The tapping was most certainly originating from the sight down the corridor. It was… someone. There, sitting on one of the empty crates, sat a thin figure. Shoulder length, silver hair marked the appearance of a feminine being. Dressed in what appeared to be a plain, white one-piece dress. She was facing one of the shelves. The source of tapping, her feet, beating the crate she sat on, as if she was sitting on a tall ledge. Her eyes were fixated on the floor. Her eyes showed no sign of the distress of which I was feeling. In fact, her expression remained stoic, as if this was a normal day in her eyes.

I just kind of stood there. I was in a trance. My first sign of life, though a feeling of being relieved wasn’t exactly in my grasp. Her detached expression showed no signs of hope. What was she doing here? Is she in the same situation that I have been subjected to? Well, this was not the time to just stand here. I have questions, and she may have my answers. I slowly approach her.

She noticed me before I reached her. My presence was felt before my being. That expression of contempt changed into a slight surprise. “A visitor.” Those words didn’t have much behind them, they just rang out in a slight echo. I had the urge to speak, but no words came out. Her silver eyes stared straight into my soul. I don’t know if I was surprised, or unnerved.

“Who are you?” She asks the first question. Her soft, strangely monotone voice was like music to my ears in the deafening silence.

A bit of silence follows her initial response. My heart drops into my stomach. I had no words. This was not a figurative term either, I couldn’t speak. My mouth opened, nothing came out. What the? I lost the ability to speak? My situation is getting even worse. I can’t communicate. I can’t even communicate with what could possibly be my savior. I must look like an idiot, gawking in an attempt to have any sort of projection. The girl confirmed my thoughts, she looked at me like I had three heads, head tilted slightly and all.

“Are… you okay?” She sounded just as confused as I was, also slightly concerned.

I signaled to her (a.k.a. Pointing an X shape with my fingers over my mouth.) to try to get her to understand my situation.

“Unable to speak, huh?” She got it.

“Well, that is quite the predicament. I can tell from your ragged appearance that your time here has not been good, no?” Spot on. She is quite perceptive. I shook my head as a response. I suppose body language is my only advantage at this point.

She points to a crate: “Can you try writing out what needs to be said on that crate over there. Just pretend.” I follow what she asks of me. It’s my best bet. I first write out (imaginarily, of course): “Where am I?” A simple question, it seems she’s more accustomed to this, well, I don’t know what you would call this place.

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“Ah. I’m not sure myself. I’ve been trapped here for quite a bit and haven’t learned that.” Shoot, it seems like we’re both in the same situation.

“I also bet that you wanna know how I got here, right?” I nod.

“Don’t know.” Talk about anti climatic. She is very disconcerted compared to me.

I walk over to the crate to mime the next message: “What have you been doing?” Surely she’s been making some progress towards escaping this place. The “been here quite a bit” remark seemed to be no understatement.

“Aimlessly wandering, of course. I am just as lost as you are.” Great. My only hope is turning into a waste of time at this point.

Time for my last question. This one, I’m hopeful it will give a good response. “Who are you?”

She thinks for a bit: “No clue.”

Are you kidding me? That response was annoyingly nonchalant. I must be showing off my irritability too much because she followed. “That was not sarcasm.”

I see. I guess it’s understandable. I can’t even remember my own name after all. Judging from our very similar situations, she most likely came here the same way I did and may suffer from the same problems, minus my missing voice. She starts to speak again: “Well, I imagine there aren't many questions that I could give conclusive answers to, so shall we go?” She basically shut down any further signals from me. I try to get her attention for one more question. She takes notice of my silent calls. I draw out my final question for her: “What should I know you as?” Obviously, I can’t call out her name, but it would be nice to know. She answers immediately, as if she was awaiting that question.

“Well, since I can’t seem to remember my own name… give me one.” Such a responsibility to be given to me. Especially since I have a feeling we’ll be around each other for a while. I think for a minute, and write out an idea. It’s simple, but it will work.

“Gin.” A bit simple, I couldn’t come up with anything better.

“Gin, eh? Sounds good to me.” Strangely relieving,

“I suppose I should give you one too. Even if you know it, you can’t speak it.” I didn’t, but fair point.

I patiently await her response. After a small bit of silence, she speaks.

“Kin.” Very creative… but I suppose it works. I nod in confirmation.

“Alright Kin, I suppose you are trying to get out as well, huh?” She’s right.

“Well, I suppose we should start looking for some way out of here. Let’s go.”

She wastes no time to start. She hops off the crate that she was sitting on and begins trekking in a random direction. It seems that Gin shares the same nescience that I do, so I doubt there’s much we can do to increase our odds of escaping. That being said, I now have an ally. There’s much comfort to be found in knowing you're no longer alone.