• Cold.
    Cold.
    Wind.
    Frost.

    The sun was outside, though the ground stayed frozen. A low wind dripped down the streets.

    His feet carried him carefully over the slippery ground; hands held out to his side to keep his balance. A deep green scarf was wrapped around his throat, protecting his pale neck from the biting, angry wind. A smile moved across his lips as he took a breath of the chilly air. A jacket was locked tight around his upper body, hiding his slender build. Black boots climbed to his knee, silver buckles shining in the sunlight to keep them in place. Black pants coated his lower body.

    He hugged his arms around himself, pressing the strap of his old bag to his chest; dark brown eyes skirting back and forth, taking in the outside world. "Wonderful," he purred to himself as he moved further along the street. He was alone on the street. Alone. He looked again and yes, he was utterly alone. There was no person, no moving cars, no real sign of life on this road, street. He stopped.

    There should have at least been a feel to the air, the distant brush of cars, a twist in the air that let one know that they were still on earth but... Nothing, there was nothing. No one. No sound. Just empty.

    His pale hands with his long, slender fingers slid out of sight into the deep hiding slits of his jacket pockets. Though he was less sure now, he pressed himself to move onward.


    His head was bowed, eyes rising to watch his movement through a curtain of his light brown hair. Something was about to happen, he knew that much. He could feel it. It was mixed in with the nothingness that he breathed in the air. What was going to happen? He did not know. He could only guess. Would a car come out of no where and hit him? Would he be robbed? Could he fall into a hole of nothingness and be lost forever and ever?


    He laughed softly at the idea. "Falling into a hole of nothingness forever and ever," he smirked, his back straightening. "I've been reading too many books." His shoulders rotated, adjusting the strap that was already tight against his body. "Mhmm."

    One of the main streets of this town appeared in the distance. He raised an eyebrow as he walked onward. No cars were on the road, roaring down the pavement hell to some place that didn't need them rushing fifty miles per hour. No cars moving. No cars… "Where is everyone?" he asked himself, turning his head to the left. The houses stood tall and empty.

    "You shouldn't talk to yourself," a deep voice sounded beside him. The young man jumped, snapping his head to the right. "People will think you are insane."

    "Oh... uh..." he blinked at this new man. "I'm sorry if you view me as insane now. Heh, I was only trying to make some noise so it didn't seem so.... empty out." He shook his head, extending his hand, "My name is Lloyd, by the way." He was always taught to be polite.

    The other man stopped beside Lloyd, his eyes dropping to his offered hand. He blinked and Lloyd's hand hesitated, started to draw back. "Hello, Lloyd." He pulled his hand out of his pocket and met Lloyd's, shaking with a firm, hearty shake.

    "Hello..." Lloyd smiled nervously, "I'm sorry. I never caught your name."

    "I never gave it to you."

    "Oh... yeah, that would be why."

    The man smiled, his hand pushing back in the depth of his black jacket. His eyes slowly rolled down Lloyd's body, taking in the scarf, pack, his legs and boots. Lloyd stood, passing his weight to the other foot. Something about this other man made him uncomfortable for some reason.

    "So.. can I help you with something?" his hands grasped the strap of his bag, brown eyes falling on the other man as an unsure smile broke across his lips.