Colors and shapes flitted and flickered on the screen in front of him, all Diego saw was a sort of colorful blankness. His eyes registered what was there but he didn't really see it. The sounds around him seem to meld together, forming a strange cacophony akin to a dull roar in his ears as if trying to replace that grumbling produced when blood flows through one's ears. Things stuck out in this trance-like state he was in, certain quips from the television, the coming and going of those around him, certain things the others said from the kitchen. The talking and niceties they exchanged with each other were something he craved but as the minute hand on the clock slowly moved from tick mark to tick mark, he simply could not find a way to get up off the couch and go to them. It was as if a boulder had been placed on his lap, a hard pressure in his gut that threatened to make him burst if he moved. Some would call it lethargy, some unwillingness. What Diego faced was something close to inability, a terrible thing made up of fear and weakness. It kept him glued to the couch watching the exploits of a cartoon vigilante instead of talking and socializing with the others. He hated it and despite this, he still felt unable to do anything about it. He felt helpless, trapped within the walls he himself had put up.<br/><br/><i>He</i>re-entered without ceremony. A slight dip in temperature that easily could have been attributed to a sudden draft hit the room. The specter's "tail" reacted to Diego's presence by suddenly perking up, extending, then burying itself into Diego's back.<i>He</i>did not react in the slightest, feeling passive and simply being content with lazing around now. It was strange, the two of them were in some sort of limbo, and if one wasn't looking closely it could have easily been said that somehow Diego had accidentally let slip his hold on life again. A sudden tap on his shoulder seemed to breathe life into him. His jerked around spastically with a gasp before exhaling shakily at Sarah.<br/><i><br/>
"Hey Diego, food's ready."</i><br/><br/>The young man simply nodded before getting up from the couch jerkily. He made his way over to the table without much of a word. His seat was pulled out as he approached before he sat and pulled himself back to the table. He tapped his fingers on the wood and laid his head on his hand. The smell of the food was tantalizing and slowly but surely, his mouth began to water. He turned his head toward to kitchen and locked eyes on the large communal bowl, his stomach grumbling deeply.<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>