True Happiness

Chapter I – Rena Alone

"Hey, Rena! We're here to visit you again!"

It's Keiichi-kun. His image is all blurred and unfocused…why is that?

"You look surprised…don't worry. It's just the side effects of the medicine, that's all!" Mii-chan cheerfully sat next to me and I felt the slightest pressure of a hand on my arm.

"The doctor said that you'll be put to sleep for a couple of days, so that you the medicine can fully kick in and heal you up completely." Rika-chan's soft voice came from my right ear, and I managed to turn my head to look at her.

"We must appear really weird to you right now, huh?" Satoko-chan laughed nervously, quite unlike her usual self.

"The director told us that we will all be like elephants when you see us after you had the injection…"

"Hey look! She's smiling! Great job, Kei-chan! You actually did something right for once!"

"Wh-what? What do you mean, 'FOR ONCE'?"

"Goodness sake, Keiichi-san! Rena-san's trying to sleep! Can't you quieten down a little?"

My eyelids droop and I feel like crying.

I don't want to leave them…

It feels like I'm dying…Their voices are growing more and more distant.

"Don't worry, Rena. We'll all be here when you wake up." It's Rika again.

Her words are so reassuring but…

Why does she sound so sad?

"Rika-chan's right, we'll all be here."

Satoko-chan…don't go!

"This old man will make sure that all the club members are gathered here to have a small celebration party once you're all better! Until then, Rena… Keep fighting with all your might, 'kay?"

I manage to nod weakly, and felt everyone's image shimmer once more in front of my eyes.

"Rena…I'll keep my promise to you."

It's Keiichi-kun again.

The last person to speak to me.

"You said on the rooftop that if you won, then I would have to be extra kind to you…say good morning to you when you wake up, and say goodnight to you when you close your eyes. Well, as much as I don't want to admit it…you did win, Rena. So…no matter what happens…"

I feel the pressure of his warm hand on mine for the final time.

"We'll always be together. I promise."

Keiichi-kun…don't go…!

My vision goes completely black, and I can no longer feel anything.

I have forgotten how to feel.

Keiichi-kun…

My eyes fly open and I sit upright almost immediately.

I am still in hospital.

The hospital they sent me to, that was supposed to away from Hinamizawa, but still close enough to be within the boundaries of it.

I look around, and there's no one here.

"H-Hello?"

My voice was raspy…when had I last spoken?

A week? A month?

A year?

"U-Um…Nurse? Hello? It's Rena…Rena Ryugu." I managed and crawled out from under the white sheets.
"Is anyone there?"

I shakily stood up and used a free hand to grasp the metal pole that had my empty bag of medicine attached.

Suddenly, all the feeling left my legs completely and I collapsed onto the ground with a cry of pain as the cool metal landed with a clang next to me.

Surely…someone would have heard that?

But…even after a full minute, after I struggled to crawl back up…no one came.

Something was wrong.

I glanced up, and noticed a pot of flowers that had several cards next to them, each bearing the names of my closest friends.

They were…covered in dust.

And the flowers were completely dry.

"What's…going on?" I thought aloud, fear seizing my crumpled figure.

I carefully removed the drip from under my skin, seized a bandaid that was lying in the open drawer and stopped the bleeding.

"Is Rena…all alone?" I croaked and found the door, stumbling towards it and turning the knob.

I noticed that the sign above the door said 'sterilised room'.

And a small sheet of paper stuck on the surface reading:

"Experimentation Room. All air pumped into this room is to be from a special source. On no account should the patient inhale any air that has not been sterilised."

"E-Experimentation room…? Rena was…being experimented on…?"

I shook slightly and then tried desperately to clear my head.

No, that can't be right.

Keiichi-kun and my friends had left their cards here.

If they had known that I was being treated badly, they would have objected right away, right?

The hospital was eerily quiet as I walked through it.

There was no sign of any life anywhere.

I shivered, and continued trudging slowly along the empty corridor.

Then I saw it.

Something that almost stopped my heart…

It was a body.

I couldn't actually see it, since it was covered up by a large white sheet of cloth.

But the human like features along the facial area that were distinctively showing through the sheet gave it away.

I swallowed and managed to walk around it, and out the door.

Had one of the doctors left it lying there carelessly?

Perhaps that had been a patient who had died in their sleep, and their body was just being carried out to the disposal site but then something had happened…and they were unceremoniously dumped there?

Something…had happened…

The words repeated themselves in my mind, like a mantra, and I finally found a dull exit sign in the far corner and opened the door.

A blast of wind rushed forth to greet me.

And I realised that I was still in Hinamizawa.

The familiar scenery was calming to my fast, beating heart.

But it was short lived.

I walked along the road, barefoot and still wearing my hospital garments.

With a shaking hand, I peeled off the bandaging around my neck, and realised that the scratches had fully healed, with only scars remaining.

They no longer itched, I thought with relief and closed my eyes to savour this peaceful feeling.

Which is why I almost tripped when my feet slipped on the white cloth spread before me.

"Wh-what?" I stared at the oval shaped lump that was blocking my path and glanced around.

I was standing in midst of piles and piles of the same shaped heaps of cloth.

"What…is this?" I breathed, and suddenly realised a nauseating stench was being admitted from them.

I ran to the clearing, terrified out of my wits and feeling as if my lungs would stop working altogether if I didn't get out of this 'Hinamizawa' soon.

Was it just a nightmare?

No…my feet hurt as I run along the gravel path.

My chest ached as I try desperately to inhale fresh air.

This was real, this was really real…

I come to the end of the road, where a large metal fence was preventing me from leaving the area.

After failing to find another exit point, I ran back to it, and banged against it.

"Hello? Help! I'm trapped!"

There was no response, and I was left there, alone, to think of another way out.

I looked up, and realised the edges of this obstacle were not spiked, and quite harmless.

Guess there was no other way.

Mustering up all the strength I had left, I began the slow climb…slipping my aching feet within the holes in the barbed wire like fence and pushing myself up.

I literally fell over the other side, and luckily the gate hadn't been too tall, so I only got bruises from the tiny fall.

All the experience from club activities had come to use after all.

At least I'm out now…I thought to myself.

At least I'm out.

Before leaving the horrid area behind, I couldn't resist looking back to glance at the sign that had caught my attention from the other side.

I couldn't read it from back there, as its front was turned away from me.

But now I could.

And it was what stopped me in my tracks and held me there for at least a full minute.

The sign said:

"Unsafe Area – The Village of Hinamizawa.

Poison Gas Site.

All residents within the village – Dead.

DO NOT TRESPASS."

Chapter I – End.