What Is This Feeling?

by Anime no Akuma

He hadn't thought things through, that much was obvious. He had gone out to grab some dinner, and he ended up coming back with a human pet. /-/ She heaved out a sigh. "You ate the children, didn't you?" He simply licked his fingers, getting rid of whatever blood was left. "I felt up for a snack."

30. Grief

"Ne… Doma…"

"What is it, Little Blossom?" he asked, stroking her hair as he cradled her in his arms.

"We had… a fun time together…. didn't we?" A soft smile graced her lips as she leaned closer to him. "Ne… Doma… Let's meet again in our next lives… and go… on all sorts of adventures again… okay? Someday… Someday…"

"We will. Someday, Little Blossom," he assured quietly, still stroking her hair.

"Pro- promise…?"

"I promise."

"Then- then… it's a deal…" Her eyes closed, fully at peace. "Then… see you later… Doma…"

Silence ensued as, at last, she fully got absorbed into his body. Yet, even if his stomach was now full, his chest felt hollow. He had been craving to eat her for years but, now that she was gone, he felt strangely empty. This emptiness was clawing inside his chest where his heart used to beat, burning his throat and making his head spin and, for one reason or the other, tears started falling from his eyes.

"What is this feeling…?" he whispered, his voice echoing in the heavy, suffocating silence. "Tell me, Little Blossom… This feeling… Why do I feel this way?" He had been warm when he was holding her but, now, it was cold. Cold and empty and lonely—" Won't you tell me… Sakura…?"

But she didn't answer.

She was gone, now, and he was alone again.