A/N: Recently watched this anime, sort of fell in love with it. So I suppose this is my way of showing my appreciation for it. I hope you enjoy this!
Disclaimer: I do not own Zankyou no Terror or any related works. Just a fan, is all ^^
I was sitting at my desk when I saw the silhouette in the window. It was the shadow of a child, like when you look at someone through a rice paper screen and they're staring your way, but the window was clear and there was nobody outside. Just a cold, full moon, and the silhouette on the window.
The first time I saw one, I nearly dropped my mug, and I did scream. I'm used to them by now, though; I've been seeing them for a few months now. Longer, if you include my dreams. I'm still not at ease when I see them, but I'm trying to deal with them in my own way.
"Back again?" I say softly, so as to not wake up my parents. The shadow doesn't respond. I didn't expect it to. I spin my laptop to face the window, showing to the window the blank document on my screen. "I'm going to try to write it all down. That's what you wanted, right? I hope this is enough for you."
The shadow doesn't reply or move in any way, but it does seem to fade away, until I'm no longer certain of what I saw. I decide to take it as acceptance. It doesn't matter, anyways; in large part, I'm doing this for myself.
I take a drink from my mug, and stare at the screen until I realize that I'm still putting things off. With a grimace, and some lingering reluctance, I get to the task of writing down what haunts my nights.
A boy sits on an examination table, wearing a hospital gown. The room smells sharply of disinfectant, prickling his nose. Across from him are two uncomfortable-looking chairs, and to the right, a table with a sink. On top of that table are a few labelled containers, and an unlabeled folder containing a few papers. Above the sink is a cabinet with a glass front, with medical instruments behind. The room, otherwise, is undecorated, sterile white. The boy's clothes, that he'd worn before changing, had been taken out of the room by the doctor, who was now walking in the door.
The doctor begins talking, but the boy isn't really listening, instead looking around that dull environment. He notes that one patch of wall seems lighter than another, briefly wonders why, before changing his gaze. Then, the doctor puts her hand on his arm, and he blinks and turns to her.
"From today onwards, your name will be Twelve. Can you remember that?"
The boy rolls his eyes, briefly considers sticking out his tongue but doesn't. "I am Twelve," he recites, instead, and is rewarded with a slight smile.
"Of course you remember- I should've known who I was talking to." He cocks his head, hearing that, but she's already continued on. "Well then, let's go and meet the others, Twelve."
In another place, not far away, another boy sits on another examination table. He's also wearing a hospital gown, but in his hands he clutches something small. He stares at the wall, looking calm, but a furrowed brow and slight trembling prove the lie to that. Nearby, the doctor- a male one- frets by the sink, talking into a cellphone.
"Yes. No. Alright." He puts his phone down, glances at the boy, and can't help remarking to himself how delicate the child looks. Then, after scribbling a word on his folder, he walks over to the boy. "Your name is Nine, now. Can you remember that?"
"Of course," says the boy matter-of-factly. "Are we done?"
The doctor blinks in uncertainty, and says, "Yes."
"Well, then, let's go." The boy hops off the table and looks at the doctor expectantly. The doctor leads the way, inwardly wondering if he himself had ever been like that as a child.
Somewhere else close by, a girl is following her doctor. Under her breath, she is muttering a jumble of words. Her eyes flicker to the folder tucked between the doctor's arm and torso, and the words "Twenty-four" tumble out, soon lost in the storm of words tumbling out of her mouth. Her doctor glances at her over his shoulder, then looks forwards again. They pass by another doctor headed to the room they'd just vacated, carrying an unlabeled folder.
Elsewhere, a girl dressed in a plain white dress looks up from the floor. A man in the door tells her, "We'll be moving you in an hour." The girl nods and goes back to playing, her fluffy white hair hiding her violet eyes as she looks down. The door closes.
Later in the day, twenty-six children sit in a semi-circle in front of a whiteboard. Many of them are fidgeting, or not paying attention to the stern-looking woman standing at the front. That will change, but for now, allow them their innocence. They'll lose it in bits and pieces as time goes by.
I roll my seat back and yawn widely. Surprisingly, an hour has already passed. It's harder than I thought it would be, writing this. But I suppose this is a good start. I'll save it, go to sleep, and work on it tomorrow.
A/N: This is just the prologue. I don't know how fast I'll pull these out, but I hope I can at least do the first chapter by the end of the week.