Chapter 5

Lauren's head shot around to the location of the voice, only in time to see... nothing? No source of the voice, and no monster, either. What was that, then? Had she been daydreaming? She shook her head, trying to arrange her thoughts again. However, no matter how she looked at it, nothing made sense. What was the voice that called out to her? Where did it come from?

If nothing else, she had some determination back.

"Marta, I'm going to look for that voice."

'...fine. But only if you go right to Luin after. Promise?'

"Promise. Just give me a bit."

Lauren popped back up to her feet, setting off in the direction she'd come from before. She was certain that the voice had come from there, and that there had to be a reason for it. And so off she went, looking around the plains. It seemed a little easier going this time for some reason, although she had no idea why... was it because of her new goal? Was she just more determined for this? Or was it something else, something she couldn't quite place her finger on, no matter how much she tried.

"NO!"

The scream came out of nowhere, ear splittingly loud, with terror embedded into it. Lauren looked dazed for a moment, before she registered something. That scream was the exact same voice as before. She was running now, chasing after whoever could have let that scream out. But, no matter how far she ran, no matter the direction, she found no one. There was no more voice to be heard, the only sounds now were her breath and the sounds of the wind moving through the grass.

"g-god... please... h-help me..."

Weak this time. So weak. The voice was barely more than a whisper, yet somehow it was still clear as a bell in her ears.

"Where are you?! Tell me! I want to help you!"

"I... don't want... to die... p-please, god..."

The voice's breath was laboured, as though it were in deep pain. Lauren could almost feel it's breath on her ears, but still, she couldn't find the body that the voice belonged too. She didn't stop searching, ignoring the words from Marta in her head, and her own conscience. She managed to spend the entire rest of the day out in the fields, searching like a madman for a voice that refused to be found.

It was only then that she slumped again to her knees in defeat, hands going limp at her side. "What's going on here... am I just crazy?" The setting sun made the entire field light up like it was on fire, Her vision dark from exhaustion and eyes hazy from dehydration. Was it possible that had been some fever dream, a product of stress from the situation? No, that was impossible. She knew she'd heard that voice. It had to be real.

"g-god... if you can hear me... please... p-please let him live, at least..."

Head raised up slowly, eyes dull but body going alert, Lauren stumbled to her feet, chasing after the voice. She made it only a few steps, before she tripped over something, and fell hard to the ground. There, under her feet, was the 'voice' she'd been chasing. A small girl with maple coloured hair, dull blue eyes, and a white dress, stained red with her blood...

"I-impossible... no way... that can't be..." But it was true. The body on the ground was undeniably, unmistakeably hers. Her heart was pounding in her ears, and she felt like her head was going to split in two. The voice she'd been chasing was hers. The body she saw was hers. What the hell had happened?! Why was her body here?! That should've been impossible! There was no wa-

Her thoughts were cut off, as her vision slowly faded to red, the setting sun burning into her eyes.