The Haunted

Part 8. An Awakening – 521 words

In a world separate from reality, Narumi is surrounded by fire, glass and blood— the three things that haunted him night and day ever since he turned his back on her. Her name repeatedly echoes in his head. Every step he takes results to a crunch under his feet. Every flicker of a flame scalds his skin. Every drop of blood makes him scream.

He is searching for the exit— something he has never been able to find in these dreams. He is looking for an answer, though that evades him too. He is searching for a face and an object, both are within reach if he just stretches out a hand and grabs it.

It seems easy but that is merely an illusion. Something prevents him from reaching for freedom and it is too strong to overcome. The past has a tight grip on him because he remains unwilling to let go, and he recognizes his folly for contributing to his own imprisonment. He knows, in the deepest, darkest recesses of his mind, that he has been a willing captive to Yuka. It alleviates his guilt and so he continues to dance with a ghost, giving her more power over him each night. This subservience gives her life. She feeds on him and is slowly starting to feed on those around him.

Somewhere in the waking world, he senses Subaru has fallen. His heart shatters yet again. Dimly, he hears Misaki enter the room and he is conversing, reasoning with Yuka. He can sense his sight begin to fail him— both in dreams and reality. The image of the flames starts to blur. He can see the departure of the person he is trying to reach; the object that would give him lucidity is also disappearing from his sight. She carries it in her hands as she takes flight. She is leaving him behind.

Narumi opens his mouth to call out her name but he is unable to make a single sound. The dream is about to end again. He has failed at this an infinite number of times.

Not this time, he thinks. This time, for sure, I must reach her.

So he fights off his demons, and screams until his throat is hoarse. He runs into the fire in his subconscious. He reaches for her and grabs a hand, a blade, anything. This time he embraces her before she can stab herself and then he feels them start to burn together. The shock of the fire is enough to send him spiralling back to his senses.

Narumi wakes.

He sits up with a start, looking like the lunatic everyone believes him to be. He looks around wildly. His breath hitches when the first thing he sees is Subaru's lifeless body lying flat on the hard floor. His attention shifts to Misaki's bewildered expression and then it finally rests on Yuka— standing as firmly as a ghost could stand on solid ground.

"Yuka, what have you done?"

We rise and fall together.

We take things as they are.

People called me a madman.

The truth was never that far.