Where… am I?
Why am I here?
I can't see.
I can't hear.
I can't feel.
Is there anywhere I can go?
…
…what was that?
A person.
No. I can tell it isn't. It's scent isn't normal.
Slowly, slowly, I can make out footsteps.
…did it get colder all of a sudden?
And this scent; this poisonous, yet intoxicating scent.
Where have I encountered—
"Ritsu."
"!"
What- ?
"It's time."
This smoke…
No.
It can't be!
Is that…?
…chomp.
"AAGH!"
I wake with a start, panting and sweating.
There is a horrible shock coursing through me.
That dream again.
I say that, but it's been years since I've had that dream.
8 years to be exact.
That thing… why now? I'm 26, not a fucking teenager.
I'm way past the age it likes for…
There's a faint beeping sound from beside me, prompting me to bang hard on the annoying object to make it stop.
I'm still tired, having just woken up; maybe I should sleep a little longer.
A quick glance at the clock shows me that it's half nine.
…
HALF NINE?
Jumping out of my warm bed, I rush to change out of my pyjamas.
Shit, I think, grabbing my bag. Takano's gonna murder me for showing up this late!
I place a piece of bread into my mouth as I dash towards to the train station…
,,, but not after banging my head against the door.
"Rejected."
"What is it this time?!"
Takano swivels his chair back to his own desk. "The chapter itself seems interesting, but if you look at the manga as a whole, the change of course seems too sudden."
I blink. "Really?"
"YOU DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE THAT?! YOU'RE THE GODDAMN EDITOR RITSU! YOU SHOULD NOTICE THESE KINDS OF THINGS!"
"I-I'm sorry for that. It's just that-"
"No excuses, Onodera."
I sigh dejectedly as I walk back to my desk, ready to call Mutou to redo her chapter.
Again.
"Yes! This is Mutou."
"Ah, this is Onodera from Marukawa Publishing," I say. "Sorry to bother you so early."
"Oh, no! I-It's fine, really. What's wrong?"
"It's about the latest chapter."
As I chat with Mutou, there's a slight unease in me.
For some reason, that dream from earlier crosses my mind.
"It's time."
What does it mean by that? I can vaguely remember the events from back then, but this isn't part of it.
"Onodera?"
Mutou's voice brings me back to reality.
"Ah, yes! Thank you for understanding."
"Yes."
Hanging up the phone, Takano hits me with a rolled-up manuscript.
"Get to work," he says.
I grow irritated. "I JUST FINISHED TALKING TO MUTOU, MIND YOU!"
"Then do your work, dumbass."
Is it just me or did the atmosphere get a little gloomier? Perhaps due to the fact that I'm plotting Takano's murder in my mind…
Hi! It's been ages since I've written anything so I apologize if this seems pretty short. Hope you enjoy this story. Criticism would be appreciated.