A/N: Sorry if I haven't been uploading as consistently as I usually do! I got a new work schedule for the month, so it's been a little harder to write! This is the last chapter I have that's completed right now so that should give me motivation to crank out the laptop to write. Enjoy!
…..
My heart stopped. Time seemed to slow down and my adrenaline kicked in. I surged forward and immediately grabbed her legs, forcing her to stay elevated so the rope didn't inflict too much damage.
She began kicking and clawing at me.
"Christian, let me go! Let me die." She sobbed.
I struggled holding on to her legs, my brain barely rationalizing what I can do. She wouldn't stay still long enough for me to leave her be for a few moments.
One of her legs broke free and struck my chest. I slightly stumbled, carrying her legs with me. She began to choke from me losing my grip. I immediately regained my composure and gripped her legs, holding her up higher and ignoring the burning sensation in my arms.
I began running through ways to get her out of the situation. Cut the rope. 'Yeah, but with what?'. Untie the rope manually. 'She won't stay still long enough for me to do so.'
As I was internally fighting back and forth for a solution, I heard stomping in my direction. I turned my head to see Monika dash into the room. She gasped at the sight, but I motioned for her aid.
"No time! G-get on the chair and untie the rope!" I ordered with difficulty. Without delay, she propped the chair up and began working on Sayori's binds.
Sayori kicked into overdrive, flinging her arms around, attempting to push Monika off the chair and make me lose my grip on her.
"No, stop! Please!" She shrieked, begging for us to leave her alone.
As I tried my best to keep Sayori still, Monika finished untying the noose, the rope falling loosely around Sayori's neck. Her weight crumpled onto mine. I grabbed her the best I could and brought into my lap as we fell to the ground together.
She softly hit my chest a few times before succumbing to her emotions, breaking down completely. She sobbed into my chest, muttering incoherent words. I gripped her tight and ran my fingers through her hair as she cried.
Monika dropped to her knees next to me, tears raining down her face. Only then did I notice that I was crying to. I tried to ignore it, but the adrenaline wore off, leaving me feeling vulnerable. Monika wrapped her arms around me and Sayori and we wept together.
"Why did you save me? I have nothing. It would've been better if you've let me go…" Sayori softly spoke in between sobs. I softly shushed her and made eye contact with Monika.
"Sayori, you're my best friend. There is no way in hell I'd ever let you go." I mutter to her. I softly rub her back and let her ride out her emotions.
It feels like we've been sitting for hours. We've all been sitting in silence. Sayori's cries have calmed down. Her breathing slowed and I realized she was asleep. I slowly moved my hand up to her neck and gently grazed her skin. Her neck looked raw from the rope burns and was bruising from when my grip was loosened, allowing her to choke. I gently and quietly, I scooped her up into my arms.
Monika followed me as we walked down her stairs and out of her house. When Monika closed the door, my gaze swept across the window I broke through and I pause.
"That's gonna take some explaining." I muttered. I felt Monika's hand on my back so I begin moving again. We continue through the cold, making my way inside.
When we entered my house, Natsuki and Yuri both had confused looks on their faces.
"Um, what the hell-" Natsuki started, but immediately quieted herself after seeing Monika put a finger to her lips, signaling her to keep the volume down.
I carefully laid Sayori down on one of the couches. I turned to Monika for a second.
"Dear, keep an eye on her, would you? I'm going to go grab some blankets." I quietly said. Monika simply nodded her head, her soft green eyes resting on the sleeping cinnamon roll.
I retreated up to my room. I rummaged quickly through my closet, finding spare pillows and some blankets. I claimed them and made my way back downstairs.
I approached Sayori and motioned Monika to help me. We softly lifted her head to lay the pillow underneath it, while draping a blanket over her, tucking her in.
We slowly stepped away as if backing away from a bomb. She didn't stir one bit, just lay there asleep. This is the first instance where I'm praising her being a heavy sleeper.
I sighed in relief and made my way into the kitchen. The girls followed in suite. I sat down at the table and buried my head into my hands.
Each of the girls took a seat without saying a word.
It was quiet for several minutes, until Monika broke the silence.
"Darling…" She said softly. I looked up to meet her eyes. Her hand carefully grazed my arm. I winced slightly and look to where she was touching. My arm was slightly scratched and bled from the glass I fell onto.
"I don't know how I do it, but I always hurt myself." I quietly mutter. Yuri quickly stands up and departs the table. I turn to question one of the girls, but Yuri returns just as fast with a first aid kit.
"Where….?" I start to question.
"I saw it in your bathroom when I used it earlier." Yuri stated. I nodded my head, slightly impressed with her memory. Monika grabbed the kit and open it, bringing out assortments of supplies.
"Is she okay…?" Natsuki quietly asks. I sigh heavily and look at Sayori from across the room.
"She….will be. In time. I think I might find out what the problem is soon though." I state dejectedly. Yuri and Natsuki nod their heads, knowing full well what I mean. I feel Monika dab something onto my arm and I wince.
"Sorry, dove. Just a little more." She says gently. Her angelic voice soothes me, making it easier to relax from the series of events that just occurred. I turn my attention back to Yuri and Natsuki.
"Be gentle with her for now. She's in a weird spot and feels helpless. She doesn't understand that we'll do anything, but that's not her fault. It's just what happens when you're mentally ill like that. But that being said, we need to be there for her."
They nod their heads wordlessly in agreeance. Monika does some finishing touches to my arm, bandaging some bigger spots. Apparently, it wasn't as bad as I thought.
She put away the supplies and closed the box, setting it off to the side. More silence fell upon the group. The girls must've seen the fatigue on my face, because the two of them stood up quietly.
"These events seem rather unpleasant, but I do believe it is time for me to take my leave." Yuri awkwardly states.
"Yeah, I shouldn't be out too late either, Dad would kill me." Natsuki mutters.
I nod my head and stand up.
"No worries, I understand. Sorry this ended weird like this." I said. The two of them shook their heads.
"Nah, don't worry about it, dummy. You have work to do anyways." Natsuki half-joked.
I broke a small smirk and walked up to them. They both gave me warm hugs and I walked them to the door.
"I had fun today, ladies. Can't wait for next time."
They both smiled and waved as they exited. I quietly shut the door and turned around, exhaling audibly.
"Baby, come here." I hear Monika call from the living room.
I turn off the kitchen lights while she turned on one of the lamps, ushering me to switch off the main light. After I did so, I approached her. She wrapped her arms tightly around me and fell into my chest. I lightly picked her up and laid down on the couch, softly placing her on top of me with her head on my chest.
She places soft kisses to my chest.
"Good job today, Christian. You're so brave. You acted so nobly. You saved her life." She quietly said.
I sighed and laid my cheek on her head.
"I was scared. I just knew I had to stop her. I know it wasn't one hundred percent her doing, either. The voice has been messing with her mind, too."
I felt Monika's hand grip the sides of my shirt.
"I figured she would be visited by him too….it was only a matter of time." She mutters. I nuzzle my cheek against her head and sigh.
"Yeah, I kind of expected it to happen too. Hopefully tonight I can end this, for all of us."
She turns her face to mine and gently kisses my chin. I look at Sayori one last time, watching her rest peacefully. 'I will save you, Sayori. No matter what.'
I feel Monika shift her weight next to me as she drags a blanket that was sitting on the floor over us.
"Squeeze me and hold me, darling. We've got a best friend to save."
I wrap my arms around her body and pull her close.
"Damn right, my love. Damn-fucking-right."
Hopefully, like with Yuri, I would be able to connect with Sayori's dream. I mentally cross my fingers and hope for the best. I squeeze Monika close to me and let her warmth wash over my body. The sweet, fruity smell of her hair relaxed my body and I soon felt sleep claiming hold of my body.
….
"I must say, you've greatly surpassed my expectations."
My vision cleared and I realized I was standing in the clubroom. I peered around and saw nothing out of the ordinary. All the desks were lined up in a normal fashion, the blinds were open, revealing a beautiful sunny day. Only one thing seemed off: I was alone.
I took a step to the whiteboard. It was blank, the ivory surface reflecting a distorted version of myself. I traced my finger along it, confirming it was indeed a real surface.
"She approaches. She knows what you've done, what you prevented."
I flinched when I heard the voice. I quickly back away from the whiteboard, turning my head to gaze around the room. I was still alone, but I clearly heard The Voice.
"Where are you? When will you show yourself?" I call out with false confidence. This may be the third time I'm in a situation like this, but that doesn't make it any easier.
Silence. I began to feel irritation creep through me.
"Look, I'm tired of playing these games. You talking to me in my sleep and tormenting these girls is getting real fucking old."
Still nothing. I sigh in frustration. Suddenly, I heard sinister laughter that echoes throughout my body.
"You fool, do you even realize the situation you are in? You cannot save everyone. In the end, you will be faced with a choice. Right now, you are confused, but when that time comes, you will be torn. You find safety in Her, but She is the one thing that is holding you back. The one thing preventing you from reaching your salvation."
I feel the presence of the voice fade into obscurity. I think about calling out once more but refrain, knowing that I will receive no response. I exhale in silence, questioning what to do next, until I heard the sound of dry-erase markers behind me.
I slowly turn to see words slowly being written on the white board. The red letters bled, dripping down and giving the message a sinister look. Stress began to seep into my soul, so I tried to use controlled breaths to make it subside.
The writing stopped, revealing the words 'Get out of my head'. It makes my blood run cold, reminding me of the poem I read from Sayori's bag before the incident.
The room fell silent once again, the only sound being my breathing, until I heard a light knock on the closet in the back of the room. I stand still and listen, unsure of what action to take. Once again, a knock was heard off the closet door, resonating throughout the room.
I took cautious steps towards the door, readying myself for anything. As I neared the door, I heard a soft whimper. This time, when the door knocked, I heard a voice.
"Hello…?" A soft-hearted voice spoke out.
Instinctively, I slowly opened the door. There before me stood a coral haired girl, dressed in the same pink long sleeve shirt and blue jeans that I saw her in before.
"Sayori?" I saw surprised, feeling slightly relieved to recognize a face.
She immediately plunged towards me, crushing me in her signature hug. Only this time, it was out of fear.
"C-Christian! Thank gosh you're hereee.." She lightly whimpers into my chest. I hug her back, lightly rubbing her back in the process.
"There, there, cinnamon bun. I got you. Now I'd love to sit and chit chat, but I think we both want to get the fuck out of here. So, what do you say we blow this joint so we can both wake up?" I confidently say to her.
She looks up at me with her glossy, blue orbs.
"W-what do you mean?" She shakily asks.
I pull away from her and straighten out her shirt.
"Look m'lady, I'd love to explain, but frankly this is around the time when these dreams take a weird turn."
As if on cue, I hear the classroom door open. I turn around quickly to see a tall, elegant woman walk in. She slowly turns to us and smiles.
She was taller than us, with long brown hair. She had soft brown eyes and a gentle smile. She had a simple black dress with sleeves that covered her arms. Every step could be heard from the clack of the pair of black heels she wore.
I took a slightly defensive position in front Sayori, waiting for the woman to address herself. The woman smiled warmly as us and outstretched her arms.
"Sayori, my dear! How nice to see you!" Her voice was angelic, each syllable was pronounced perfectly and just soft enough to lull you to sleep. "And you must be Christian."
I was a taken aback from how she knew my name. It clearly showed off me because she giggled.
"Stunned, are we? Don't worry now, I've been awaiting your arrival."
This is exactly the direction I did not want this to go. Why can't I just come in these dreams, grab my lady friends, and dip without confrontations?
I cleared my throat awkwardly.
"Er, what do you mean you've been waiting?'
She sighed happily and began pacing around the front of the room, her hands behind her back. Despite her regal-aura, she made the air seemed incredibly still, keeping me on edge.
She paused for a moment and slightly turned her head, her eyes gazing at me.
"Is it possible that you have no idea? He's brought you here several times before, you know."
Who did? Does she mean The Voice? As if she could read my mind, she started her elegant laugh while turning to face me.
"I can already tell by the look on your face that you know exactly who I'm talking about. He hasn't told you anything, has he?" She coyly says.
I shift uncomfortably where I stand.
"Er, no he hasn't. I've been trying to figure out, but I keep ending up in these hellish scenarios."
She giggles once more and takes a step towards us. I feel Sayori grip my shirt from behind me and lean up to my ear.
"Christian, what is she talking about?" She whispers to me. I turn my head slightly to her.
"I'll explain this all when we get out of here, okay?" I quietly say to her. I turn my attention back to Sayori's mom.
"Who is he?" I sternly ask.
She giggles at me which increases my ire.
"Well, that's not exactly my place to say, now is it? I'm certain if he hasn't shared that information with you yet, he has his reasons. Give it time, you will know soon enough." She winks at me.
I feel a shiver go down my spine. I furrow my eyebrows and glare at the woman.
"Look, I don't exactly understand what the hell is going on, but I sure as hell am done playing these games. I'm losing patience and all I want to do is help my dear friend here. So, if you'd excuse me, I'd like to take my leave."
Before I could move, she gleefully chortles.
"Do you honestly believe that getting out of this encounter will ensure everyone's survival? Or do you still believe that the Perfectionist is there to help you?"
The perfectionist? Monika? What does she have to do with anything?
I take a step forward.
"Monika? What do you mean, what does she have to do with this?"
The regal maiden giggles again and sighs.
"Well, that's one more thing for you to find out. Some things are best untouched until it's the right time. Just know…" She leans forward, lowering her voice to a little above a whisper, "….not everything is as it seems."
Something about the way she said that really rubbed me the wrong way. Keeping the identity of the voice from me, implying that she's one of the forces behind all these nightmares, and most of all, bringing up Monika in themanner she did.
I grabbed Sayori's wrist to which she gently yelped and I started walking towards the door, the cinnamon bun in tow.
"We're leaving. I'm getting real tired of this shit." I aggressively say. We depart the room, letting the door close behind us, the sound echoing through the halls.
The school seemed to be a shade whiter than usually, making me slightly squint as I angrily stomp to wherever the hell we can go.
Sayori remained silent throughout us walking, just following me as I pulled her along. I didn't like how quiet this whole place was. It was easy to put thoughts in my head and that's something I absolutely did not want to deal with right now.
We reach the stairwell at the end of the hall and…I sigh in absolute frustration.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" I complain out loud.
We were most likely on the third floor, if this dream copies at all how the real-world club is. That being said, you take stairs down to leave the front entrance of a building on the bottom floor, right? Kind of hard to do when there is only a staircase that's leading up.
I experimentally tap my foot on the ground where a stairwell would lead downstairs and feel solid floor.
"Great, only way is up I guess." I say with irritation bleeding into my voice. I feel Sayori's hand land on my shoulder and I turn my head to her.
"Don't worry, Christian! I'm not entirely sure what is happening right now or what that lady is talking about with all that stuff, but I'm sure you'll get us out of here! I believe in you!" She chirps at me, with her signature goofy smile that's sure to brighten anyone's day.
I feel myself soften a little bit and I pat her hand that is resting on my shoulder.
"Thanks, Sayori. This shit just sucks is all. I want to get you out of here." I softly tell her.
"And we will do just that!" She cheerfully agrees with me.
I motion her to follow me and we make our way up the stairs.
We reach the top of the stairwell and was met with a singular door. Its brown, rusted look made me weary to touch it, but I pushed through and grabbed its weathered handle.
The door creaked open and led us into the outside. The heavy door swung shut behind us and we both flinched. I looked around the roof to take in my surroundings, feeling a soft, warm breeze blow around me.
It was pretty basic, just being a flat, cemented surface with four small walls on either side. We walked to the end of the balcony and looked over the wall. We were on the side that faced the front of the school, for I recognized the main courtyard that I've come to know. The sun seemed to have gone down, the world being painted a light orange showing it was dusk. I thought was kind of strange, because it was just midday.
"So, uh….what now?" Sayori asked me with uncertainty.
I scanned the area around me.
"Well er-I'm not entirely sure. The other two girls kind of had….conflicts. When those conflicts were resolve, the dream kind of just ended and we woke up."
Sayori tilted her head at me.
"Other girls….?"
I sighed and turned to face her.
"Yes, Yuri and Natsuki. Look, I'm going to dumb this down for you." I start.
"Hey now, meanie!" She says while poking my cheek.
I chuckle and roll my eyes.
"Look, I didn't mean it like that, just it's a lot of information. For some reason, some…. entity…. has been messing with each of you girls' minds. It like…. brings out the worst in you, you know? Somehow whenever we dream at the same time, I get put in a dream with you except that it's incredibly real. We share the dream and there was some sort of conflict, which is why I'm confused right now."
Sayori nodded her head but adopted a confused expression.
"So…..we are dreaming together? Where are we in the real lifes?"
I gaze over top the roof walls.
"We're in my house right now. You're on my couch and I'm asleep with Monika on the adjacent couch so you weren't sleeping in a room alone."
Her confusion didn't go away.
"Why would you have to stay asleep with me in the same room? What happened to me." The way she asked the question seemed more like she was confirming.
I dreaded this question. I felt it best to not answer for now, given the situation.
"I'll tell you in time, when we wake up. For now, just know that all your friends care about you and we will take care of you twenty-four seven, whenever and however you need us."
Her confused expression softened a bit into an expression of hurt, almost like she knew exactly what I was talking about. I know she's an airhead, but I need to remember that we are here for a reason, and she knows herself better than anyone.
I gently squeezed her arm and sighed. She opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by the squeaking of the rooftop door. We both abruptly turned to see the lady from before walking onto the roof, closing the door behind her.
"Enjoying the view?" She asks sweetly.
I ignore her question and take a step in front of Sayori.
"Look, ma'am-" She cut my off.
"Asuka. The names Asuka, honey"
"Er-right. Look, Asuka, I'm not exactly sure what's going on here, but we don't want any part of it."
She sways from side to side and smiles wide.
"Honey, I'm very aware you don't know what's going on. That's part of the problem. You should know what's going on. But I'm not blaming you or anything. After all, you have managed to get through the other encounters with just physical injuries, freeing the girls. You exceeded what we thought you could ever do, and we commend you for that. Unfortunately, that also prevents you from finding out the truth."
She finished her sentence and twists her wrists, a thick, brown rope unfurling out of each of her sleeves. She takes slow steps forward.
"You already know you are in another reality, one that isn't your own. You have no memories, but we can heal you. Your sight has been blinded by the Perfectionist and her club."
She flicked her right hand and the rope dangling hurls forward, attaching to my left wrist. As it coils around my hand, it immediately tightens, lurching me forward onto my knees with my arm outstretched. Sayori whimpers in terror and I grunt from the position I'm forced to be in.
"These girls have clouded your judgement, forcing you to live out a reality you don't belong in. The Perfectionist has gone through great lengths to keep you by her side. Yes, she explained her motives to you in the beginning, but what she has kept from you is she is holding you back from you being released into your own reality."
I felt a ping in my heart as she said that. Monika? My love is keeping me tied here, keeping me from finding out who I was before? Isn't she content with helping me heal?
I gaze upwards at the woman and she flicks her second wrist, this one coils around my abdomen and locking me in place.
"Stop!" Sayori cries out.
The woman merely smiles and chuckles.
"You know, you should've let tonight play out. I know it would've been hard for you as a friend to watch the events unfold, but it would've saved us so much time." She takes her eyes off me to look at Sayori.
I could feel the atmosphere shift around as Sayori digested what the woman said.
"You were the voice in my head?" I heard Sayori say in disbelief.
The woman started laughing, squeezing her hands into fists which made the ropes slightly tighten, making me groan in pain.
"I'm not going to take credit entirely. It was also Him, but I was there as well. Like I said, dear, we have a plan. Of course, this one's loyalty to friends and family gets in the way. But there is always a work around."
I heard a slight whipping sound above me. I turn my head upwards to see a small dark cloud around five feet above me. In a flash, a third rope shoots out, coiling itself around my neck. I felt my eyes practically bulge out from the force as my breathing was immediately slowly becoming constricted.
I heard Sayori cry out from behind me. The woman chuckled once more, relishing in our dismay. She slowly and intimidatingly struts up to me, kneeling down to my level.
"This didn't have to be this way, you know." She says sharply. "All we were trying to do was play out the script as it was meant to be. Your presence altered how the code was running, but the same problems remained intact. All you had to do was idle around until the events played out and you would be free."
I tried using my right hand to rip off the rope, but I felt that wrist being constricted behind my back. I hissed in frustration.
"Asuka, let me-urg-let me fucking go." I grunt out. She chuckles and stands up.
"I will, but first I need to take care of your friend here."
Asuka stands up and walks past me. My body turns with her movements, making me face the wall where Sayori is. My eyes met the cinnamon bun's and I saw fear in them.
"Look, my dear, it's nothing personal! There's just specific guidelines that these systems need to abide by and well, we just need you to hang around so to speak."
Sayori squeezes her hands into fists and glares at the woman, surprising me in the process. I didn't know she was capable of such an emotion.
"Let. Christian. Go." She slowly spits out.
All around us, the environment started to change. The sky immediately darkened, and with it, cold precipitation. The wind picked up, blowing all around us.
Asuka's composure faltered and in this instance I realized she wasn't in control. I looked up to Sayori and her angered expression had hints of surprise.
"W-what?" Asuka stuttered out. "What are you doing, girl?"
Sayori stood up straight, showing a confidence I've never seen her wear.
"I said, let him go." Without breaking eye contact with the woman, she points at me.
Asuka began laughing softly.
"Why are you fighting this? This is what you were made for! Just give up!"
Sayori gripped the sides of her head in frustrations. She started to shake slightly, and as she did, the rain picked up. Asuka took a step back in shock.
"What is wrong with-" Asuka began to say before being interrupted.
"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Sayori screamed, thunder echoing throughout the world.
The hairs on my arms stood up and before I knew it, lighting began striking around the roof, leaving the smell of sulfur. My eyes opened wide as the storm picked up, realizing it was matching Sayori's emotions.
'This is her mind. This is a literal physical representation on what her mind is. Changing from beautiful midday to thunderstorms in a matter of moments.'
Sayori slowly looked up to the woman, her blue eyes sparkling lightly, almost electric.
I felt my ropes loosen just slightly, as Asuka shifted a majority of her attention to the unstable stormy girl. I quickly and clumsily clawed off the rope attached to my throat, coughing violently in the process. I detached the rope across my abdomen and hands, dropping myself to the cement.
I took deep breathes as I turned my head up to focus on the ladies. The rain was coming down hard now, making it hard to make out the scene unfolding before me.
"Stop fighting me, Sayori! You're making everything worse!" Asuka growled towards Sayori, her sleeves now producing more ropes.
Sayori took a dangerous step towards the woman.
"No. You hurt my best friend. You hurt my literature club. I am tired of the clouds hanging above my head. No more will you hurt me."
Asuka flicks her wrist and the dark cloud appeared in the air once more, this time over Sayori. As the girl glances up, the rough object shoots down, wrapping around her neck. It slowly lifted her up, Sayori's feet kicking wildly.
"Sayori!" I scream, getting to my feet and sprinting towards her. Asuka turns around and brings a fist to my chest with surprising strength, sending me flying backwards. I rolled on the wet concrete a few times until I was laying on my stomach.
I slowly pushed myself up and helplessly watched as Sayori dangled from a rope, the second time I've had to witness the sight. I was too far away at this point to stop it. I felt helplessness and fear strike my heart.
"Let it play out, little one." Asuka sneers at Sayori. "This is what you were destined to do."
Sayori's hands desperately clawed at her throat, failing miserably to free herself. Asuka began to laugh as the thunder boomed, lightning cracking the sky and making her look like the evilest villain I could imagine.
The wind started to pick up, leaves being blown all around at frantic speeds. I turned my gaze upwards to see the clouds swirling overhead. The clouds directly over us darkened tenfold, lightning flashing and threatening to crash down.
This must've alarmed Asuka as well, for she turned her gaze upward. That's when I heard Sayori gurgle something. I turned my gaze back to my best friend and her skin began to sparkle.
Asuka saw this too and back away a few steps.
"What the…" She mutters, confused.
Sayori then clamps her arms against her collar and gives out a shrill battle cry.
"LET. ME. GO!"
Thunder boomed overhead, and the biggest lightning bolt I've ever seen streaked down, blinding me and whitening the entire roof. The bolt struck Asuka, causing her to shriek out at a deafening tone.
When my eyes focused again from the blinding flash, I looked up towards Sayori. Asuka was nowhere to be seen, and Sayori was on her hands and knees, coughing and breathing wildly.
The clouds still remained overhead but the thunder subsided, just bringing down a light rain. I struggled to get to my feet and stumbled towards Sayori.
I knelt down to her, dropping to one knee, and placed a hand on her shoulder. She shuddered from my touch.
"D-d-did we do it?" She stuttered out.
I did a sweep of the roof with eyes, seeing nothing. I sighed in relief and returned my gaze to the girl.
"Yes. Yes, we did." I tell her. I gently grip her arm and help her to her feet. She immediately falls into me, squeezing me tightly.
"Christian, I don't know what came over me. I just got so angry like all these bottled up emotions just finally exploded out of me." Sayori said, sounding extremely astonished and worried.
I chuckle lightly at her comment.
"I'm going to be honest, when your emotions triggered weather change and you were all serious and shit, it startled the fuck out of me."
She giggled lightly against me.
"I'm sorry you had to see that. But this is all a dream, right? Well like a real dream thingy…" She lightly rubs her throat. "…so this didn't really happened?"
I listen to the sound of soft rain on the cement and think before giving a response.
"In a technical sense, we're just sleeping on the couch. But we both know what happened here. It was more real than I would ever be comfortable with."
She pushes away from the hug and straightens herself out. Her neck was bruised and raw, similar to how it looked in the real world, just worse. Now that I think of it….how was she able to scream out if her throat was being constricted?
She giggles, bringing me out of my rambling thoughts.
"Huh?" I raise an eyebrow at her.
"You had a funny look on your face. That was it." She simply says.
I roll my eyes at her and smirk.
"It's always the simple things for you, isn't it? Are you feeling any better?"
She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. The light rain subsided, and the clouds began to part. Somehow the sun was back in the sky again, shining down and basking our wet bodies with its warmth.
'I guess a beautiful sunny day represents Sayori's mind at its best.' I think to myself.
As if on cue, she opens her eyes with a smile.
"Yes, I feel happy. Happy clouds, happy clouds!" She says while bouncing in place. I chuckle at her antics and motion for her to sit down with me with our backs against the wall.
Surprisingly, we were already dry. I sighed and laid my head against the wall.
"Soon we're going to wake up." I tell her. She scooches closer to me and lays her head on my shoulder.
"That's good, right?" She asks.
I gently nod my head.
"I mean, Asuka vanished from your crazy lightening spree, it's sunny again and you feel better. I think it's mission accomplished."
She giggles at me and squeezes my arm.
"Well, then I say let us sleep!"
I chuckle at her and close my eyes. Sure enough, sitting in the sun and resting after the weird exchange that just happened was enough for me to feel my consciousness slip away, bring me back to reality.
…..