Starting Afresh

stand where I am now. ”

”… ”

Yeah, theres no way shed believe me.

Im sure she knows Ive never met anyone alone unless it was under work-based circumstances. I never did. Not in the twenty five years she was my secretary, and certainly not in the thirty years Ive been hopping in and out of law firms.

”his 34th anniversary. ”

”should I call the others to put together something special? ”

”yeah. Im sure hed like that. ”

Its nice how she can understand anything with just the most vague of hints.

I passed by Tina who was now on her phone.

She was probably calling someone to get the incense and cloth before I get out of the door.

Ah, one of the reasons I just love Tina. Too bad Im too old to get married to her. Otherwise, Im sure wed have been married by now.

I made my way over to the towering archway to go outside, and soon enough, I was met by one of the hundreds of support workers who handed me 3 incense sticks and some tissues and cloth.

I wasn planning on cleaning his grave too much, but it wouldn hurt to be a little more respectful, I guess.

I called over my chauffer and told him to drive me to Sylvan Cemetery.

I never liked limos since they were too long and inconvenient when compared to car brands, but I have to live up to my reputation.

The transparent elevator that seems to go up and down with no strings attached would be a perfect example of that. Pun unintended.

I told my chauffer to pick me up in half an hour.

Though I only visited him once, I remember his grave was somewhere around the far corners of the cemetery. It was in a corner hidden by overgrown willows and weeds.

I made my way over to the corner that smelled and looked the worst, but it was the wrong area, so I followed the prison-like fence till I reached another corner.

This corner on the other hand was much more terrifying. It looked like something right out of a horror game.

The house-like thing next to a few graves and dying willows made it much scarier than I wouldve liked.

I remember someone saying that house thing was the grave of a king who died a thousand years ago.

Well, I guess Joes grave must be around here somewhere, seeing as there are those willows over there.

Barbara Mustache, 2008-2022. Mustache?

Carlos Fatman, 2008-2022. Fat… man?

Wait, weren these two Joes friends!? Well, Carlos didn seem to like him, and he didn seem to like Barbara, but…

Ah! Here it is! Joseph… Stalin… why is he? nevermind. It must be someone with the same name. Just whatever you do, Alex. Do NOT look at the year. Okay Alex? No year.

*deep breaths*

Joseph Armadillo, 2008-2024.

Ah here it is. But why is his grave so clean?

I mean, it is still dirty, but not as dirty as the other graves in this place. It even looks tended to, but not very often.

”I don think he had many friends other than me and the people he knew in preschool? But I don think any of them live around here? ”

”gee. I must be crazy. Talking to myself. ”

……

”hey Joe, why did you seem happy when you died? ” I asked as if he were there.

”why did you kill them? Honestly, theres so much I want to ask you… but now I can … ”

”sorry Joe. I shouldve visited you before. ”

Now, I was just a moping mess bending down on his grave when suddenly, ZAP.

Well, it was closer to a low buzz than a ZAP.

I opened my eyes, not to see the ember-coloured sun set peeking through the openings throughout the leafless and dying willows, but instead, I saw a black sky.

The place I was in wasn something new to me. It was quite a familiar sight.

If a third party saw this, theyd think Im some magic person or whatever its called.

But this area Im in is actually not a place, but a sight.

Ten or so years ago, I was forced to take on a really difficult case. You know how in Chinese manhwa, the MC is always fighting someone really strong and influential?

Well, Joe said not many people will get it, but I think otherwise. Anyways, that person always makes things harder for the MC. Hed always make the MC fight super strong monster and stuff. Well, my situation was kind of like that.

I offended a big shot from the Fǎlǜ zhìxù zhī jiā. Its a Chinese law firm that has deep roots into American law.

Well, I was forced defend an alleged drug lord and prostitution manager. Prostitution, where I live in, is legal. But only on the streets and etc. Organized prostitution was made illegal in every way possible. The prostitutes couldn be charged, so my client had to take the fall for them as well.

When I started winning the case, my fame started to skyrocket. At the time, I was just your average lawyer. Maybe better than the average, but still.

One day, I was going home after miraculously leaving with my client and his three months in minimum security prison when we were attacked by someone. Unfortunately, my client died and my eyes were damaged.

Three or so years ago, I caught the man who assaulted us, but the damage to my eyes is irreversible. That is, if I want my already declining cognitive ability intact.

Im not sure if it was because I was jealous of people who had a higher cognitive ability or what, but the fading of my vision is becoming more and more common.

It became a really big issue when I had to go on national TV, blind. Luckily, only the assisting judges realized what happened.

They were able to whisper to me constantly about what was happening, and through years of hammering away at that poor piece wood, I was able to get though it.

Orange light started flooding my sight, just as I expected.

No..? The light is white? Im pretty sure it can be just yet?

Or could it be that Im dying? Or maybe even dead?

Wait… I still have so many regrets… not.

The only thing I regret is letting Joe die, and not marrying Tina. No, wouldn that be the only two things I regret?

But, there is one more thing I must try to say, no?

”week… ”

”sir? Are you feeling weak? ”

Tina? Oh, it must be Tina at my death bed…

”weekly uploads at midnight… ”

”SIR! YOU CANT DIE NOW! ”

*dies*

~in honor of my Chinese manhwa addict of a friend.