Chapter 10: Volume I. Chapter X. – A Dream’s Torment

Black. Pitch black. That’s all my eyes discern. I gaze into the darkness, but no matter how hard I look, no light is present.

Where am I? What happened?

I can’t see my legs. The only thing assuring me that I’m standing is the sensation I’m feeling at the bottom of my feet.

“Iris? Charlotte?”

I call out to my two sisters but get no response.

“Hidiku? Hiro?”

Still nothing.

There’s no echo, and I’m not being kept in some kind of empty room. That’s the most I can make out of my situation because I'm still perplexed. My mental condition is steadily being overtaken by fear.

I take each step cautiously and gently, moving forward.

I keep walking, but the trail appears to go on forever. My footfall is the only sound I hear for some time as I stutter through the pitch-blackness. Suddenly, I detect another noise.

What was that? The closest way I can think of to describe it is the sound of chains dragging across the floor. It's become clear that I’m not alone.

The din is all around me. I scan every angle of the space but can't find anyone. What's more, I no longer remember where I was heading. Wandering around in the darkness wasn't the best idea.

“Who’s there?”

I let my voice resonate through the open space, with no response. Instead, I hear a peculiar hissing sound. A cat? Or maybe a demon? I get the feeling that it's hostile.

I take a few careful steps back before suddenly going blind, although briefly. I soon get my sight back, and to my astonishment, I see light shining down on me.

I’m so confused. What the hell is going on? Where is that light coming from? There’s no source visible whatsoever.

Once more, I hear the rattling of chains echoing around me, which makes me feel more uneasy.

Let me out… I don’t want to be here. I’m scared…

As soon as these thoughts run through my mind, I spot a pair of crimson eyes glowing through the layers of darkness.

A chill runs down my spine.

My first instinct is to run, but a single step back is all I make when I see the illuminated edge of the glowing circle surrounding me. I feel secure here.

I’m not keeping an eye on whatever is hiding in the shadows, and upon realizing it could be lurking up on me this very moment, I frantically begin searching for the entity.

I scan the area from left to right until I spot the creature again. It doesn't make me feel any more at ease.

It begins to move. The two red pupils first descend to a point just above the ground, then they quickly zigzag in my direction.

As panic sets in, I take a few steps back out of instinct. My anxiety is peaking. I then lose control, trip over my foot, and land on my butt.

Just before entering the circle of light, the silhouette vanishes, leaving no trance.

Alright, Yuuna, calm down and take a deep breath; my heart is racing. I’ve almost left the lit-up area, I was sitting on the edge of it.

Am I safe? Where did it go?

Unable to comprehend the situation, I continue to stare ahead.

“How long were you going to make me wait?”

A sinister voice whispers into my ear. It startles me and forces out a reaction; I quickly direct my view toward whoever just spoke to me.

Once more, the two red eyes meet mine, this time point-blank, staring.

I startle awake when I open my eyes and find myself gasping in terror.

It was just a dream… a nightmare. I cross my arms over my chest and clench my hands; the chills are not at all comfortable…

But of course, it’s chilly, It’s still spring, and I’m outside, cold, probably around where I was just earlier… wait, what happened? Have I passed out?

And what am I laying on?

I wonder because, unlike rocks or soil, the surface seemed strange but soft. I look to my right and find Iris right next to me.

She's sleeping, facing away from me, leaning against a wall. It seems I’ve been taking a nap on her legs.

A sudden light beam comes into view, forcing me to cover my eyes. The sun is rising, blinding me while revealing Iris’s right side from the darkness.

I stand up and walk over to my older sister in an effort to rouse her up. I don’t want her to catch a cold out here, so I grab her right shoulder and gently shake her.

“Iris, wake up. You will get sick sleeping out in the cold.”

I release my hold on her, and she stumbles to the corner of the wall.

I approach her to pick her up, but I have a strange feeling about her. The upper portion of her torso is shaded by a structure blocking the sun's path.

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Iris' body is entirely exposed as soon as the light passes over the building.

The left half of her face... it’s detached from the flesh, ultimately revealing it while hanging on to the right half only.

It resembles what the demon did to Himari.

My legs lose all of their power, and I find myself on my knees. My blood pressure increases and my breathing becomes uncontrollable. My head is starting to spin.

“No… not Iris…”

My eyes begin to tear up as I firmly grasp my hair. I think I'm going crazy.

“This isn’t real… it can’t be…”

I finally give in to the rage that has been building up inside of me the entire time, and in tears, I begin to yell from the bottom of my lungs while facing the ground.

“Why?... Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why Iris? Wasn’t Himari enough? How many more are you going to take from us? How much more are you going to make us suffer? What have we done to deserve this? To hell with God! To hell with Heaven! I bet you are enjoying this, aren’t you? To hell with gifts! They are useless! They… I’m… I’m so powerless.”

Overcome with dread and driven by hatred, I curse God together with the holy powers we have been gifted. I’m breaking down.

“Iris.… Himari….they didn’t deserve this. So why god? Why have you forsaken them? Why have you forsaken us?”

I have so much more that I want to say and so much rage that I want to express, but at the same time, I’m exhausted. All the squealing is making me tired.

And so, with just tears by my side, I come to an end of my diatribe.

Or so I think…

“Yuuna.”

I’m still trembling, struggling to breathe when I hear a crooked voice calling me.

What was that? It doesn’t sound in the least bit human. And the tone… as if it’s trying to sound both friendly and sinister at the same time.

I take a look at Iris; I’m sure it came from behind the corner of the wall she was leaning on.

I go cautiously in the direction of the towering wall since it doesn't appear as though the creature intends to show itself.

Is it another demon? Was there more than just one? If it is, it might as well take my life too.

That's not the case, though. More than I could have imagined, what I discover around that corner completely petrifies me.

A tall and slim figure, the body, resembles a demon’s. Its abdomen is open, allowing the intestines to protrude. But its head is what grabs my attention.

Its head is that of Himari. It's in the same condition as when I last saw her lifeless, decomposing body.

Why… why can’t you just let her rest?

“Yuuna, it’s me… I’m back.”

It says, even giggles, and gives me a smile at the end. The thing is trying to impersonate her…

I still didn’t get a break to catch my breath, my lungs are being pushed to work even harder than before, yet they are already at their breaking point.

“Yuuna… Yuuna, what’s wrong? Yuuna…”

Shut up! Please! Make it stop!

I’m left standing there, unable to inhale properly anymore, just gasping aggressively as the creature repeatedly calls out my name.

And when I’m about to pass out, I open a new pair of eyes again, then jolt up. Just this time, I find myself covered in tears, screaming uncontrollably.

“Yuuna, calm down! It’s me!”

I don't have time to take in my surroundings before I'm instantly offered a firm hug.

I temporarily stop sobbing as I try to comprehend my predicament.

“It was just a nightmare. Everything is alright now.”

This scent. That’s… Charlotte’s voice.

Somehow I can tell this isn’t a dream. This is real. I'm so overcome with relief that I start crying again, but this time my tears are more subdued and less dreadful.

They are tears of joy.

Then someone else comes up behind me and pats me on the head.

“There, there, no need to worry. Your big sisters will protect you.”

It’s Iris, and she’s alright… thank God. I can finally rest with ease knowing that my two sisters are next to me, hugging me tightly.

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