And the only comfort he would receive from his expired lover would be the sounds of her plucked shamisen strings, his fingers guiding hers, the muted tones echoing summer ghost's cries during the hot, stagnant nights. Sandalwood strings swirl in the air, swaying to the hollow hymn.

This is my second piece for and 's fanart contest for their upcoming book: Apologue. I had the idea that maybe in a futile effort to hear some sort of sound from his lover again, Shem would first (before she started to decay too much) try to make an instrument out of her (OR PERHAPS A TABLE?!). I should have had her covered in wire so it would have obvious that he could bend her to his liking, but whatever.