Finally leaving the place as they exited the hospital into the forest—God knows where—is a mystery to Danny after mindlessly following this man who supposedly saved his life from whatever tragedy he got himself into.
Although the entire morning forest around them was completely silent, lacking any form of sound from the now extinct animals and insects alike, he couldn't fathom how tragic it must be for these poor creatures to die off, leaving the entire human race as the only survivor of this ruined world.
It has been a long time since he had encountered any other species than his own, and now he and the head doctor were treading through the eerily quiet path, searching for the building that Hansel is leading him to.
"Hey doctor?"
He suddenly asked, wanting to start conversation to prevent any awkward tension growing between them due to the silence enveloping around the duo like an icy fog, "how old are you?" Random question that came out of his mind, but he can't stop himself from making the two of them any less weirder from the growing silence around them.
Stopping immediately, he turned and stared straight at the young man's eyes. "Excuse me?" Hansel was baffled by finding his question quite perplexing. "I'm in my three hundred sixty-fourth age," he answered, a bit confused as to why the question was even posed in time like this: "Why do you ask?" His answer had caused complete surprise to Danny, who could not find the right words to reply to this revelation.
Is this guy just messing with him? Danny doesn't believe so when they are in a serious situation. "You... you are kidding, right?" Chuckling awkwardly, "that is not possible for any mammal to live that long, let alone human beings with around 100 years being the oldest on record," he pointed out, trying to make sense of the situation as he couldn't understand how anyone would answer jokingly at a time like this.
But Hansel remained puzzled and confused by this: "What? You think I'm joking?" Flabbergasted, he quickly shook his head. "I'm telling the truth; that is how old I really am." The first time he was asked about his age, he never thought it would be such a controversial matter. "Is it so much of a shock to you to learn how old I am?" Its if he finds someone like Danny to find it hard to believe."
Taking a couple steps back, Danny was incredibly intrigued by this, "really? You are over three hundred years old? That's...wow," amazed by this information, he begins to ask more, "How? What made you live so long? Is there some kind of liquid you drink every day?" He asked, trying to understand the concept of aging and immortality, as it has been an interesting subject since the first time he heard it.
Instead of giving another set of information in his lecture, what Danny did not expect was a simple shrug coming from the head doctor himself: "I don't know why all of us can live that long ever since the global cataclysm that transpired hundreds of years ago, but what I know is that none of us are truly immortal."
With his fingers now tapping on his chin, he explained, "our bodies may last longer than before, but we are still mortal, prone to sickness and injuries," he added, looking at him with a reassuring smile.
"When the world came into shambles and after the rise of Espers, every man that was still alive stopped aging for some reason," he continued. "It's a mystery to many, but it's a fact," he said with strong conviction in his voice. "Not a single one knows the answer except a bunch of theories as to why everyone cannot age anymore." Turning around, he moved his legs forward while continuing his speech.
"There are many theories I have known off, but one is widely believed among the scientific community: the cataclysmic event triggered a change in the gene expression that led to the cessation of the natural aging process."
Rushing to the doctor's side, "That is..." Danny trailed off, his face contorted with confusion as he tried to comprehend the idea of the entire human race stopping to age. "Never mind, I don't want to oversimplify the situation," said the exhausted young man after getting the faintest of ideas from receiving another extensive lecture by the head doctor.
Laughing kindly, "I know," Hansel answered, "its a lot to take in, but what truly matters now is there's still good people out there finding a way to survive in this harsh world, and I believe you are one of them." The man's voice was full of encouragement in the words he spoke to, "Now let's find that radio, shall we?" His final statement was a call to action, a reminder that they had a mission to complete and wasting anymore time than wasting with idle chatter would only serve to hinder their progress.
"Okay."
Without any further ado, the two of them walked through the nearly complete silent forest in the middle of the morning, with the exception of their own footsteps barely hitting the ground, the rustling leaves under their feet, the wind blowing gently through the trees, and the peaceful yet eerie atmosphere filling the air around them that neither can explain why.
Breathing the fresh air, the morning sun cast a gentle glow across the desolate landscape, bathing the once lush and verdant forest in a muted golden light. The silence was heavy, devoid of the familiar sounds of birdsong or the bustle of insects and animals alike.
Along of the towering trees that once stood proud and tall now bore the scars of time, their branches gnarled and twisted, reaching out to one another like mournful hands seeking comfort. Their leaves, once vibrant and green, now hung limply from their skeletal frames, a testament to the ravages of time and the passage of years.
However, some still remained in their form, albeit covered with more moss and leaves, etc. Swaying gently in the breeze as they all cast dappled shadows upon the barren earth below. The ground beneath their feet was covered in a thick carpet of fallen leaves, dried and brittle, crunching underfoot with each step to their dedication.
Moss and lichen clung to the trunks of the trees, adding a splash of color against the otherwise dreary scene. When they moved further, the ground became more uneven, with fallen branches, rocks, and other debris scattered around.
Exclaiming the decaying and renewal of this rotting world, making him visibly express the sadness of what the world was once before it became this, "its pity, you know?" He said out of the blue.
"Many creatures aside from humans have lived in this world, presented to show there is flourishing life in every corner of our planet, yet now it's just me and you, walking through a graveyard of a once beautiful forest." A bit emotional from the situation, "There is only us now, humans," he continued, glancing at the doctor with a hint of sorrow in his own eyes.
Nodding silently, Hansel understood where the young man was coming from: "It's a tragedy that can't be denied," soft and tender, his heart ache from the thought of what the world was once like before the calamity happened.
"We must continue to live on, to adapt and survive in this new world, to ensure that we will not let the memories of those who came before us fade away into oblivion," words of fire itself that never go out even in the darkest of times, for hope is what drives all of them to endure.
Smile grew on Danny's lips from hearing this coming out of the doctor's mouth. "You are a good man," he said, washing any doubts towards him. "A really good man," the young man said, patting the doctor's shoulder, giving a proud look. "No wonder the people in the hospital adored you lovingly." Looking down, his once beaming smile turned into one of being forced to say, "I just wish I could be like you, to have others appreciate my existence."
Raising a brow, "If you want to be like me, then don't do it to gain the approval of others; do it because you know it's morally just and right." One of the many times Hansel gave a piece of advice, he always made sure to be careful with his words. "And do it for yourself, because you know deep inside that what you are doing is making a difference in the lives of others," he explained carefully. "We all have flaws and imperfections; it's up to us to use it to our advantage and grow from it," the head doctor added, trying to teach the young man a valuable lesson.
Feeling comforted by the insightful conversation he is getting, the young man is considering this guy to be his first ever friend. "You know what?" Stopping again, he turned to the doctor's direction and extended his own hand towards him.
"Let's be friends," finally deciding to take the decision. "I don't have family or anyone I know off; I believe you are the only person that would understand the pain and loneliness I am going through," he said, hoping to start a new friendship between them.
In truth, he might or might not have family since he is amnesic and all, but it still does not change the fact that he is incredibly alone in foreign place. In truth, he might or might not have family since he is amnesic and all, but it still does not change the fact that he is incredibly alone and the doctor is the closest thing he has to someone that he could call a friend.
At least now, since the two of them are allies, it might as well be more beneficial if they become close partners to get a better chance of surviving this harsh world.
"Friends? You? Me?" The doctor doesn't know how to put it in words: "Aren't we already friends from the moment I saved your life?" His fingers gently wrapping around Danny's extended hand for a handshake.
"All my patients and peers are already considered t be my dear old friends," smiling in return, his stance radiated warmth of the deep compassion he has for preserving life itself while valuing his humanitarian ideals in reducing any human suffering through a tremendous amount of love and care.
"I guess so," Danny said, feeling a bit silly for even thinking he needed to ask the head doctor to be his friend as the two finished their friendly handshake. "Thank you; I don't think I can make it this far without you," he said, meaning every word he uttered, "now we should keep going; both of us have almost forgotten about that amazing radio."
Laughing once more, "You're right," Hansel agreed, "but before that, I also want to show you where I found you, since we are just near at your crash site." Finishing his sentence, the doctor's expression turned into fascination after seeing the surprise looking coming from his newly patient turned friend.
Intrigued, "show me," seeing the possible cause of his awakening can lead him into a clue of who he was or probably where he came from. "I would like that," the young man said, his curiosity piqued by this new discovery as he wanted to know how he even ended up in this situation in the first place.
"Great! It won't be far, just a few minutes from where we are standing."
The head doctor finished leading the young man; they continued their trek through the desolate forest, the sun continuing its steady climb towards the zenith, bathing the landscape in a warm golden light whilst Danny's mind was occupied somewhere else.
Particularly about the discovery he is going to make once he goes to the site. While his heart is already pounding with excitement and nervousness, it's still something he has to face with all his strength, no matter how disturbing it might be once he uncovers the truth.
