Ryo is dead.
After such a long and horrible day everyone was exhausted. Finally even I had passed out. Although I was being tormented by a very real nightmare. I was tossing and turning restlessly, almost continuously mumbling something in my sleep. And it wasn't just something random and meaningless. No, I was reliving the terrors of today.
I was back there with Ryo, watching helplessly as the scary hands appeared from the fog, wrapping around him and pulling him away. Killing him. I tried to run to him, but Agumon grabbed onto me, pulling me back.
- No, Takuma! You'll disappear, too!
he yelled. I tried to fight back and pull myself free, but I couldn't. I didn't have the strength to do it. Instead I just fell on my knees. On the ground, where Ryo had stood, I saw splatters of blood. A gruesome reminder that he hadn't just disappeared someplace else. He had been killed.
- Ryo...!
I yelled, again trying to get up. But I couldn't. I had failed.
I wasn't just yelling in my dreams. My tormented voice had been loud enough to wake Agumon up. He naturally came straight to me, trying to pull me out of the nightmare. He was forcefully shaking me and calling my name.
- Takuma! Wake up, Takuma!
But his attempts proved to be futile. As the next best idea he went to Minoru. He had to wake up and come help Agumon. It was a miracle no one else had been woken up already.
- Minoru! Wake up!
Agumon was now shaking Minoru quite like he had just done to me. But the one difference was that Minoru actually woke up. He seemed exhausted after everything.
- What.. Agu..mon? What is it..?
he mumbled, slowly blinking.
- It's Takuma! He won't wake up!
Agumon exclaimed desperately. Minoru didn't catch on right away.
- Why would he need to wake up..? Let him sl..-
But then he heard me talk in my sleep again. That finally got him to scramble on his feet and hurry on over.
- Takuma! Man, you have to wake up!
Minoru now also started pleading. I felt someone grab me by the arms. The Kenzoku!
- NO! Let go of me! AGUMON..!
I cried as I was being pulled. I too would die just like Ryo had. And Agumon.. he would disappear, to never be seen again.
- No, don't.. Let me go, please..!
I tried to fight, to stay on my feet, but I wasn't strong enough. I was being pulled backwards, into the fog. This was it. This would be the end to my story.
- ..ma! Takuma! Man, open your eyes!
Two separate voices were calling out to me from somewhere. Both were saying the same thing. Wake up. But how could I wake up when I was already dead? Two pairs of arms were tugging and pulling on me in their desperate attempts. Why.. why were they so desperate to begin with? I didn't understand.. But they were relentless. The voices wouldn't die down. The shaking wouldn't end. Until finally, the dream world and reality collided. My eyes shot open. And as they did, I saw two faces looking right at me. Worried faces. Only I couldn't recognize them right away. I panicked and got into a sitting position, then pulling away from these faces. This went on until my back hit the wooden wall behind me. I had nowhere to run to. I was trapped. Being cornered by the enemy. I was panicked like never before, looking left and right, up and down, in all the possible directions as I tried to find a way to escape. But my legs wouldn't work. I had no means of getting out of this alive. I SCREAMED and pressed my head against my knees. At least I wouldn't see the enemy coming and taking me away. It would be like I had never even existed. A pair of hands grabbed me again, this time by my shoulders. Someone was saying something, repeatedly. But I was so far gone that I couldn't relax and process those words. I kept trying to pull away, refusing to open my eyes and face my attacker.
- Seriously, Takuma, WAKE the hell UP!
Someone then yelled right in front of me. Takuma.. I was Takuma. But.. I was dead. Gone.
- Goddamnit.. I've had it now!
the same voice continued, growing frustrated. The another voice chimed in, this one expressing concern.
- Minoru..?! What are you doing? Stop!
Minoru..? No.. it couldn't be. Unless Minoru was dead, as well. I couldn't make heads or tails about it. And then.. I felt a sudden, sharp sting.
- Why'd you hit Takuma?!
the second voice demanded to know, and the first one said firmly:
- I had to! It's not like I wanted to, but I had to pull him out of whatever he's seeing!
I flinched, suddenly lifting my head back up. My eyes were wide open. I saw those two faces, still looking right at me. The one difference was that.. I recognized them now. They were my friends.
- Agumon...? Minoru..?
I said in a weak voice. Agumon looked really happy that I now knew who he was. And Minoru.. he lunged forward and threw himself against me, burying his head in my chest.
- TAKUMA..!
I heard his muffled cry. He sounded really worried. I shivered suddenly. The school got really cold at night.
- M..Minoru...?
I said weakly, trembling from head to toe. I saw things more clearly now and could separate dreams from reality, but that wasn't enough to just make my panic go away. I wound up in tears. The uncontrollable sobbing really seemed to scare Minoru as he quickly pulled away. He seemed alarmed, because this was the very first time he had to see me like this. He was used to me always having everything under control. When everyone else started to lose it, I was the one to stay calm and try to make some sense into the current situation. But now I was really losing my grip. Minoru proceeded to do his best in helping me. I noticed he still hadn't let go of me. He was eyeing me in the cold moonlight that poured in through the cracked windows. I saw concern reflecting from his eyes. And then he touched my forehead. It was a light touch but still I flinched.
- Man.. you're all drenched in sweat..
he spoke in a surprisingly soft voice. Although there was still a sharp edge, despite the softness, caused by him being worried sick because of me.
- You really scared me, Takuma..
he kept saying. Minoru sent Agumon into the hallway to get me some water. As minutes went by, I calmed down little pieces at a time. But the trembling didn't want to end.
- Woah.. hey, Takuma.. Agumon, can you go get some of the spare blankets we found? I don't know.. bring like, two or three,
Minoru asked, and Agumon ran off.
- M-Minoru.. What are you d-doing..?
I asked, stuttering as he unzipped my hoodie.
- Taking this off, man. There ain't sense in keeping this on. You're basically swimming in cold sweat and I'm not having it!
He sounded so serious. Looked like it, too. And under any other circumstance I would have laughed at the expression of his. But not right now.
- Why's Agumon taking so long..?
Minoru then wondered grumpily.
- He.. only just left, give him.. some more time..
I tried to calm him down. Minoru almost seemed anxious as we waited. And right as Agumon finally did return, Minoru took the blankets from him, throwing one right around my shoulders. I proceeded to cling onto it thankfully. The shivers didn't want to end. And it sure didn't seem like I would be feeling good enough to fall asleep any time soon. Agumon and Minoru both knew that, too. They both stayed closeby. Minoru even sat down right next to me, grabbing a hold of another blanket and wrapping it around himself. We were right by a window and there was a draft coming in. Not the most ideal place to stay, but neither of us really felt like moving somewhere else. Minoru was really thoughtful and pressed himself tightly against my side. The blankets were quite thin, and the extra warmth Minoru provided really came in handy. I had never felt this thankful for him in my life before.
It was late, and it didn't take too long for Agumon to fall asleep. Minoru and I had been quietly chatting about some happier things. He was really doing his everything to help me push the nightmare aside. With enough time even my eyelids started to feel quite heavy. It got more and more difficult to keep my eyes open. Minoru noticed this but kept on talking in a lighthearted way. He wanted me to feel safe enough to sleep. And I was surely getting there. Within the next 15 minutes or so my head was resting against Minoru's shoulder. I didn't hear a word of what he possibly was saying, any longer. For the first time that entire night I felt unbothered and safe. Minoru breathed out a sigh of relief as he noticed that I was finally sleeping peacefully. Only then he allowed himself to also close his eyes, with his arm still wrapped around me.