just see?” she asked.

“The memories of your friend,” he said. The angel tilted her head.

“Did you see it?” she asked.

“Just traces,” Botan said.

“How does it happen?” Baby Doll asked.

“It just happens in this place. You just ride along with it. Honestly, it keeps me from going insane.”

The angel nodded a bit “I can see that. How often do you see them?”

“Not much.”

“Huh?”

“Do you have anyone you’re close to on the outside?”

“Yes.”

“That’s why you can see them easily.”

“And what about you? Do you have anyone out there?”

“No. I have no one on the outside.”

“Why?”

Baby Doll thought about that for a moment. “Well… Don’t you get lonely here?”

“Lonely?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

Baby Doll tried to think of how to put that. She realized that even she didn’t have the right words to explain the concept of being lonely. The angel gave up and shrugged her shoulders.

“So you have no one at all?” she asked again.

“No,” Botan said.

“Do you remember if you had anyone?”

“No.”

“Do you even remember anything about yourself?”

“No.”

“Hm.”

“And what about you?”

Baby Doll cocked her head. “What do you mean?”

“How do you still have all of your memories? You haven’t been judged yet?”

The angel shook her head. “No, I haven’t, really.”

“Why is that?” Botan asked. Baby Doll sat up straighter in her chair.

“I am trying to find out who killed me and bring them to justice,” she answered with resolve in her voice.

“What will you do if you can’t find them?” he asked. She was about to answer when she heard the footsteps again.

No. Not footsteps. An actual heartbeat.

Baby Doll’s eyes grew as wide as saucers.

“Masayuki?” she asked.