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The figure of a man steps onto the cliffside landing with his hands in his pockets. You don't move as he approaches. The end of a cigarette glows red and through the cloud of smoke, you recognize that it's-
"Oh hey Ed," you say.
"Hey, Manager," Ed says.
"Out for a walk?"
"Fine time as any."
Ed stands next to you on the railing, his face set out towards the deep waters. You take a closer look at him, just to confirm it. Yeah. It's still the same old Ed, after all these years. A question worms its way into your mouth.
"Hey, Ed. You remember that time I loaned you $20?" Ed blinks sleepily before reaching into his pocket. Jesus Christ, it *is* him. "Wait. I'm not here to collect taxes or anything. I just wanted to know if it's you."
Fuck, that was a lame thing to say.
"I'm still me, boss," Ed says. He waves a finger through the air. "It was for the bloodfish research project, right? The one with the indoor tank that spilled and everything."
"Yes! That's the one!." You smack a fist against your palm. The cold vanishes all of a sudden as your brain starts heating up. "I couldn't eat fishsticks after a week after that. All the blood and guts spilling out like pinata candy. And that fucking lunch lady with the knife-!"
"You threw up in the middle of the cafeteria a few times afterward." Ed laughs, then turns to look at your face now. "You must be Ace, right?"
"Yeah, it's me Ed."
"What have you been up to since our high school days..?"
"Well, come to think of it..."
The two of you spend a long time surrounded by the dark roaring ocean, talking about everything and nothing in your lives.
"... and me and Jim never saw that blue woman or that other lunatic again."
"It's one of those chance encounters in life. What can you do, you know? <span class="mu-i">C'est la vie!</span>"
Ed faces the horizon and his smile slowly fades.
"I saw light for just a moment, maybe I'll see it again tomorrow."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Hell if I know." You turn to look at Ed. Ed looks at you. The two of you burst into awkward, mutual laughter.
"Why are you out here?"
"Eh?" You chuckle. "Well, that's a pretty heavy question, you know. Maybe it's God who put us under His earth and all the things spinning around it. Maybe-"
"I mean. You could look at it like that. But what I really meant was." Ed flicks the cigarette butt into the air, sending it spinning down into the surf. "Why'd you start working for P Company?"
"Oh. Well..."
>"I was dead broke. P Company was hiring. Nothing more."
>"I didn't expect it at first, but I'm starting to like this management gig."
>"I'm just trying to figure something out. Things aren't so good back home."
>"..." Just turn and look away. The memories are long out here.
>Write in?
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