A black gondola moved across dark waters. There was a little doll sitting at its bow, her clumsy figure shining with a soft radiance that reflected from the surface of the river. At the stern, a young man with porcelain skin and lightless eyes held the oar, guiding the boat forward with smooth motions.
All around them, there was only darkness. The silence of this dark world was broken only by the soft splashing of water and the steady murmur of the flowing river, creating a peaceful, but ominous atmosphere.
For some reason, Shadow felt an impulse to hum a peculiar song.
However, he held himself back.
After a while, however, he spoke softly:
"I think I met a man once. That man was nothing but a broken skeleton, but he could still talk and sing."
Snuggle turned to look at him, a confused expression on her face.
"A singing skeleton? What about him?"
Shadow hesitated for a moment.
"That man was the worst man to have ever lived."
