I wasn't sure what kind of expression I was making, but my face muscles were slack so I must have looked bored. The warmth and softness of the bed had already become nothing more, than torture. Every inch of my body felt warm and jelly-like and that was the reason for the lack of movement, it made everything far worse. No sunlight could reach the bed, the only things that ever gave away that it was daytime were the laughers of Athena and Apollon. They played outside almost every day and were sometimes too loud, before their mother came along and told them to lower the volume. No doubt the children became disappointed and annoyed by that, because one day I heard Apollon complain about this. However, Nike must have made him shut up for the hundredth time. When that had happened and a painful complain about ear pulling had reached me, a small chuckle had escaped from my chapped mouth.

Truly, it was wonder that people couldn't actually die from boredom. No matter how they wished that to happen.

Well, I wasn't exactly sure, if what I felt was considered fully boredom. It was like I was drifting back and forth between consciousness and dreamless sleep. Like when you wake up in the middle of the night, only to later fall with little difficulties back into slumber. It was restless rest and I barely even saw any dreams. I wasn't obvious or stupid to things that were happening, though. The burning, the nearly constant headaches etc. were not something to be taken lightly. I could barely even find will to sit up on bed and Nike had to always help me up and sometimes the servants did so as well. I was like a disabled patient in their constant care and surveillance. However, nothing was more worrisome than seeing shapes and people from my world now and then.

Even now, as Nike was wiping my face from sweat, her eyes turned their shades into warm silver, the long blond hair turned shorter and the color shifted to light brown. The structure of the face shifted as well and the skin tone was becoming lighter and nearly identical to mine. At this point, I could have cared less that what I saw wasn't true at all. No, it must have been real and that thought made tears burn my half-open eyes. Everything about Nike was different to my mother, but she still managed to look alike with her.

The first hot tear slid down my cheek, the sensation was ticklish. The silver eyes widened from this and for a moment there was a flash of blue in them, but not for long. The reaction made my heart swell and more drops started to come out after I blinked once. My mother was seeing me, she was looking at me. For how long had I wanted to see her? I wanted to reach out to her, to hug her, but every sense in my limbs was none-existing.

Mother.

As if hearing my unspoken words, she opened her mouth. "...Jessy?"

If I could, I would've smiled at that point more widely than ever before. Mother was saying something else, too, but I wasn't listening. I saw it all now. The Magi world had been a dream. Just a dream. This was real and I am back at home- or a hospital. There are no slavers, no magic, no death. The shackles are gone, my ankles aren't hurting anymore. This is real. I am safe, thank goodness.

Where is father? I want to see him.

The feelings that were hurting my chest, squeezing any air available from my lungs, suddenly shattered to pieces. My eyelids barely widened, but they certainly twitched. That was right, he must have not survived from the crash. Otherwise mother wouldn't be wearing that look on her face. She is frantically saying something, looking away from me. She must be upset, or perhaps even angry. My stomach was filled with thousand needless that pierced every piece of flesh they could reach and for the first time in a while I wanted to move freely again. Curling into a helpless ball, clutching the sheets, hiding myself from mother's view were the things I wanted to do. Sense of shame was tearing me apart agonizingly slowly that I could barely draw in a single breath.

She was definitely ashamed and angry at me. Otherwise she wouldn't give me those eyes that were crushing her daughter's very heart. The painful needles kept returning, each stab was endless and almost unbearable. This pain wasn't like the one, when that whip opened my skin nor the one when that foot had dug itself into my torso and caused a nasty bruise. This was something far worse that made my vision become blurry.

Mother must have come here to give me a piece of her mind. That could be the only reason for everything that was happening. She hates me now. Loath was practically seething through her skin and causing it to glow abnormally red. It even started to turn into purple and blue from the lack of oxygen she was getting. The silver eyes were still unclear through tears, but there was an unmistakable sharpness to them. It could make any child's legs grow weak, bring their head down and destroy the very soul and heart of innocence. I felt like that with every second that passed, or were they minutes?

I recalled my childhood. The way mother kept hugging me, but also being strict. She didn't want to hear any whining, especially if schoolwork was concerned. She didn't try to push me to my limits, though, and always helped me out. She would cook for me those delicious foods that I loved, iron my clothes, clean the house whenever she had time. The working hours sometimes made her cranky, but she understood when she had done wrong by yelling at me and apologized.

If a mother like that, showed you her hate, then there is no doubt that your heart would break into thousand pieces.

No... I couldn't bear keeping my eyes open any longer. Mother, please, please, please, please don't hate me. My lips opened and a strange voice came out of my mouth. It didn't sound like mine, it was too raspy.

"I...am s-s-sorry..." When had been the last time that I had used my voice?

When my eyes opened again, my mother was gone. It made me feel hollow inside, like something had pierced my chest, torn out the beating heart and thrown it into the ice cold water of North Pole. As everything was becoming blurry once more, I wished to stand up and jump down from the tallest building around. Nothing mattered anymore.

Instead of one of my parents that I loved, Nike was back. She was wearing that frown that I was used to seeing by now.

"Miss Jessy, what did you say?"

Ah, she is concerned again. She's going to get wrinkles from that. Instead of answering, I let those thoughts keep me busy. Hm? Is there something I am forgetting?

"I'm not sure what is wrong with her anymore. The fever should have broken down already, but..."

It has not, Yunan finished quietly in his mind. His frail looking hands kept gripping the staff so harshly that the knuckles turned white. The magi wasn't even near the room where his sick companion was with the doctor. No, he was sitting inside his own guest room, sank into the small chair and a cup of tea next to him. The steaming liquid had cooled down ages ago and was most likely cold now. Yunan had not even bothered to touch it.

The area between his eyebrows wrinkled, turning his features into a frown which marred the usual gentle face. Clear emotion of pain was showing through it.

"Is it...not a simple fever?" Even if Nike tried hiding her voice by lowering it to a soft whisper, it didn't escape his from his ears.

Clear blue eyes fluttered close, as if trying to block the clenching shadows that seemed to grow in the room. They wrapped around the sitting form, twisting and turning from the force of the night. Yunan felt his joints relaxing from this, the darkness was so welcoming to him right now. Like a fabric that was made out of the finest silk. The light gold danced with silver on the long strands of hair that had not been freed from the braid, but Yunan started to wish for a freedom to it. With every word that the two people in the faraway room were speaking, he felt the weight on his shoulders increasing.

How everything had come to this? Was what he should have been wondering, but the answer was clear as his eyes searched through the chirping white birds. Everything that he had done had been for the fate of this world. Everything that he had followed lead him to this point where he now sat. Yet, no matter how many times he would do this, follow the flow of destiny and its paths, there would always be a lingering bitterness in his mouth that spread like poison. No. Over the years it is like tasting medicine, bitter, but easily flushed away with water. Or, rather, that was what the magician wanted to reassure to himself right now, but he was not so sure about what had been done.

"Do not fret about that. It is not any physical reason that causes her to be this way. Rather, I would say it is, once again... the things she has been experiencing."

Yunan nearly flinched. The doctor was a professional alright, but what he seemed to lack was sensitivity. The bruises on Jessy's ankles have been too obvious. The old man clearly found his patient an uncomfortable one to be around. Though, he still got paid from the treatments he gave.

Nike had clearly caught the tone he had used, because her next words were tight. "Then what can we do to make her fever go down?"

"It all depends on her will to live."

The sharp pain dulled with every bead Yunan's heart made. Guilt, that was what he was gathering deep inside his ribcage and it was nearing the point where the pressure could crush him. He felt responsible for all of that had happened to the young woman, who was currently unable to even move up from her bed. The flashes of her pale, sweat covered face were haunting images that didn't stop carving themselves into his mind like a knife. This was the only way to describe how he felt and the frown on his face deepened.

Now, his hands would be tied. There were always limits to how Yunan could interfere with the ways of the world. Of course, he could cure Jessy, but what would happen after that? She surely couldn't be thinking about stopping? Not after how she had come. Though, that choice would be the safest one from all the others she has had. The world outside this house could bind her down by its harshness, like the young woman had already seen it. The wariness and the uncertainty in her usually bright and curios eyes shone more brightly than ever before. Yunan had noticed the change at the very second she had ran to him on that road.

The cold, hollowness surely had spread across his chest, when those dangerously thin arms had wrapped around him. The scents of blood, dirt and sweat had literally clung to her skin and clothes like a cloak. Wild, greasy hair certainly didn't hide the fact that it had grown and Yunan had not been able to do anything else, but stand there in bewilderment for a while. It had not been a dream, but the magi certainly wished that fact not to be true. He had expected her to be terrified and confused, but everything went even worse than that. She had simply been broken to the deepest part of her consciousness, even if Jessy did not show it.

Yunan inhaled softly and finally tried to swallow some of that tea that he had been given by a maid. He grimaced from how cold it had gotten. Had he really been so deep in thoughts that he had noticed this beforehand? He fixed the matter immediately with some heat magic.

However, the warm tea couldn't ease his worries, which was a shock. The mind of the magi couldn't rest. Jessy's thin face kept appearing behind his closed eyelids along with small child's. Kana, your family misses you, so much.

Would that small child be the spitting image of Jessy by now? With thin built, pale skin, dark circles under the wide eyes that showed what had been taken and whole body covered in dirt. For the first time in ages, Yunan shivered from the ice in his veins, despite the warmth from his drink.

He waited and waited for the doctor and Nike to finish their conversation. It stretched and stretched, sometimes the woman even raised her voice with displeased tune on her voice. The doctor's words were like monotone singing, compared to hers, but wavered under her flow of feelings. In many ways, the golden haired woman was a perfect example of a dutiful wife and caretaker. She would not let anyone under her roof feel unwelcomed or unwanted. And she had especially taken it upon herself to look after Jessy as much as she could. Clearly, the old man was getting special treatment from helping, because he had not yet been kicked out.

The thought made the long haired man pity the doctor, slightly.

Yunan finally stood up and made his way out of the room and to the hallway. The two people would soon be done with their talk and he could see Jessy.

And that is how he found himself standing in front of the bed where the brown haired woman was laying on. The strands clung to the side of her sweaty face and her brows were slightly knitted together. Either she was partly awake or having a bad dream. Both were not good signs and stabs of guilt kept digging into Yunan's heart.

I'm truly sorry for not telling you anything. Yunan lifted his hand and placed it gently on top of her head. The moment their skins touched, he almost recoiled back from how warm the woman felt. Or rather, she was boiling. How the doctor couldn't express any worry from this kind of fever was something that Yunan would never understand. This could actually get her killed, without a doubt. It could actually happen tomorrow or during the night.

The already fair skin paled several shades and Yunan quickly reached out to a piece of wet cloth in a bowl full of cold water. He squeezed the water out and placed the wet thing on Jessy's forehead with quick hurry clear on his movements. He didn't even bother being careful, when he placed it down on her. She let out iincorrect noises, furrowed her brows once, before going limp. For a moment, Yunan feared that the fever was getting even worse and causing her to be in danger, but then her eyelids started to move. She was starting to wake up.

The blue eyed male felt his muscles stiffen. The last time she had been awake their short conversation didn't go as well as he had planned. In fact, it wouldn't be a surprise, if Jessy got worse from seeing him. Beats of sweat were sliding down his face as the magi tried to find a way to hide, run or hope that the woman would not wake up.

However, it was too late, for Jessy's eyes opened, half-way at least. The green irises moved in daze around the place, mostly looking at the ceiling, before catching Yunan in their line of sight. The poor man almost jumped and waited for her reaction like a frozen mouse in front of a cat. However, he didn't quite the reaction he had waited for. Instead, what the brown haired woman did surprised him.

"Can...dy." She smiled, it wasn't a bright or small one, but somewhat soft. Her eyes were clouded, like she was still in the dream world. "Did father let you in?"

Yunan swallowed any sound of surprise or confusion that was about to leave from his throat. Jessy's voice was somewhat hoarse, but understandable. The way she spoke though, caught him off-guard. It was like she was talking to someone she knew. And because of that, he couldn't open his mouth and say anything.

"Did...you miss me...that much, Candy-" Jessy's words were cut off, when she started coughing.

The long haired man flinched from the harsh sound and found his voice. He leaned closer and pulled the cover higher so that it was up to her chin. "Don't speak. You must sleep."

"Hmm..." Jessy mumbled something, after the coughing fit eased. But eventually, her lids went shut.

Letting out a breath he didn't realize to be holding in, the magi sank into a chair on the side. His eyes never leaving the face that was blank from any emotion. The woman had fallen asleep, but the nightmares would plague her again.

For now...

Yunan placed a glowing hand on her cheek, feeling the hotness under his palm for the second time.

I can ease her pain just a little.

I was certain that I was getting better, somehow. Every day, I wasn't sure how many passed, more and more strength returned to my limbs. The food went down more easily as well and I was able to sit up on my own by now. Nike was also looking quite pleased and relieved that the fever was going down. We all had feared that the medicine had not worked or taken affect on me.

Strangely the doctor was also looking quite happy that I was getting better. From his constant blank stares I had thought he had found me irritating or even repulsive. He had once seen my bruised ankles, it would not have surprised me, if he didn't like to be around slaves. The old man was like one of those random people moving on the streets. He wouldn't spare a glance towards those that were tied down by chains. I was able to tell from his eyes that kept looking at me and it made something twist in the bottom of my stomach. There was the same dryness, same weak pity laced with disgust and an urge to stay away. Without Nike's and Agpito's influence, he could simply walk away and not treat someone who had been in the lowest spot for a human being to be in.

Being a slave was not my first career choice, asshole. I almost said my growing thoughts aloud at one point actually. The regret of not doing that kept mulling itself inside my head. But that was not all I thought about. My mind was wandering to my world all the time. Every time I fell asleep, the dreams showed it to me. I was able to talk with my friends, be with my parents and live back in my apartment. Nothing could have made me happier and there was warmth dancing in my heart. I had feared that I was beginning to forget the faces of the people I cared about and the places I was used on going to, but the dreams proved me wrong. I was able to even recall every hug that I felt in them.

A smile spread on my lips, as I looked out of the open window and down to the garden. Different kinds of plants that I have never seen before bloomed around the place and I was reminded that I wasn't where I used to be at all. The weather in Reim was more warmer and the environment differed greatly from it, too. Just under where I sat bloomed a red flower that I was not familiar with. It was really beautiful.

I closed my eyes and inhaled the fresh air that was brought in by the wind. I wished that my parents and maybe even my step-parents could see this. My half-siblings would also love it here more than in those polluted cities with loud cars and tall buildings made out of hard stones and glass. However, I was kind of missing electricity and bathrooms and all that other modern stuff that made you feel comfortable. It was almost impossible how calm I was about the whole thing, though. Who could have thought that I survived without a phone or computer for what felt like forever?

The wind moved some of the leaves and soon Athena and Apollon appeared through the door to the garden. The boy was carrying a wooden sword in his tiny hands and the daughter of the family had a small doll squeezed close to her chest. They started playing, something about a princess and a knight, an then ran around the place. The laughter and yelling that I was used to echoed around the place and brought a tiny smile to my face. Nike had already apologized many times for the noise, but I simply told her that it was alright every time.

Speaking of time, I had been told how long exactly I had been bedridden. I was unable to move from inside the covers for full five days and it has already been two days since then. In other words, around over a week has passed since I came to Agapito's house with Yunan.

My hands twisted around the fabric of my nightdress. The fabric was thin and a proper thing to wear for warm nights and days. I had thought that that blond magi could muster up some courage and come talk to me. I knew that he didn't come because of my angry burst days ago. There was a tingle of regret and shame in me for doing that, but that did not mean I didn't have any right to express my feelings on matters which were important.

He may be planning on leaving me behind, that was something that shouldn't be a laughing matter. Still, I smirked dryly, because that kind of idea was amusing and stupid. He would not leave me like that, or anyone do matter how much that person might show their sour sides to him. the magi was a good person, he would not abandon anyone like that.

So you think, but honestly, what do you really know about him?

I bit down on my lower lip.

You know him from a show that is not supposed to be real. What if, his personality is fake in this world? What if, you are nothing to him and everyone around you?

Unconsciously, I started shaking my head slowly.

The fact that you aren't sure whether you trust him or not proves it. You don't know what to do in this place. The odds aren't playing in your favor, they're against you. In this world you have no power, influence or even existence to begin with. The only reason you are even here is because you couldn't be an adult and stay inside the village's territory with Kana.

My fingers dug through the sleeve to the skin and I pressed my forehead against my knees that I drew closer. Without me even noticing it, tears were rolling down my cheeks like rain. For some reason, I couldn't really breathe.

What would it be like...

The dark rings around my ankles were staring back at my quivering form. The metal was wrapping itself around them, the bitter smell of the blood and vomit were mixing together forming a foul odor. The coldness of the ground and the harsh waves that failed to lull anyone into sleep haunted every nerve on my body that remembered the sensation. The shadows were starting to spread all over the room and the rays of sunlight became like simple glimmers of lights in the far away distance. There was a cage around me.

...to die in this place? To feel some more pain?

I desired to claw my throat open.

Despite not recalling faces of the slavers, it was like they appeared clearly in front of my wide eyes. Their breath fanned my pale face with heath, foul smell hit my nose, but I couldn't move an inch. It was like the chains were slowly climbing up my legs and wrapping themselves tightly around the rest of me. It was such a cold and painful sensation.

Slowly, my eyes dragged themselves down to the flowerbed below the window. A gentle wind moved the red petals gently along with the strands of my dirty mass of hair. The bedroom where I stayed was on the second floor. The bright color of the plants kept burning themselves into my eyes and called to me to join them. I was aware that I was leaning over the edge of the windowsill. As I am doing this, my thoughts start to gather strange things around them. During scenes like these, the person who is staring down shows no emotion in their eyes. The orbs become dull like marble that won't shine in the brightest of the lights, like the person is already dead. So, I kept on thinking, did I have an expression of a dead one on my face?

Fall.

The flowers were mockingly silent with every gentle twitch they made from a breeze. They were looking at the world around them with complete obliviousness and happiness. They may as well be like the children who continued playing around the place. Neither the plants or human kids could predict what the woman watching them was thinking.

So, almost like in a trance, I started leaning further down. I could see how the ends of my hair appeared in the corners of my eyes and the hand I used to hold myself back loosened. One by one my fingers started to let go. The blood rushing in my veins went all the way to my head and I was able to hear my own quick heartbeat. Strange, I am not afraid. I-

"Miss Jessy, are you awake?"

Coldness spread across my skin and I recoiled back, almost falling down to the floor. Goosebumps were making the hairs on my arms stand up and rubbed them carefully, shaken from the sudden knock that came from the door. Shakily, I staggered up to my feet and walked to my bed before sitting down. "Yes."

The door was opened and one of the maids stepped in. She was someone I had seen before. Last time she came here to give me something to eat. "I have brought your medicine."

"Thank you." I said, already used to this.

"Ah! You should cover yourself! It wouldn't be good, if your fever gets worse." The maid fussed and placed the tray down to the table.

"Yes, yes."

"Please take more care of yourself." The maid once again tried to reason with me and her face morphed into an expression resembling a scowl. This was the scond time she had caught me out of bed, so maybe she got irritated rather easily.

"Yes, yes." The way I answered her will probably make her think that I wasn't listening, but I did and went under the covers. "Do you know, where my c-companion is?"

The maid looked at me quizzically. This was the first time I had asked about Yunan and honestly it felt strange for me, too.

Honestly, his absence was making me tad bit worried. Not coming to even greed me, when my condition got better? Something definitely had to be going on and I wanted to know what it was. The way I had almost fallen down from the windowsill made my blood turn into ice.

"Your companion? Ah, yes, he seems to be venturing out to the city recently." The maid answered after a short pause and then held out the medicine to me. The bitterness I felt from those words was equal to the taste of the white powdered thing. The water did almost nothing to flush the taste away and down my throat.

Yunan, what are you doing? And... The light coming from the window was inviting... am I becoming a suicidal person?

"Ah!" Athena fell. She didn't see it coming and simply met with the hard ground that was covered by bright green grass. The scent of earth immediately entered her nostrils that were squashed against it.

Unconsciously, I leaned over the windowsill and looked down at her with wide eyes. It had happened just below me and now I watched with every muscle stiff at what might occur next. Unexpectedly, the little girl started to let out small whimpers, before sitting up on her bloodied knees. Tears were spilling down from her blue orbs like rain and even her brother flinched when this started. He stood helplessly behind her, the wooden sword in his small grip. as for the doll that Athena had been holding, it laid on the ground forgotten.

This was certainly nerve-wracking to watch. The small girl's cries kept getting so loud that it was a surprise that nobody had come to see what was the matter. I wished that at least Apollon would have done something to help her, but he looked much like his father while standing stiffly, glued to his spot. His eyes were wide and helpless, as he watched his little sister cry.

The Rukh fluttered. The small birds truly looked like butterflies to me and they landed on top of my shoulders and head like leaves. Honestly, I am starting to wish that they could talk. Everything is so boring without someone to talk to. Especially in a situation where you had only a bossy maid to order you around few times a day. Yunan, where are you? Everything feels so cold.

Then why not simply jump and crack your head wide open?

A violent shudder lulls my body. I may not currently be in the right state of mind, but I am sure that I have started imagining voices in my head. Simply laying around all day in silence, inside this room, had started to mull my thoughts together. It isn't healthy. I am certain it isn't.

Shut up.

Why not simply end it all?

Shut up.

I grab a hold of my arm and start scratching it. This method helps me not to break down on my spot. I breathe, in and out of my nose and bring my knees together.

Do you really think that you can make it back home?

I said shut up.

It's useless to do anything. Maybe, you died and were simply reincarnated into this world?

The voice is me. It's part of my thoughts, so why is it saying something so terrible? I feel like I am being stabbed in the heart and the knife keeps digging deeper.

That means that your dear father is as good as gone.

My breath stops flowing in and out of my throat for a moment, but I regain my ability to breathe after few quick heartbeats. Athena hasn't stopped crying, but I wished she would. The sound is like listening wild geese's screech. If only that brat was close enough, I would have to resist an urge to hit her across that small face. Those tears, were too much like Kana's.

That child had clung to me like I was her parent. Had she once even considered that I was the one who has carried fear longer than she? She, Athena, all of these people, have no idea what it is like to be in my situation. They will never know what it is like to simply vanish from your own world, ripped apart from it all of sudden and then appear somewhere else. They simply cry and complain about simple misfortunes such as falling. None of them appreciate their lives fully and go on like nothing is wrong.

Shut up. I am not sure when, but before I know it I am glaring down at the little girl on the yard. That snot and dirt covered face fills my guts with disgust and I grit my teeth together. Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up!

Throw something at her. That vase in the corner will surely silence her.

My eyes drift to the royal blue objects. It has bright yellow linings and small pictures of women on it. They are playing instruments and suddenly I am reminded of someone back in my world. Candy certainly loved music. She had played piano for me many times already.

Just imagine it shattering against that soft skull of hers and the noise will be gone. You want to do it.

Admit it.

I hold my hands close and clutch them tightly together. For a moment, I almost reached out to the vase.

"Jessy?"

The voice doesn't startle me. It really doesn't and I turn my head to face the person who had entered my room.

Nike has a concerned look in her eyes and she takes careful steps towards me. A tray in her hands is placed down on a small table and I notice that today there is soup on the menu. I also notice that Athena's crying has stopped and somewhere Agapito's voice has replaced it. Father had come to his little princess's rescue, but mine hadn't.

Now, a mother stands in front of me. But not the one who had given birth to me. This is a stranger, someone who I have nearly no connection to in any way. Yet, she is the one who came to see me and not the real one. My mother isn't here. She isn't standing out there in the world and searching for me. She is somewhere completely different, back in our world. The thought makes me smile, but I am not sure why.

"Jessy, why are you crying?"

The blond woman noticed the water sliding down my face before I did. It wasn't until her remark that I touched my wet cheek and shrugged nonchalantly. I didn't feel anything anymore. Almost like my whole heart had frozen, which is a sensation I have never experienced before.

This was the point, where I broke down.

Nike didn't say anything and simply wrapped her arms around me in a comforting manner. From instinct, I wrapped my own arms around her and find the woman surprisingly slim. The scent of spices and sweat fill my nose and I start sobbing loudly. I hate tears, despise them. But they are the only things that brought me comfort at the moment.

When I had first come to the world of Magi, I was afraid, fascinated, suspicious and curios. There were no such feelings as loneliness or terror, maybe close to those things, but not much. I met Yunan and he introduced me to the people of Torran. I had fun during their festival and even smiled, got drunk for the first time and danced. Those were my peaceful times, despite sometimes feeling depression taking over me. I had been dreaming, living in it. I hadn't fully faced shadows and nightmares or tried anything to change that. The way I was shaken from the treatment of slaves and becoming one just proves that. I had been hiding behind Yunan's back this whole time.

"I would like you to..." Draik's words echo in my mind and I flinch violently.

Not now. I didn't want to remember his words right now. I didn't want to remember.

"...remember me. I don't want to be forgotten."

I want to erase it all. Every experience I had as a slave and every bitter memory from it. But those words had been like putting another pair of chains around my ankles. Ones that would never disappear.

No, Draik wasn't the only one who had put shackles like that on me. Recalling the faces of the slavers is easy enough that I curl up as much as I can in the warm embrace. Every look I had been given, every touch and word was burned deeply into my mind like it all happened yesterday. The chains don't need to be physical, those kind that people can see and feel. The ones I have been put are the worst kind.

Cry, cry, cry, cry~

Break and crack~

The faces of those I hold dear back in my world flash before my eyes like a horror movie. Their gentle and smiling faces turn into sneers of detest and repulse. They are looking down at the poor me covered in dirt and blood from above.

Finally, I can't take it anymore and scream into the bosom of the woman holding me even tighter. I felt how she froze from the sound I let out.

Drown in your hate and loneliness~

And this is when my Jessy starts losing her sanity. Sad, but not surprising considering things she has been through. I mean, I certainly would be scared of my own shadow by now.

Thank you all for your previous reviews and I sincerely hope that you will keep on writing more of them.