Troubled
Author: Ukari (translated with author’s permission, please visit their website to see the original Japanese works!)
To say here is far, and to call yonder nearby. Stories on the edge of the every day, strange tales you may or may not be moved by. Strange, curious, fantastic stories told by me, you, him and her. There are many stories but they’re all concluded within a single page, each story around 200 to 1200 characters in length, a short story collection you can easily read. Please enjoy them. Updated every Saturday at 6pm.
***
As we agreed long ago, I went to his house.
It was agreed he would handle the drinks and snacks. All I had to do was show up. Easy.
As I wandered down the dark street, it was oddly bright. Looking up, there was a lovely full moon.
It wasn’t the original idea behind this get together, but it seemed I might get to partake of some autumn moon viewing liquor.
I rang the bell, and his surly face appeared. It wasn’t like he was in a bad mood. This was just how he looked, like his parents had just died.
I walked into his house like I owned the place, sat down across from him at the table, and then realised something.
“What’s wrong?”
“Hmm?”
“Your eye. One of them is closed.”
“…Tonight’s a full moon, right?”
“Yeah.”
“If you keep both eyes open on a night like this, you’ll see things you really don’t need to see.”
And that was even more troublesome.
After saying that, he opened two cans of beer. He slid one across the table to me.
“Ah, so you can see ghosts. That’s rough.”
“You’re the one who’s bothering me.”
“Don’t say that. It’s the anniversary of my death, hang with me for a bit.”
Somewhere, a wind chime rang.