Mayu…?
Mio gasped in relief, rushing over to her sister, pulling her into a hug. "Don't ever scare me like that again!"
They were by the stream once more, reliving their childhood, the sun lighting the sky.
For a single moment Mio felt her chest lighten, her heavy heart beating in joy.
Mayu simply returned the favor and hugged back.
Her posture was stiff but Mio was far too relieved to notice.
"We need to leave. Everyone is worried," Mio wrapped her hand around Mayu's, before her sister drew back and looked away.
"I need to stay here Mio. I cannot go with you."
"Mayu…" She reached, a hand outstretched and hanging in the air.
"Remember what we promised?" Mayu began gently, smiling and coming towards her. Her hands stretched forward. "We promised…" Suddenly the world flashed and they were in the hellish abyss. The memories came flooding back to Mio, realization dawning her face. Mayu's form jerked and suddenly another stood there. An all too familiar white kimono stained in red. The gentle caress of the little wind that flowed in.
"…we would always be together. We would become one" She inched forward, Sae and Mayu's voice ringing from the body, as they took hold of Mio's hands. The two as one, pulled Mio's hands tot heir neck, an encouraging smile.
Hyperventilating Mio shook her head rapidly and turned to run, only to be blocked by a few priests.
Habitually she looked for the camera obscura. The one thing that had somehow saved her. A priest reached for her and she turned, eyes widening when she couldn't find her only defense, running straight back into Mayu's arms.
She was cornered.
"Mayu…" Mio turned, staring at the girl, and shook her head. "I can't do this! Not again! I'm sorry! Please Mayu, we need to leave."
At this, Sae took over then, her gaze staring directly at the girl. "Together forever. Why do you put me through this?"
Before Mio could react Sae had her hands around her neck. It chilled her so much she was sure her blood dropped a few degrees. She clung onto her wrists but couldn't find the strength. She had no more strength. Her vision spun and she felt away, a haunting laugh echoing her dreams.
Mio's eyes shot open.
A nightmare. It was just a nightmare. A terrible nightmare that she couldn't escape even in her sleep.
"…I'm so sorry." Mio cried, rubbing at her eyes.
"What are you sorry for?" A gentle voice spoke, startling her. Her head snapped up to the person. She didn't even realize he had been there.
"Uncle Kei…"
His face softened at that. "It's alright Mio. You will be better soon."
Her uncle was here. Her mother…did they know? Her hands throbbed at the reminder of her doings.
Kei went to reach for her and gently brushed the side of her arm. What he wasn't ready for was Mio flinching back so suddenly. She jumped from the blanket she had been placed under, over the side of the hospital bed, and onto the floor only to end up falling down.
"…Please…Don't…" Mio whispered, breathing heavy and ragged.
"Mio!" Kei rushed to her side. "Mio! It's alright!"
Again she flinched from him, shaking her head. She tried in vain to push him away but he wasn't giving. She allowed him to pull her to her feet. She was too tired to fight anymore. She was tired of taking care of others. She just wanted it all to stop.
"Mio…you feel ice cold." Kei murmured and lead her to the bed. When she was sitting he placed a hand against her forehead, worry creasing his face. "You're burning up! Here," He grabbed a glass of water sitting on the bedside table and all but shoved it into her hands.
She drank a few sips before deciding she didn't want it.
She felt her throat burn from thirst and her body felt sluggish. But she just couldn't care.
It took a while for her to gather the thoughts that she was in a hospital room. That she was no longer in her clothes she had worn into…that place.
She wore a simple blue gown and she had bandages on various parts of her body.
Her eyes grew hopeful and she looked to uncle Kei hoping that all of this had just been a terrible dream.
She didn't kill a person.
She wasn't a murderer.
Still, she couldn't deny the soreness on her throat. Or the redness of her hands.
She stared down at them, still holding the water close and shut her eyes.
This had to be a dream.
"…Uncle Kei…She…" Mio couldn't even finish. She looked back at him to see a heartbroken expression. She didn't have to say her name. And he didn't have to say anything for her to become painstakingly aware that this actually had happened.
The glass fell from her hands, shattering on the floor, pieces of shards and water falling everywhere.
Mio's breathing picked up and she grabbed her head again. "She can't be…I'm so sorry…I was supposed to…I was…I-"
She found herself falling once more. Backwards onto the bed and avoiding the sharp pieces beneath her. She felt a sharp pain on her head then her vision clouded, falling into another dream, into another inescapable reality, wondering why on earth this couldn't have ended.
She could barely register her uncle calling her name and then him screaming for a nurse.
She was vaguely aware of something sharp inside her elbow.
The thing she was too aware of, was a crimson butterfly swimming in the sky above her.