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Shattered and Broken


S u r i

Grim Reaper
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(This is Arc 1 of a manga/novel that I've started to write. It's unfinished, and more will come as I write it. Enjoy, or not.)

Shiri: Make A Difference

Shiri is walking through a park during the Summer season. He sees a lot of children playing on the swingsets, sliding down the slides, climbing the monkey bars, etc. After walking for a while, he finds a bench and sits down, continuing to watch the children play amongst themselves. He then spots a group of kids who seem to be friends. They seem to be having some sort of briefing about a game they're about to play. Shiri's lips tug at the corners, not into a smile, but into a saddened frown.

Shiri: The world can be a terrible place. Cruel, unforgiving. Death can be even worse. The indiscriminate choices that Death makes, and the cruel ways that he chooses to complete his job. Many people say that death is all we have to look forward to, and that there is no other, higher place that we end up in. On the other hand, many people say that there is a place we go to...that we don't just die, decompose in the ground, and become part of the huge circle of life. I personally don't care about what's after death. I honestly don't really want to know. I've simply seen too much of it.
There are many perspectives when it comes to the death. Of course, there's the person who's about to die. They might or might not have the most difficult job in the entire situation, depending. Then there are the people who have to sit and watch. Sit and watch the person they love or care about suffer and eventually let go of everything. You don't have to be dead in order to witness death itself. That's me. I've watched so many people close to me pass away...and I'm tired of it.

After several moments of watching the children play what seems to be a game incorporating knights and demons, Shiri stands up. His parted hair covers his face, but the signs of tears are very evident as they race down his cheeks. He walks out of the park and toward a currently unspecified direction. A long ways behind him, there's a young woman with silver-white hair. Without Shiri noticing, the woman begins to follow and watch him. Meanwhile, Shiri's mind goes back in time, and a scene from his past begins to unfold.​

Shiri's Past: Part 1
Shiri, now thirteen, is with three other kids in a park. They don't seem to be up to anything, and are just sitting around talking and hanging out. Shiri and a girl who seemed the same age as him were talking, and another girl of their age was just sitting in the grass drawing something into a sketchbook. Another kid, about two years younger than everyone else, was merely listening as if content with just being there with them.​

Shiri, leaning against a rail in front of a swingset: Yeah, I guess you're right. He'll probably end up telling her he loves her at the end of the series. I mean...don't they all? It would make sense, unless they throw in some weird plot twist.
Black-haired 14-year old girl, swinging as Shiri watched: See? When you watch enough shows like that, you start to predict what'll happen in other shows. It's like they're all reading the same book or something. But hey, have you been watching that one anime. I forgot the name...the one with the guy who never leaves his room? It came out this week. The opening seemed a bit freaky, but the first episode was a bit boring.
Shiri: Oh yeah, I read up on that. It's listed as a psychological horror series on my sites. I bet it's probably gonna lead up to that. Who knows.

14-year old white-haired girl drawing, gestures for Shiri and the other girl to come over: Shiri, Rayka, come over here. Look at this.

Shiri stands up and Rayka jumps off of the swing, they both walk over to where Lyn and the quiet boy were​

Rayka, with an upbeat and friendly smile: What's up Lyn?

Shiri and Rayka stand beside Lyn, looking at what she had drawn. Apparently she drew a group picture of them. There wasn't much time invested into the picture, but it was still pretty well done. Eventually the quiet boy joined them in looking as well, a grin coming to his face. The group seems closely knit, and it's evident in the way they nudge and look at each other with friendly eyes.​

Rayka: Hah! I bet Maria would wanna see this. She should be getting back from the doctor any minute now. Save it until she sees it!
Lyn, making a few more adjustments: Good idea!
Shiri: Hey, I know...how about we all add something to it and then have Maria add to it when she gets here?
The quiet boy, looked to Shiri and nodded, a calm smile coming to his face: Yeah...I bet that'll make it even awesome-er.
Rayka, nudging at the quiet boy playfully: Don't draw all over Maria's face, Yun.
Yun: I won't...But she can't draw on mine, then.
Lyn, giggling: You two are always arguing and fighting, it's so cute.
Yun: C-Cute?!
Shiri: Hey, stop teasin' the poor kid. Even if it might be true.
Yun: Sh-Shiri?!

The four of them toss the conversation back and forth, often with laughter and jokery. Eventually, even Yun decided to join in on the fun, even if it did all start at his expense. As they were laughing, a girl the same as Yun had entered the park. She was looking around, and, after having spotted them, approached them. The group noticed her and waved, all with smiles on their faces. Rayka says, “Hey Maria!” as she waves happily to their friend. As the eleven year old girl got closer, her face doesn't seem happy at all. In fact...it's the exact opposite.​
-End Scene-​

Shiri, in his thoughts: Having only one parent, you'd think that Maria would be calmer, and more reserved. You'd be wrong if you did. Maria was always so energetic and happy. She was like a bright light that refused to dim out. In a sense, we all needed someone like Maria around. Maria always tried to find a way to cheer everyone up if they were feeling like crap. That day, when she came back from her doctor's visit...it seemed like that bright light went down a notch...

While Shiri walks, the almost ghost-like figure of Maria would appear walking beside him. She appears just as Shiri remembers her, a happy go lucky girl that had no care in the world. She's wearing a smile on her face, and her eyes seem bright for an ethereal figure. As they walk, the 'ghost' of Maria would tell her story.​

Maria: My mom was all the real family I had. That is...until I met Rayka, Yun, Shiri, and Lyn. They always helped my mom when they could. There were just some things she couldn't do because of her work, but she always tried to do her best as a mom. And, in my eyes, I had the best family I could ever ask for. Rayka was like a big sister to me, and Lyn was too. Shiri was a brother...and a father-figure for me when he needed to be. Yun...Well Yun was like the bratty brother that I would always pick on and stuff. Like I said, the best family I could ever want...even if they weren't all my real family. And after my eleventh birthday...My family would seem closer to me then ever.

This is a placeholder for Maria's story

Shiri's Past: Part 2​
Shiri is still thirteen. In this scene, Yun is being teased by Maria. His hair is messy because he forgot to comb it, and it simply won't go the way he'd like it to go. Yun seems annoyed, and slightly angry at Maria's incessant teasing.​
Yun: Leave me alone, Maria...

Maria is poking Yun in the tummy, laughing and jeering at him.​

Maria: Look at your hair, it's like you tried to fight a tornado!

Maria reaches for Yun's hair, but Yun jerks his head away.​

Maria: Haahaa!

Maria pokes at Yun, who grabbed her hands. They begin to grapple with each other.​

Rayka, trying not to laugh at Yun's hair: Maria, stop teasing Yun.
Shiri: You have to admit...his head looks like...

Shiri starts to snicker, staring at Yun's disheveled hair. Eventually, he starts to laugh loudly.​

Shiri, while laughing: I...I'm sorry, dude. It just looks....Hahahah!

Yun manages to push Maria away and looks at Rayka and Shiri. He looks pretty angry. In the end, however, he starts to laugh with them. The group laughs with each other, mostly at Yun's hair. Yun looks at a small puddle, staring at his reflection. The laughing starts to die down, and he sighs. Trying to fix it, he lets out an amused groan. Shiri, Rayka, and Maria gather around him and try to fix his hair. In the end, they just give up and Yun shoves his usual beanie onto his head. With a grin, he looks up to his friends.​

Shiri places his hand on Yun's head, smiling: Better. Looks much better.

Yun sees Maria behind Rayka, who is staring at him. Maria furrows her brows and makes a weird face at him. Yun does the same, and Rayka notices the silent fight between them.

Rayka: Stop it, you two lovebirds. I swear, it's like you're both so perfect for each other.
Maria, retaliates almost immediately: Th-That's like so gross. Ew. Me and Yun is –

Yun interrupts Maria with a coughing fit, his face contorting and his body jerking with each violent cough. Shiri kneels down and rubs Yun's back, and Rayka looks at Yun with inreasing concern. Maria, however, seems the most concerned of all of them. Looking from behind Yun, her eyes show immense concern and her mouth is agape with worry.​

Yun, getting over his coughing fit, shakes his head. He pants lightly: I'm okay...I'm okay.
Shiri: Are you sure? Do you need a drink? Maybe we should get out of the weather and go inside somewhere.
Rayka: Yeah, let's go get something to eat, Yun. I bet we're all pretty hungry. Right Maria?
Maria, still looking at Yun with intense concern: Y-Yeah...
Yun nods silently and looks at Maria, who's quick to wipe the concern and worry from her face: Alright...
Rayka: Where should we go?
Shiri: What about Kyoka's? You guys wanna go there?

Maria nods, smiling happily to Rayka and Shiri. Yun just shrugs, and Maria steals a quick, sympathetic look at him before looking away.​

Shiri, taking out his cell phone: I'll call Lyn and see if she's finished with cram school.

With that, the group decides to go to a restaurant and that ends the scene.

Shiri, in his thoughts: Yun...His parents weren't idol citizens of society, and you wouldn't call them your average people either. No...they were the kind of people that stooped so low, that no one wanted anything to do with them. Beyond help, beyond reason, and beyond forgiveness. That's what Yun always said about them. We all had to be there for Yun, and we were...

As Shiri walks, the image of a young boy wearing a beanie slowly fades into sight beside him. He's wearing a very calm, reserved face. This is Yun. His image won't be as defined, and it'll be faded and somewhat ethereal. As he walks beside Shiri, he'll be telling his story.

Yun: I lived most of my life as a ward of the state. I drifted from family to family, and I never really cared for any of them. To me...I only had one family. Shiri, Rayka, Lyn, and Maria. When I was five years old, all the other five-year olds and I were barely getting used to the world around us. I didn't know very much at the time, but I knew enough to know that my parents weren't around for me. When I turned six...everything was suddenly dropped on me like a bag of bricks...

This is a placeholder for Yun's story
 
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