"Oh... It's already morning..."

The person whom studied his whole life as a photographer groggily stood up from the small sized bed meant only for one person. Having to be woken up by the ray of light of the sun, he squints his eyes.

He grabbed the glasses just by the counter next to the bed, along with a blank picture frame. He walked towards the cabinet containing his clothes.

"What day is it today? Saturday, right?" He murmured to himself.

Sorting through the few shirts and formal wear he has available, he finally decided to pick one. A slightly worn out polo shirt with long sleeves, brown coat with patches on the side, and a black pants. Will this do...? I hope they aren't so judgemental. So he thought to himself.

After picking his favoured clothes, he exited his very small bedroom and hanged it up using the small hook attached to the upper part of the door.

Then after that, he took a bath in the bathroom which is 4 times smaller than his bedroom, about two meters wide on each side.

After the bath, he put on his clothes, tidied up his hair and hanged the I.D. that he recently got.

What's written on the I.D. is Denis Onasawa.

He glanced at the apartment that he had rented. Nothing was out of place but still, Denis felt like something is missing. For someone whom studied photography but works in an animation studio and still doesn’t own a camera, he could only let out a sigh.

So then, he exited his room.

♦

"Oh man... I should have brought an umbrella. It's so God damn hot..."

Is the words that escaped Denis' mouth.

He looked skywards and stared at the blue sky with an absence of clouds that resembles that of the vastness of the ocean that he once went to when he was still a child. He confirmed this memory of his. It certainly happened. If it didn’t, it wouldn’t be stored in his mind but still, Denis felt like was all just a false memory.

As he walked towards his office building in a crowded bustling streets of Ronto, it was only natural for someone to feel hot. The city is a famous place to go to if you want to look for a job and he also thought.

The city of Ronto is currently experiencing an unsustainable overpopulation and with overpopulation comes high job demand and thus foreigners or any other entrepreneur for that matter is now hasting towards the city like hungry lions, setting up establishments like there's no tomorrow, fighting over getting unemployed people and giving them minimum wage. Below minimum wage actually.

But the government didn't stop this since it helps people get jobs in order to live. But the problem now is the housing. There's no house available nor any land. This is also the reason why Denis is currently staying in an apartment.

He is lucky that he can get an apartment room since every other apartment is currently fully booked. It always did for 3 years. 3 phantom years is the more appropriate term as that memory is somewhat fuzzy for Denis.

Denis didn't commute to his work since it will take longer to wait for the train than it is to just walk toward his place of work. He took out his handkerchief and swiped off the sweat that was currently flowing down from his neck. It's not even 10 minutes and his clothes is already drenched with sweat. What makes that heat even worse is the fact that it's summer, the season where it's the hottest.

Also it's really crowded.

Passing by other sweaty office workers which he doesn't have any affiliation with whatsoever, sometimes colliding with one another, he felt uncomfortable.

Suddenly his phone rang.

He hurriedly took it out of his pocket and answered.

"H-hello?"

[Oh! Denis, how's the first day of work?]

He thinks for a second. Who is this woman?  

[Denis, dear? Are you there?]

Then it hit him. It was his mom.

How could I forget my own mother!? I'm such an idiot! My brain is really getting worse. I'm getting amnesia out of nowhere.

"I still haven't arrived yet, mom."

[Right, right, sorry for calling you so suddenly but I have important news I need to tell you!]

Hearing her say "important news", intrigued him. Finally, something meaningful. He thought to himself excitedly and a smile formed in his face.

Anyone would feel the same if all you did for 2 months is job hunting with zero success.

He stayed silent.

[Your birthday is next week, right? I have a special present for you installed!]

He again stayed silent.

Present on my birthday? I'm not a kid anymore. I'm already 18. So his thoughts read.

[Denis, you there?]

"...Yeah."

[Right, that's all. I'll see you next week in your apartment. Take care.]

"You too."

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Thus the call ended.

What is that present? He wondered. He thought of bland things like groceries, coupons... New shoes...

Those things came to mind because of how her mother always gives him gifts. He appreciates them very well but all the gifts that he receives isn't anything great. A mug in his 11th birthday, a picture frame on his 13th, a set of combs on his 14th and the last but certainly not least since it's the best gift he ever received, a brown coat. Which he is currently wearing right now.

There are more gifts that he received on the other birthdays he had but they are all really bland things. One example of which is a pencil case... When he is already 17...

But again, he questioned himself. Why does it feel like everything is fake?

As he was about to put his phone back to his pocket, a woman had bumped him, causing him to drop his phone.

The woman has jet black hair like him but her hair is longer, obviously. Her hair is tied into a bun with a red string. She’s wearing an office uniform with a leather shoulder bag hanging from her… shoulder.

“H-hey! Don’t just run like that in a middle of a crowded area!” Denis scolded the woman.

“Sorry, I’m in a hurry!”

Then the woman dashed again.

He didn't observe much but all that he can tell from the woman is that she's wearing the uniform that the company that hired him has.

I can understand why she’s in a hurry but at least don’t hurry to the point that she would bump into other people… Is what he silently told to the women in his mind.

He picked up his phone again and after checking if there's any cracks, continued making his way towards his work place.

♦

Denis finally arrived at the building. It’s a 10 story building with the usual tinted glass as the exterior. There at the front of the building stood the words “Animation Studio”. That’s not the name of the company though. As it stands, the name of the company is “Kyonto Animation”.

"Sounds like a rip-off." He murmured to himself.

Taking a deep breath, he nervously entered the building.

Though he might have entered this building once before when he was appointed for an interview, he would still feel at awe and anxious at the same time. A gush of cold air collided with his skin, calming him down. The familiar scent of an office building reassured him as well.

At first entry, you would notice first the receptionists sitting with a straight back, wearing a straight face. Three receptionists, all are women. Then two pathways from both left and right, leading to the two elevators respectively.

The floor is shiny in the hall and there’s a chandelier hanging above the ceiling, with lights effectively illuminating the whole hall.

After greeting the receptionists at the desk, Denis made his way to the left elevator. This elevator is the one you should use if you want to go up, or so the receptionists told him.

Being confused as to why, he followed their advice anyway. Being diligent and someone that follows their superiors is the image that he wants to portray to his co-workers. Its common sense that you would show the best image you can at the first day of the job.

As the elevator made its way up to the 5th floor, he feels incredibly anxious. This is his first job. It would be a massive shame if he gets fired on the first day of work. So he took deep breaths like he's trying to filter the air of imaginary confidence particles. He isn't particularly afraid to talk to people. It's just that, if he isn't familiar to something and particular, then he would feel incredibly anxious about it.

The elevator dings which signifies that he had reached his desired floor. He jumped from surprise as the elevator opened.

"Wooow, don't get startled. I ain't gonna eat you." The man in black suit that entered the elevator said to Denis sarcastically.

"Ah, right, right. Sorry about that." Denis said as he scratched the back of his head.

"You're new here, aren't you?"

"Yeah actually. It's my first day today. I'm a data organizer."

"Data organizer, ey?" The man in black suit rubbed his chin. "Well, your manager should inform you on that. Good luck!"

The man in black suit tapped Denis' shoulder.

"Ah, thanks. Who are you anyway? You seem experienced."

As Denis said that, he exited the elevator.

"Oh. I'm the head director of our next project. Please do cooperate in it."

"Wait!? You're the director!?"

"Yeah." With a grin, the director said that as the elevator closes. For dramatic effect, of course. Leaving Denis with his jaw hanging.

♦

And so he arrived at his boss’ office that he memorized the way to during his interview.

The room is a small, about 6 meters in width on each side, containing a metal cabinet for storing files, one large window parallel to the entrance, a desk with a bunch of papers lying on it, and a large teddy bear behind said desk.

Upon closer inspection, it was his boss...

It wasn't the one that interviewed him.

The teddy bear is writing something on one of the papers.

“Good morning.”

“Ay. Your name is…” the man looked at one of the papers on the desk. “…Denis Onasawa, is it?”

“Yes it is.”

The man with brown tidy hair, having a wide body, tall and somewhat muscular, still has stern eyes that would make you think that he's looking through you, and he's wearing a tuxedo with a name card that Denis had noticed. Roland Sanchez is what's written on the name card.

There's also a title card on the desk. What's written on it is "Project Manager."

He pulls out a cigarette from the metal case on the table and lights it up with a matchstick.

Denis doesn't smoke however, he never thought of smoking in his life. As the smoke fills the room, he had inhaled some of it which he coughed at.

Roland grimaced at how Denis coughed due to the smoke.

"Not a smoker? That's the problem nowadays... Kids not having to strengthen their resistances."

Roland's voice echoed through the room. Denis wondered over the strange words the man had released.

What is this guy thinking? If children and teenagers were to smoke also, this city will be covered in thick black smoke! Is what he screamed in his mind.

–Is this guy an idiot!?

"Here, try it. It came from the province."

"No thank you, I don't smoke."

He denied while having his hands raised to his chest level, seemingly trying to surrender.

"Hah..." Roland then again, puffed up a visible white smoke from his nostrils and mouth.

The smoke then again went towards Denis. He holds his breathing this time.

"I'll be honest here," when those words entered Denis' ear, he couldn't help but tense up. "You getting hired is a mistake."

Roland looked at Denis straight at his eyes. Not even blinking nor glancing to another direction. Roland's eyes were sharp. Like a sharp knife able to pierce through solid metal. In this case, the gaze of his boss could only make Denis shiver in anxiety.

Denis gulped his own saliva, cold sweat started to drift down from his head to his neck. His heart rate increased. He tenses up even more, expecting the worst to come.

However he didn't show his worry and anxiety on his face. His outer appearance is unchanged. A skill that he had thought himself to do. A skill to be able to hold in one's emotions to show physically and visually is something he is proud of. It is the sole reason to why he is alive until now.

He can see why him getting fired is a mistake. His mom is the one who pulled some strings in order for him to get this job. He thought that this is cheating and that this not morally correct but he kept his complaining to himself. His mom is helping him get a job after so many failed attempts. During that time, he was depressed. He lives an unsustainable life style so he resorted in minimal diet. His mom took pity on him and so she helped him.

He also needed this job in order to help him survive in the modern society.

He then moved into an apartment which thankfully has a room available, the rent is cheap, and is closer to his place of work. About a 20 minute walk.

"I can fire you on the spot. I have the authority to do so but that's not fair now, is it?" Roland then puffed a smoke and continued speaking. "So I'll give you a shot at this. If you didn't please me in a week, you're fired."

Denis felt relieved that he has a chance but worries on how he can even impress his boss. After all, he is a mere data organizer. The out of place this particular job aside, as the name suggest, a data organizer is someone who in the core of things, compile and organize files based on either category or level of priority, depending on what files that was being organized.

What am I supposed to do here? Type faster or practice precision computer mouse navigation? Is the methods he came up with. Spoiler alert, they aren’t effective in the slightest.

It is to be expected from someone with no job experience anyway.

He thinks of himself as someone who is very organized and well educated. He is a self-proclaimed indicator after all. His invention being a sapient robot with its only purpose is to hand over the butter when he is eating pancakes.

“Now” Roland spoke in a deep voice. “I’m going to assign you as a wildlife photographer. Of course you have the right to refuse but do remember that we currently don’t have any use of a data organizer.”

Suddenly, a question mark floated above Denis’ head. Roland somehow saw this imaginary question mark lets out a sigh, puffing another white smoke from his mouth.

“Regarding the job change, I can’t tell you why. All you have to know is that we desperately need a wildlife photographer. Of course I won’t be relying on you only for this job. I’ll also be assigning other workers here with non-important or vital jobs for this company as a wildlife photographer.” Is his explanation.

Denis’ job is an odd job, a data organizer. Being there’s only 3 other data organizer in the company, it can be said that being a data organizer is a rare thing but also a non-important thing since all the other employees can manage without it by simply compiling and organizing their files themselves.

But, he pondered in his head. If they were to just suddenly change people's jobs into something as practical as photography, were as having the possibility they don't have any experience with, wouldn't that just result to poor... Results?

But he didn't question his boss.

Denis processed what his boss has said to him for a few seconds and then replied.

“Why a wildlife photographer?”

“We just need some for the time.”

Denis’ sighed. He gave up on further questioning. He understood that this is somehow an important choice in improving the already unknown animation studio. His boss is the executive director of the company.

He brainstormed to the reasons as to why wildlife photographers are needed. It's quite pointless, he thought. Would it not be better if they would just look up pictures in the Internet? If it's something specific then that would be there reason for it. Maybe this is a part of the next project?

“But, unfortunately I–“

His intention was to say that he doesn't have any sort of experience on the matter but then the scene changed from the small office into a blurry mess of black and white images suddenly moving to and fro in front of his eyes.

These images, which relatively looked real, also looked surreal. Like a roll of film.

Time also changed. It suddenly slowed down little by little. A second took a minute, then it took an hour, then it took a day, to week, to a month, to a year, until eventually, it took an eternity but even still, time reached to a full stop.

Denis isn’t scared nor even bored, just confused. The only emotion he can experience.

But this is a different kind of confusion. A kind of emotion that will make you question everything going on around you. So for the period of time that was given to him, that’s what he did so but his thoughts were quickly forgotten. This sort of experience is like a dream that lasts an eternity but still manages to reach the end.

Thus time finally stopped completely and the images passed faster inversely to the speed of time to which it moves up until the images became clearer. The black and white images then formed a series of understandable pictures like a video.

These images is about an angel walking in a desolate land filled with fire.

And so the story continues…