The last thing Taki could remember was Okudera-san and Tsukasa's voices echoing through the cave
His body felt as if thousands of needles had been pierced into them.
His head was in a pool of blood.
He felt a sharp sting in the back of his head.
"Mitsuha...", he whispered.
He starred at the dazzling 'stars' printed on the ceiling.
His vision started to blur. The stars faded and Taki fell into darkness.
His life flashed past in front of him.
He saw the light at the end of the tunnel.
His body releases a concoction of bliss as your his drifts into an eternal slumber
but then, within this enveloping warmth of bliss, he could feel feel a cold, shivering sensation exude from deep within.
Disappointment and regret from failed ventures and missed opportunities flood through your mind, entangled within happy memories and loving recollections.
Memories of Mitsuha, and guilt from never ever reaching her.
Moments before he reached the end of the tunnel, a figure emerged from the light
"It's not your time yet, please live a happy life. For me. ", Taki heard
The figure hugged him. Intoxicating warmth enveloped Taki.
The figure let him go, and pushed him back.
Taki fell backwards and began to fall.
"MITSUHA!", Taki yelled, grasping out for her.
Taki continued to fall down
and down
and down
and down
Taki woke up, on a hospital bed, clutching his chest, heart still beating.
He gazes out, at the stars shining bright in the night sky, glistening, indifferent from earthly happenings.
tears flood to his eyes as you grin eye to eye with glee, as he realise that he still had a chance to create new happy memories, catch new and exciting opportunities
His vision, as though emerging from the darkness of his nightmare, slowly focuses and light up as it adapts to the brightness of the room, lit up by the star in the night sky and the brightness and relief of his heart
his gaze around the room and found Okudera-san sitting on a chair next to his bed, sleeping.
He saw his sketchbook on the nightstand.
He flipped through the pages, one by one.
Pictures of the town he once lived in, the people he met.
He arrived on the last page.
A drawing of Mitsuha.
Tears streamed down his face as he realised he never did save her.
And he never could.
His mood slumps and his heart collapses as you recalled his days in Itomori.
The clear waters in the crater-made lake, the clean air, the serene greenery, calming scenery.
He recalled the classmates he used to banter with, 'his' grandmother and sister.
Tears streamed down his face.
He recalled...
"Mits-ugh...ugh", Taki whispered.
"Ugh", Taki gagged as he tried to pronounce her name.
A sharp sting jolted through Taki's head.
His head started to throb as memories of the meteor from Mitsuha flooded in:
He saw the green field she was standing in.
Her beautiful yukata.
The comet grew closer and closer.
Screams rippled through the town, helpless in the face of impending doom.
The comet hit the Earth, tearing the crust apart.
Buildings collapsed and trees fell all around.
Everything was catching fire.
Mitsuha was flung back onto the hillside.
Her body was thrown around like a ragdoll.
Undescribable pain coursed through Mitsuha's body.
Her right shoulder was torn clean out of it's socket.
Her knees cracked as they were forced to bend the wrong way.
Her skin tore apart and blood spilled forth.
She came to a violent stop as she slammed against a boulder.
She felt her ribs crack and pierce her lungs.
A metal rod flew over, impaling Mitsuha's body.
Mitsuha's cries echoed through Taki's mind.
Taki wailed, breaking the silence.
Okudera jolt up in shock, rudely awoken by Taki's screams.
"Taki-kun! What's wrong? What happened? ", Okudera exclaimed.
Hours passed and Taki finally calmed down.
Okudera explained to him that Tsukasa and her heard from the owner of the inn that Taki left early in the morning with the noodle store owner.
They were too worried to leave him and followed the GPS tracker on Taki's phone.
Okudera let out tears of relief, embracing Taki in her arms.
Taki's heart felt ice cold, amidst the warmth Okudera was emitting.
Taki's head, as though pressed down by an enormous weight, hung down
His layed his eyes upon his drawing of Mitsuha.
He close his eyes, praying for this to have never happened.
He prayed that Itomori wasn't destroyed.
He prayed that Mitsuha was still somewhere in this world, waiting for him.
Okudera laid Taki back down onto the bed, back onto the soft embrace of the pillow
The stars, basking down on him as though mocking his very existence.
He drift back into sleep
all the while
wishing that he never woke up.