Chapter 11: Friend or Foe?

Day after day, month after month, they would haul me into that room and hook me up to that machine. Each and every time, they'd put that helmet on me and force me to listen to Shizen beg me to save Her. Then, they would drag me back to my cage to stare into the darkness all alone. It was agonizing.

My days were filled with loneliness and my nights were filled with nightmares. Having to hear Shizen's song only made me relive that horrible day over and over in vivid detail. I had lost all hope for any sort of future. I wasn't even twelve years old and yet this was my fate. I didn't even have any more tears left to cry about the hopelessness I felt because I knew it was no good. This would be my life until I died.

Once again, the two men came and dragged me away to the room for Rou to do more experiments on me. I obediently followed, knowing that there was no use in resistance. I already knew the routine by heart anyway. We walked into the lab where Rou was waiting for me, as usual, and they strapped me into that chair once more. On his day, however, things didn't quite go as usual…

"Ah, Munsuta!" Rou said as he turned to look at me for the umpteenth time, "How are you feeling today?" His tone of concern seemed genuine, bland yet I still felt uneasy with his odd behavior. I was so used to him going on with his experimentations that his kindness was unnerving.

I didn't answer him, instead I stayed perfectly still and stared with wide eyes. "Come now, there's no need to be frightened of me." He attempted to comfort me, "Don't you remember all the fun we had when I was teaching you to read? I remember how much you enjoyed Shakespeare's works. You were exceptional!"

I remained motionless, not knowing just how to respond to him. If this was some kind of joke, I wasn't getting it at all. This man had been part of the reason why all my people had perished. Although I knew that deep down, it was ultimately my responsibility, I still felt that he and his colleagues shared in the blame.

The more I thought about it, the more confidence began to build within me. It was at that moment that I decided to speak my mind, but "Why'd you do it?" was all I could muster up the courage for. Rou looked at me and frowned. "Whatever do you mean?" He asked.

Are you kidding me? I thought to myself, is he serious or is he just messing with me? My resentment towards him and his kind was building. "Why did you kill my family!?" I shouted without realizing. "Why did you destroy everything!?"

Again, he stood and stared with a puzzled face. Did he really know nothing! My heart was pumping faster than usual and I felt shaky all over. I could feel my face getting warmer as my pent up rage grew stronger and stronger.

"What are you talking about? What do you mean destroyed?" Again, he wore a face of genuine concern; he truly seemed to not know anything. How could he not know!? He needs to know what harm he caused me! I was reaching my limit of restraint. At the top of my lungs I shouted at him, huffing and heaving, tears running down my face, throwing my head back, releasing all of the suppressed emotions:

"YOU AND YOUR PEOPLE CAME AND MURDERED ALL OF MY FAMILY AND BURNED THE FOREST TO THE GROUND!"

Rou's eyes widened, horror-struck. He dropped the beaker he had been holding, glass smashing as it hit the floor. He bent over slightly and held into the lab table. He too had started to pant, clutching at his chest. "Is this really true?" He asked after regaining his composure. I gave no reply, however it was enough to signify that I was telling the truth.

After a few more moments, he walked up to me so that he was standing right beside me. "We're done for the day, Munsuta. I have no further tests to run today." He said in a monotone voice that shook slightly as he spoke. He then motioned for the guards to escort me back to my cell. As I left the room, I could see that he was still quite flustered. I could tell from his lingering expression that what I had said had been news to him indeed.

This made me start to wonder… Had Rou really been an ally all along? Was he truly as guiltless as he made himself to be? Can I really trust him? So many questions and so little answers. I returned to my cell feeling even more baffled than ever.

That night, instead of the horrific nightmares that haunted my dreams, I lay awake in my cage and stared blankly into the darkness, assessing this new situation. Maybe I could use Rou's sympathy for me to my advantage…