The Stranger That Changed Everything

Written by: Hakase Shirou

It started outside, specifically between Shibuya and Tokyo on the side of the road. I had tried to end my life, unsuccessfully though.

           You see, my life wasn’t the best. The friends I had once known in school or college pushed me aside and left me stranded, my mother had died from a cancer she had fought all her life. During the time she was suffering I got a job at a grocery store, the moment I had enough money to save her life, she died. I was left distorted and broken, and so brings me here. Alone

Let’s rewind, I aboard a train that went from Shibuya to Aokigahara, which is the place where people go to kill themselves. A fitting end, for a fitting person. I tried to hang myself on a tree branch, it snapped.

           Which brings me here, on the side of the road walking home, I took a train halfway and decided to walk the rest of the way. Maybe when I get home I can end my life in a room, alone.

           I lament the things I have done in my life, such as some things I could have done, but never did because of my reluctance. As I walked past the convenience store along Tokaidaigaku Street I accidentally bumped into someone and kept walking, or I would have, there was something off about the stranger. I could feel it.

           I turn around and as I do the stranger in turn does the same.

           We look at each other for a few seconds and the stranger takes the initiative. “Where are you going, my friend?” The Stranger asks me.

           I want to answer the stranger’s question, but my mouth has empty words. “It seems as though you cannot answer me, no problem, my friend.” The Stranger says.

           “Come here and walk alongside me. I promise you won’t regret it.” Says the Stranger.

           As suggested, I went beside them and walked the opposite way from which I planned to walk. We walk for about three minutes in silence, the sound of our footsteps accompanying us. The sounds of trains being stationed and departing from one destination to another.

           “Tell me friend, what were you planning to do after you went to your destination?” The Stranger asked. The problem was that I couldn’t just tell a stranger what was wrong with my life. I could only come up with coughs as my neck was still strained from the rope.

           “I see, you cannot speak, if you were able to you still wouldn’t be able to answer my question.” The Stranger surveyed. We stopped in front of a rail crossing.

           “Watch me, my friend.” The stranger leaps faithfully across the rail crossing.

           “Come here my friend.” Said the stranger waving a hand above their head. The problem was that I was nervous because the gate had been notifying me through a sound that the train was coming.

           The Stranger takes notice and leaps across the barrier gates and stands next to me. “Listen my friend, if you don’t go pass the gates nothing will change, I see the suffering in your eyes, and it hurts me so to see someone like this.”

           “Think about it like this, my friend if you don’t move, nothing will change. Your life, day, night, your time, yourself.” The Stranger tells me.

           I felt a tap on my back, I moved forward and hopped over the gate barrier and went to the other side, then the train went right passed me. I collapsed on the ground and realized I could’ve died.

           “You must have realized it, my friend. You felt what it was like to die and be grateful for your own life. I see it now, your soul for a moment refused to die. If you wouldn’t have crossed that crossing, then you would’ve died. But you didn’t, maybe somewhere deep in your heart you don’t want to die.”

           They were right, somewhere inside me, there was a force that wanted to keep going. To see my life through to the end.

           “Come now, there’s still more to explore in this world.” The Stranger says and helps me up, then we proceed from the railway crossing into a shinkansen, which brings us to our next location Akihabara.

           The Stranger takes the lead by grabbing my hand and helps me get past people who have either a night job they need to attend or meetings to be at. We arrive in the shopping area, and the Stranger proceeds to lead me to a bench. He urges me to sit down, so I do.

           “My friend, take a close look around you, what do you see?” At his question I look around, people, all of them are happy, whether it be night or day they were still happy. Families acquire gifts for a special occasion or for someone else, maybe a birthday. Friends who have been together since the beginning of time, hand in hand, being happy. The lights, the lights are what amazed me most, almost so that I was smiling. The Stranger took notice.

           “You see, some things you just need to realize and feel. Be grateful for what’s around you, whether it’s something small or something big. You just need to cherish it.” The Stranger was right, if I had died, would I have seen what I’m seeing right now?

           The Stranger keeps me near the bench, and we keep sitting. Although we’re staying in one place so many things are happening at once, this place holds many lives that people don’t realize are precious. They all run on time and make the most of it.

           At that moment, I noticed that a makeup case was sliding in front of me. I look around first and see a woman frantically looking through her bag, maybe she lost something. “My friend, I need you to pick that up and give it to her.” I’m hesitant because I never talk to people in this world, but I do as he says. I pick it up and tap the woman on the shoulder and hand it towards her. “My, did you find this for me? Thank you.” The woman responds to me. She takes it gracefully and bows to thank me again and departs for wherever she’s going.

           When I walk back to the bench where the Stranger is they seem hurt, something inside them hurts, they’re holding their chest and they seem in pain. I try to ask them what’s wrong, but they say, “My friend, this is nothing to worry about. Let us leave here and go somewhere else, there is one more place I must show you.”

           It’s almost morning, and we have found an open hill outside of town and the major districts. “Now, my friend keeps this image in your mind.” The Stranger points towards the city, and my eyes are glowing, colors you wouldn’t believe are around the city embedding it like a blanket. “Beautiful isn’t it my friend?” They ask, and I nod.

           As I’m taking this in, the Stranger falls to the ground and is shivering, they can’t get up, I crouch down to help them, but they deny my help and hold themselves up and looks towards the city.

           “I think it’s time to learn the truth my friend.” When they say this, I turn to look at the Stranger and I realize what has been with me the whole time.

           There was no Stranger. It was a black figure; you couldn’t see through or inside the figure. The only thing you could see was their eyes.

           “It seems as though you realized what I truly look like. I am the darkness inside you that you hold dear in your heart.”

           The Stranger continues. “I thought I could end your suffering after seeing all the things that have happened to you.”

           “But I realized that maybe I could make you appreciate your life more and it seems as though you have.” They trample to the ground, and I try to hold them up.

           “This is it my friend, it seems as though you yourself really do want to live. Look forward my friend, you will see the best sunrise in your life.”

           At their suggestion I look forward and see a bright burning orange sun rising. I look back down and realize the Stranger is vanishing. “Don’t fret, I am always with you, whether that be from within you, or spiritually.”

“Enjoy the time you have, my friend.”

           They disappear. I got up and looked forward to the sun again. This time I smile, I really smile. I love this world. I’m crying after holding it in for so long, these tears are both happy and sad.

           I take my leave and hold my hand to my heart, it beats, I really am alive.