A few weeks pass. Time seems to fly as Akira gradually becomes a big apart of my life. He seems more relaxed around me, far less rigid than he used to be still calm though. Calm like a lake's surface.

He's gotten more mobile as well, walking between rooms rather easily. And my heart won't stop beating around him. Constantly pounded away at my chest.

But I ignore it. It's been a while since someone has been around with me, so I chalk it up to loneliness and let hang.

"Dahlia," Akira calls me, putting a dish on the counter.

He can wash dishes now with dropping....most of the time. He's trying hard to do house work, and he even helps me in the flower shop sometimes.

"Yes, Akira?"

He sighs. "You smell like blood again."

Those senses. They're scary. But whenever something like this happens, he gets...the oddest aura around him.

"They mistreat you, don't they?" He asks, a furrow in his brow, his eyes closed.

"W-who?" I chuckle. "These idiots couldn't hurt me if they—"

"You don't have to put a brave face on for a blind man," he sighs. "They make your life hard don't they? They hurt you?"

I sighed. "They're scared, is all. My parents...and my husband. They were all odd people and died of mysterious circumstances. They think I'm cursed."

He clenched his jaw. "Cursed? Isn't that pathetic?" He took my hand. "If they knew you...the kind, strong, funny woman you are. The only curse is this place. Why don't you leave?"

I sigh, taking my hand out of his, brushing my apron. "Oh...this is my home. And...I don't have the money, anyway."

"It's just money, then? Really.," he put his head down.

"That's what everything boils down to, isn't it?"

He sighs, as if there's something heavy on his chest. He takes my hand again, pondering something. He gets lost in his thoughts so often.

"I think I may have recovered some of my memories," he says gently. "And I wasn't a good person. I don't think I've done one good thing, honestly."

His memories? When?

"I want to repay you," he frowned. "I want you to live happily, away from this place."

He smiled, opening his eyes. "And one day, if we meet again, I would get to know you."

I frown. I think he's planning to leave. But how? Maybe he knows where he's from and he's going back there.

"Where would you be?" He asks.

He shakes his hand. "Not a place you belong, Dahlia, my flower."

He pauses, turning his head toward the door. "Dahlia...do you smell that?"

"What?" I whisper.

"Smoke," he says lowly.

I pause. "You should leave, Akira. If they say you—"

"There's a fire. It needs to be put out," he instructs me.

So they found out about Akira. Fire...yes. Because they're gonna kill me. Akira is a foreigner who came out of no where. Not a boat in sight, but this man no one has seen.

They already thought I was a witch. They're gonna burn the house down, drive me out. And then...

"Come out, witch!" I scoff. Honestly? In this day and age they still believe in such a thing?

Witches. There's no such thing. But they've been waiting to get rid of me. They watch me day in and day out, waiting. I killed my mother, when I was born. The townspeople has never heard of that happening.

Babies were at times born dead if accidents befell the mother, but apparently, they hadn't seen a child be born alive, and the mother dead.

They think I'm a life stealing demon. It's preposterous and antiquated, but...we live on small island, and they're kinds are been smaller.

"Akira, take my hand. If you know where you come from, you should there now," I smile.

"You demoness! Come out! You can't hide anymore!"

He frowns. "What are they saying? Demoness? Dahlia...are they burning your home?"

I close my eyes. "God I curse the day I was born. Come on Akira, we have to leave now."

Akira takes my hand, letting me lead him out the door as the smoke gets thicker.

"There you are! You and your demon have no place here!"

"We've tolerated you for too long, witch!"

They throw rocks at us as I look around trying to find a place I can hid Akira.

"You will hang today, witch!"

I swallow. But keep moving. Keep moving.

"Hang...?" He whispers. "They're trying to kill you."

I sigh. "Everything will be fine, Akira. You just need to leave this cursed place. Come on, keep going, we're almost at the beach."

"Did you know this would happen?" He calls after me.

"Eventually," I huff, I scramble to get the boat I'd hidden. The real reason my husband died. Building this damn boat. As if we'd ever escape this place.

"Come, get in this boat, here's a knife, and a phone. There's food and water on the boat. Just wait—"

"Dahlia! What are you saying? If there's a boat, get in it!"

I smile sadly. "No. You leave here, Akira. This is okay. I'll be alright. Just...keep going."

I let go of his hand, and stand toward the village who have finally caught up.

"Are you really doing this?" I ask.

"You are an abomination child," my aunt steps forward. "I've known it since you killed my sister in her womb."

"It's something that can happen. If you bothered to read or see anything other than old folktales you'd know that."

"The outside world is a mess. But we are peaceful here. Do you know why? Because we don't bother with what they call knowledge."

I huff. "You've been waiting to kill me since I was born. You took the man I loved. Hang me then. Go on. But if anyone is cursed, it's you all." My eyes prickle with tears.

I knew this day would come eventually. There was just no helping it. Being born into a world you don't belong...where everyone hates you and refuses to see anything other than what they've been taught...it's not a life to live.

"I am not a witch. But you all will be murders once again," I smile. "And you will all burn in hell for your sins."

My aunt looks me in my eyes. "Take her. And hang her."

They start to advance, and I blink tears out of my eyes. And then they just don't...open.

I close my eyes and everything is black. When I come to, the village is burning, and I am alone, sailing away in my husband's boat.

Getting further and further away from the island they had been my hell and my home my whole life.

"Akira...." I whisper. "Akira!"

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