The town he entered was too clean
Too bright
Too fake
Children played in the streets
Vendors smiled too wide
Even the sky felt like it was lying
Shigure walked through it with heavy steps
Everyone greeted him
No one knew him
Or maybe they did
And pretended not to
He passed a girl selling flowers
She held one up to him
"For your heart mister
To keep it warm"
He stared at her
The flower was plastic
Just like everything else here
He kept walking
At the inn
A young woman with bright eyes and a cheerful grin handed him the key
"Room 3
Fresh sheets
Hot meal waiting
No nightmares tonight okay?"
That last part
It struck something
He said nothing
Just went up
Inside the room was soft light
A real bed
A note on the pillow
"Smile while you still remember how"
He turned it over
No signature
He looked at the mirror
Saw his reflection
And for the first time in months
He smiled
But it wasn't his smile
It was the one he used to wear
Before it all broke
A smile that knew nothing
A smile that didn't belong to this version of him
And it terrified him more than anything