When Sean returned home, he closed the door silently. He went straight to his room without even taking off his shoes. The room was dark, but he didn't mind; his mind was already crowded enough, and the darkness couldn't bother him.
He sat on the edge of the bed, leaning his elbows on his knees, and closed his eyes.
The rage was still there, smoldering. Images of what had just happened flashed before his eyes. Gerard's cold-bloodedness… the way he sliced that man in half without a moment's hesitation. The sound of tearing flesh, the muffled crunch of bone.
But that wasn't the worst part.
The man's voice still echoed in his ears that weary tone as he told his life story. The tiny shred of hope when he explained why he'd come to this town. He just wanted to survive. That was all.
Sean searched his teeth, his jaw muscles tightening.
He didn't deserve this, he thought.
A heavy weight settled in his chest, as if someone were pressing down on his heart. His breathing slowed, but there was no relief. Instead, the tension in his body began to drag him down. His shoulders slumped. His back hit the mattress. His eyelids grew heavy, and finally, he drifted into sleep...
----
Huh? Where am I?
Why is it so dark?
There's a weight on my chest. Breathing... is hard. The air won't fill my lungs; it feels as if they've been shredded. I try to move, but I can't! It's as if this body doesn't even belong to me.
After a while, a scent reaches my nose. The smell of iron, of wet earth... that familiar scent. It was the smell of blood. As the scent hits me, my body feels lighter, and I slowly open my eyes.
Am I in a forest? Why does this place feel so foreign yet so familiar?
Wait... what is this? This isn't a normal forest.
The trunks of the trees were split open, darkness seeping through the bark. Things were hanging from the branches. At first, I didn't understand. Their shapes distorted as the wind swayed them. Then, it hit me.
They were limbs arms, legs, and internal organs.
My stomach turned. I swallowed hard, but the lump wouldn't go down. The leaves beneath my feet... they were red. Every step made a sticky, squelching sound. This wasn't mud. I knew exactly what it was.
I looked down at my hands. They were small. So small. These tiny hands were stained with blood, dark crimson flowing between my fingers. The strange part was, I wasn't shaking. It felt like the most normal thing in the world. I was far too calm.
I looked up. Shadows began to shroud me like walls. Were they protecting me? Or imprisoning me? I couldn't tell.
Then, a sound reached my ears. A scream. It was high-pitched, yet muffled. As I turned toward the sound, something filled my arms.
It was light. Far too light. I pressed it to my chest instinctively, as if it might fall. A small body. Covered in blood. Her hair was matted to her face, but I couldn't see her features. No matter how hard I looked... it was just a blur.
I looked at the little girl in my arms. I wanted to ask what happened to her, but no sound came out.
My throat began to burn. My breathing quickened, my chest tightening. My body, which had been so calm until now, began to tremble. It was as if this was a delayed reaction. I shook uncontrollably, clutching the little girl to my chest.
"No..."
The word escaped my lips, but my voice was hoarse, as if my lungs had been torn apart.
The girl's head suddenly slumped onto my shoulder. As her weight seemed to increase, my heart hammered against my ribs fast and violent.
It felt as if something inside me had snapped.
I screamed. I held her and screamed.
My voice tore through the entire forest. Was it rage? Was it pain? I didn't know why I was screaming. All I knew was that I felt... hollow. My hands moved on their own, cradling the little girl's head.
"Don't... don't do this to me!" I cried out. I screamed louder. My hands were drenched in blood as the shadows surrounding me suddenly closed in. As they swallowed both of us, my eyes snapped open.
A hard floor met my gaze.
I looked at my hands. They were large. Was it just a dream?!
----
Sean woke up screaming and fell out of his bed. His face was drenched in sweat, his clothes soaked through.
He stared at his hands in shock. "What was that? What is this?!" his voice was thick with interrogation.
His breath hitched, and the sound of his racing heart seemed to echo throughout the room. A look of pure terror was etched onto his face the fear of losing someone.
Suddenly, the door burst open.
His brother Scott and his mother Melissa rushed in.
"SEAN!!"
Melissa cried out. When she opened the door, she found Sean on the floor in a state of shock.
Scott was right behind her. "Sean, are you okay?!" his voice filled with worry.
Sean looked at them both but couldn't speak. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Melissa knelt beside him quickly, placing her hand on his head. Her palm came away wet.
"Sean, how are you this sweaty, honey? Did you have a nightmare?"
Sean was still in a daze, staring at a single point in space. He only snapped out of it when Melissa shook him gently.
Scott knelt down too. "Bro... tell us what happened. What did you see?"
Sean suddenly looked at his arms, as if he could still see that little girl. His voice trembled. "A girl. A little girl."
At those words, Melissa's eyes widened. Scott, standing right there, noticed his mother's sharp reaction.
Sean continued, "She was in my arms... she was covered in blood. Her blood was everywhere. My whole body was covered in it. And then... she died in my arms. Right there! Arrrgghhhh!!!" He clutched his head, screaming in pain as if his brain were being torn apart.
Melissa pulled him into a tight embrace. "It's okay! It's okay, Sean. It's over, my son," she said, her voice carrying the gentle warmth of a mother.
Scott joined the embrace from behind. "Don't worry, Sean. It was just... just a nightmare."
As Melissa held him, a sentence escaped her lips involuntarily: "You're safe now, honey. Don't worry, it's all in the past."
Sean's shoulders shook. With his mother's voice and that last sentence, something was confirmed. This wasn't just a nightmare. This was a piece of his memories.
Sean looked at his mother and brother holding him. It's over... I'm not alone anymore, he thought to himself.
Once Sean had finally calmed down and drifted back to sleep, Melissa slipped out of the room. Though Scott wanted to stay by his brother's side, his mother sent him to his own room to get some rest.
Melissa walked downstairs with slow, heavy steps and sat at the kitchen table. Her hands were still trembling. Sitting alone in the dark kitchen, staring into the void, she whispered to herself:
"The doctors said he wouldn't remember. They told us that part of his mind was completely locked away that he'd never be able to reach it again... How is this happening? He wasn't supposed to remember!"
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Author : Greetings! Hope you enjoyed the read. I'll be working on another chapter today, so see you all very soon!