Mhaieiyu

Arc 1, Chapter 12

Shaving at the Truth

It became a begrudgingly stressful task scouring for the canine's whereabouts throughout the expanse hallways of the Facility's interior veins, as Tokken pondered the possibility of her having been whisked away from within the colossal building sometime during the day. For each passing minute, Tokken felt as if the Howler was slipping further and further from his reach, never to be found again. It almost made the lad lose his mind — he could now grasp the sheer magnitude this building was gifted with. Even with such vastness in mind, not a single room seemed too desolate or unnecessary. Game rooms, kitchens, lounging areas, storage, weapon lockers…

Running into several soldiers along the way, some of which were his great superiors, the Mynotaur would often stop for a quick hello or a cringe-worthy attempt at excusing his lack of action whilst assisting the boy. It could’ve been amusing if it weren't downright mind-bending how useless the bull was at explaining himself. It seemed that, when faced with his leaders, Norman’s prideful, unbreakable attitude crumbled and reduced into a stumbling mess. For a moment, Tokken even contemplated leaving Norman behind to better pursue his interests.

Of course, he couldn't bring himself to be so heartless. The bipedal Cryptid had given him so much of his time—and had even embraced being punished for not committing to his duties as he should—just to help the teen. That said, even with the two's efforts combined, the sun continued to lower without any clues to even guide them towards her. Neither Tokken nor Norman knew the Howler well enough. Even with the description in mind, Norman's guess was as good as that: an assumption. While it was noticeably rarer, a few quadrupedal specimens did roam the Facility, usually in the form of guard dogs or beastly bodyguards, which didn't exactly help the boy's struggles on where to place the likes of Chloe on the great pyramid of society’s structure.

As the day progressed and the sun shone its last few beams, the unusually matched pair reached the end of their trek, lacking any victory to celebrate. While Norman might get away unscathed if he ignored his more meagre day tasks for once, he would bear hell if he skipped his night duties. And, with hours missed, more hours would be needed to compensate. As such, with his thumbs up and wishing the lad good fortune, the Mynotaur disappeared, leaving Tokken with a sudden feeling of loneliness.

In a way, he was impressed by his shifting attitude. While he wasn't entirely disconnected from his townsfolk and did hold them in high regard, he wasn't the type to chat with them too often either. He wanted nothing more than to repay them of the debt of his rescue and stay. Maybe even call a house his own in future through enough hard work. And, in doing so, he had found just the right amount of solitude and sociality, as disproportionate as it may seem to the average person.

With his townspeople fresh on his mind, Tokken felt his directionless steps waver as he became pensive.

“Just how long have I been away?” he thought to himself, biting his lip as a heavy feeling pressed into his chest. “What if they've been looking for me ever since, and think I got murdered or kidnapped? Did they care enough to notice? How long did it take before they realised——? No, I'm being selfish again,” Tokken shushed his thoughts with a shake of his head. Facing forward and concentrating on his task, he found himself walking towards what seemed to be another opening to the exterior. One he hadn't seen before.

“Man, I need to get home soon.”

He stepped forward, entering a closed-off section of immensely green land that almost called out to him from how brimming with life it seemed. A little paradise hidden in pandemonium. Looking around, Tokken realised this must be some sort of garden.

The place almost seemed like an imitation of the forests outside, but with not a single dead leaf cursing the grass below. The spectacle was gloriously, greedily green without comparison; with no body of water in sight, the crystalline droplets that glistened off of the vegetation were all the more noticeable. If the now-tainted park he previously visited could be called a pocket of Heaven, then this might as well be a whole bag.

Pacing through the neatly organised and blooming stone path, Tokken saw two distant figures relaxing on the turf. One was human. The other was definitely what he was looking for. With a jolt to his step, the teen ran over towards the two, calling out Chloe’s name. To his relief, he hadn't just committed to the cliché scenario where one calls to a figure similar but entirely unrelated to his predicament. It was, indeed, Chloe. And next to her sat a figure he was already panicking to face: the angelic-yet-bizarre Fely, Head of Medicine.

With laboured breaths, the boy stuck a finger out to the gentle soul accusingly.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing at all, really. Are you jealous?" Fely quipped, sticking his tongue out playfully.

"Chloe went missing the whole day! Don't mess with me at a time like this!" Tokken protested, throwing his arms around frantically.

With a gesture that bordered on professionalism, the white Howler raised a paw in response.

"I'm just fine. After I found out you snuck out on me again, I decided to explore a bit. To get a feel for the place, you know? I wanted to find the gardens, so I did," Chloe said, a regal and relaxed tone to her.

Surprised by her mannerisms, Tokken raised a brow, facing the softly giggling doctor with a look of pure suspicion. "What did you do to her?!"

With a raised brow and a crooked head, Fely showed offence. "You wound me with these accusations, you know. All I did was soothe a nervous mind. Is that a crime?"

"With what, drugs?" Tokken shot back, far more haughtily than he was used to.

With a sigh, the doctor stood up, his hand leaving the canine's fur.

"It's a shame you would get such an impression out of me... The only therapy I provided was a few words of comfort. And a brush," Fely said, disappointed yet not unreasonable.

Tokken held his tongue at the physician's defence. "Why does Chloe look so nervous?"

Shaking her head, Chloe intervened. "Because I'm not used to a human place like... at all."

While the Howler found his protectiveness endearing, it too seemed like she was being patronised. She didn't want to be treated as a duckling who kept wandering from the nest. While she may still be a maturing pup, the beast and boy’s age were similar relative to their species. In fact, Chloe might’ve been older.

"I... I guess that's fair..." Tokken conceded, feeling his shoulders slouch as he embarrassingly looked up at the doctor, whose fingers covered a soft grin. With his incriminating aura gone, Tokken could once again see the spotless radiance this man seemed to glow with, feeling as though every second spent with him could send someone into a zombified state.

With a shake of his head, the teen looked away from Fely so as to spare himself the possibility. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry. I've seen a lot today, and it hasn't exactly helped my judgement."

"Hm, I can see that much at least,” Fely said. “You know, you may not fancy it, but so long as I'm not too busy, I'd be more than glad to answer any curiosities you might have about this place. I've always liked a bit of chatter, and the others are far too busy for me to converse with during my free hours..."

With a slightly anxious croak, Tokken muttered, "I'll think about it, thanks..."

"Well, I best leave you two to it. Good evening—! ——Oh, and don't stay out too late! It gets awfully cold out here at night." Fely said, giving the two a wave as he walked off onto the.

Laying down on the grass with an 'oomph!', the lad gazed up at the sky in thought. It was often he would gaze up at the heavens like this, admiring the bluish-black colours of the night along with the few visible stars that peered through the pollution. Surely there were more out there. It came off as somewhat regrettable to see such a beautiful, natural painting spoilt by society's intervention. What were they striving for, again?

"That guy gives me the creeps… In fact, the whole place does," Tokken said.

With a somewhat prideful smirk, Chloe chimed: "Mm, I can tell. Did I uhm... really make you worry that much?"

"Of course you did, you goof! I thought I might've lost you there!" Tokken exclaimed, quietening his voice as he noticed her pupils shrink. “You know, I overheard a troupe brag about how they blasted some street mutt’s head off. They were so…”

“Proud of it?” Chloe finished, to which the boy nodded.

“I just don’t understand, Chloe. Are we among the good guys?”

“Tokken, I really don’t think there are any. Some are just worse than others. It’s about picking the lesser of many evils.” The Cryptid turned to face the teen, who looked onwards absent-mindedly. “Did you walk far to find me, Tokken?”

While the thought of him scouring the entire Facility did make her feel guilty, her grin never wavered. As selfish as it was, the thought that somebody would go so far for nothing in return, and with no sort of retribution to befall upon her warmed her heart. Taking his silence as a ‘yes’, Chloe lowered her head with a smile.

"Forgive me, then," she said.

A good few seconds passed, and the pair basked in the silence of the place; this time uninterrupted by tasteless hooligans. The thought of what happened to them made Tokken’s skin pale.

There were no need for worries. Not now. It’s best he humoured Howler for the time being.

"Holy crap, this stupid thing is killing me!" Tokken complained, grasping his foot cast in discomfort. "I forgot to ask that guy to take this thing off! That's it, I can't be bothered." The lad gave up, clutching the cast with full intention of tearing it apart. Walking with the bloody thing all day with an awkward step made ripping it off quite tempting; and yet, even as he began to tug on the bandages, he stopped. Remembering what Emris had told him, he felt as if something terrible might happen if he didn't comply. Considering the fact that that freak could regenerate, coupled with his unusual behaviour, Tokken really didn't feel like defying those words.

He withdrew his efforts and slumped back onto the grass.

"Can't take it off? I can bite it off if you want," Chloe offered with a tilted head and perked ears.

Giving her a look, the boy denied her. "Uh, gross? Do you have any idea how much walking I've done today? No way." Tokken chuckled. "I'll let that creepy medic deal with it."

Laying down with a titter, Chloe rested her head between her front paws. "So childish..."

"Hey, don't give me that! Besides, I don't technically count as an adult, so I get a free pass once at least," Tokken shot back playfully. Earning one more little laugh from the Howler, the mood slowly died down once again.

This time noticing how strangely concentrated she was, the young man decided to press on the matter a bit. "Are you okay, though? You seem off..."

"I'm just... thinking, really," she said. She wasn't entirely dishonest, but the thoughts scrambling her brain at the moment were far from normal. Without the doctor's trance to dissuade her worries, she felt the heft of reality sink in deeper and deeper as the seconds passed.

"Thinking about... life, perhaps?"

"Not quite a—accurate..." If she were human, she'd be sweating at this point. How could she carry this frightening burden alone? And yet, how could she be so selfish so as to share her burdens?

"You can tell me, if it's bothering you," Tokken insisted, feeling her increasing anxiousness leak through her voice. She'd start trembling soon, and speaking wasn't emboldening her mindset, what with her voice betraying her.

Wordlessly, she gestured towards a group of trees in the oversized garden.

Following her paw, the teen's brow raised. "What's wrong? Did somebody scare you?"

"Bereft of life? M—Maybe."

"Bereft of...?" Tokken’s voice trailed off. While he couldn't piece together her worries, he felt a creeping suspicion grow in the back of his mind. “Did she find a body...?”

"I was just wandering around here, but then I ran into it..."

"Somebody who was——?"

"Gone. Countless. I didn't get to see them, but it reeked of death. So many... under rocks."

“Oh…”

With a somewhat anticlimactic realisation, the boy's worries were soothed instantly, his shoulders relaxing. Following this feeling was a wave of grief even he couldn't fairly grasp the meaning of. It was only appropriate. She must've stumbled upon a graveyard——

“Victus, what a way to ruin such a landscape!”

Scratching the back of his head awkwardly, Tokken tried to piece together the correct words to ease her mind. He had no idea what kind of practices her kind exercised to respectfully discard the dead, and as such, explaining the act of burying might seem unusual. Nevertheless, he gave answer.

"Ah... well, that was likely a cemetery. It's where we put people when they... ahem, pass away."

Chloe only looked more confused. "I don't understand. You just ditch their carcasses in the mud?"

"Well, no. We bury them in the earth, usually in a box the size of a person. A coffin."

"Isn't that... disrespectful? The earth is where the litter is hidden."

Challenged by her observations, the boy let out an awkward grunt in response. He couldn't exactly explain away his culture, as he knew not the origin or purpose of burials. Reversing her question, he asked, "Well, what does your kind do with your dead?"

"We feed them to the wild, obviously," she replied simply, as though the deed were most mundane.

"Wh—What do you mean 'obviously'?! Isn't that disrespectful?!" Tokken shot back, shushing himself as he saw her recoil. "Sorry, sorry. But do you guys seriously just... feed your brothers and sisters to the wild? That's so..."

"I'm not sure, does your kind seriously bury their family in rot and dirt?" Chloe shot back, smirking at his hypocrisy.

His eyes flickering in thought, Tokken realised just how macabre both alternatives could seem. Even so, he still believed burying was far less grotesque. "Now that I think about it, we also incinerate our dead too... Yeah, I guess there's no winning there. Man, society's bizarre..."

Closing her eyes in respite, Chloe found herself calming down, taking in a deep breath of air. Finally, she proposed, "Could you accompany me to that place again? I don't think I could take it off my mind otherwise, and I kind of want to sleep tonight."

Her eyes shot open as she realised how forceful that came off as, especially regarding something that was likely quite important to the boy. With a jolting motion, she apologised. "Sorry, no. That came off rather... It's okay if you don’t want to, I—I unders...tand?" she cut herself off as she saw the teen simply chuckle at her amicable display, walking past her in the direction of the graveyard.

Casting her an inviting motion, the boy stepped forward, looking strangely unfazed; as if the act of visiting such a place was of little significance. After a few moments of stock-still confusion, the Howler padded towards the teen, walking beside him with a nervous look.

"It doesn't... unnerve you? I feel it should, more than me, at least..." Chloe asked, hoping he might at least reciprocate in her jitteriness.

"Not really? It's not like I'll be visiting my own. If anything, it'll be like checking out a historic monument or something. Admirable, interesting, perhaps somewhat impactful... but by no means devastating."

"A—Ah, I see. It seems I have teamed up with a sociopath."

"Hey! I'm just being honest! If that makes me crazy, then call me nuts," Tokken joked.

The two grew silent as they approached their destination, taking the time to really breathe in their environment. It was rare to see such blooming, unspoilt vegetation, which teamed with life even through the cracks of the stone path they nipped upon. The night peaked in its darkness, and the two’s time felt scarce. The Facility was very close, yet the structure was hidden away by the foliage.

While the fact that a silent, mournful graveyard resided in such a blissful place was unnerving, the motive behind such a grim choice became obvious. What better place to come to rest than this? For a moment, Tokken even considered this a suitable place for his own resting place.

"I smell... I smell death again," Chloe warned, noting that their destination was nearby.

"Okay, good. I was hoping we didn’t get lost; this place is a total labyrinth," Tokken childishly complained, hoping to dissuade his companion's worries. "Come on. Let's go visit some ghosts!" Tokken announced, running towards his target. In reality, he couldn't help but feel his anxiousness grow. As such, his solution for potential hesitation was to drive himself right in, faster than he could think otherwise.

"Hngh— don't say it like that! You'll get me all worked up again!" Chloe protested, jabbing a paw against the stone slabs beneath her.

As she witnessed her only company run off, leaving her alone in such an ominous place, she scurried off after him with a frantic yell. "W—Wait!"

The pair parted bush and branch as they ran off to the necropolis, the younglings’ minds unfocused from their worries as the thought of childish pursuit fogged their perception. At least, such was the case for Tokken. Chloe was more so running from the lonely darkness behind her, which she could almost feel growing forth mere feet away as its deathly cloud almost grazed her nape, threatening to swallow her in its inescapable mist. Such a feeling was, of course, just her panic urging her to run, pumping her full of adrenaline as she just so nearly caught up to the teen.

By the time she reached him, having to make one swift turn to the right to finally catch the slippery sod, she found the lad stock still, scanning his eyes in disbelief over the area they had run into. This was, of course, the graveyard previously mentioned by the canine; that much she could confirm as she heaved next to him, following his eyes. This was the darkest yet humblest creation of humanity, was it not? The choice of what to do with the loved ones regretfully lost through time or misfortune. So why then did he seem so troubled?

Stumbling forward, the teen's pinprick irises shot from left to right, scanning each individual stone that marked its corresponding corpse. With a slow turn of his head, he acknowledged the sheer vastness of this disturbing place; meticulously placed tombstones covering every square metre of the land. With a hollower voice, the teen muttered something unintelligible under his breath, of which the Howler didn't dare ask. She didn't expect him to be joyous of this place, but such a reaction seemed unwarranted judging by his previous carelessness.

"Is something wrong...?" Chloe asked, her voice cracking.

"This place, it..." Tokken gasped, the view grotesquely exceeding his expectations.

"Yes...?" the Howler pressed.

"There's so... They’re just so…” Tokken put a hand over his mouth. “How many people died for this place?"

To his question, Chloe couldn't respond, as she found herself too immersed in his words. Then she realised. "Do you mean to say every single rock is supposed to be one person?!"

Tokken's silence confirmed her worries, making her nauseous. While she understood that this society was far denser than the outposts she was used to, to see such a collective resting here made her panic, wondering if they might've taunted any of the dead with their naive thoughts alone.

Approaching one of the tombstones, Tokken made sure to step around the likely burial site, grazing a finger over the stone's engravings. Every slate came equipped with a dim light, so he could at least make out the letters.

" 'Here lies Tobias of the Southeastern Dark Powder Refineries District. Wylven. Age thirty-seven. Cause of death: machinery malfunction injuries'...?" Tokken muttered its scripture, keeping Chloe in sight as she went on her own exploration. The pup was clearly uncomfortable, the poor thing. While he could only smell a fraction of what she could, he assumed this place must reek of decay.

Reaching another tombstone, he read, " 'Here lies Darnis of the Northern Agricultural Woodlands District. Human. Age twenty-two. Cause of death: untreated Skularsis disease.'"

Offering a quick gesture of peace, Tokken advanced to the next. Consistently, it read, " 'Here lies 289th Corporal of the Syndicate's Military Force, Lia of the Middle Eastern Commercial District. Human. Age twenty-four. Cause of death: lethal laceration'. Goddess, these people didn't even have surnames... Or maybe they were forgotten?"

To give your life, only to be remembered so uniform and forgettably. People shouldn't have their whole lives remembered via such simple engravings! Where were their life accomplishments? Their family names? Their victories and losses?

Tokken then walked over to a noticeably larger tombstone whilst biting his lip at the blatant display of favouritism—among the dead, no less—before wiping the dust off its silver-plated engravings.

It read, " 'Here lies Second Brigadier of the Syndicate's Military Force, Katsze of Sumera. Lyperd. Age forty-seven. Cause of death: lethal gunshot wounds.' Victus..."

Tokken cupped his face in his palms as he sank to the floor. Even Brigadiers weren't given a word of praise. Not a single ounce of gratitude for their lives and service. Did this soldier too realise how he would be remembered once he was no longer around——?

“Wait…”

Squirming in his thoughts as he sat by the grave, he caught a glance of an abnormality on the plaque.

“A scratch mark?! No... did somebody etch something on a dead man's grave? Victus above, who could be so spineless!”

Peeling away the shrubs that hid the shameless desecration, he found a poorly carved sentence. Squinting slightly, he made out the words, 'SEE YOU SOON, OLD FRIEND'.

“A dedicated message… Couldn’t they put this on the plaque itself?”

Tokken stood up, meandering up to another, similarly dedicated grave. It seemed these two tombs were the most devoted-looking for quite a stretch of land. The next to stick out amongst the sea of indifference was a good walk away.

Sure enough, he found yet another sentence etched into the silver.

The tablet read, "Here lies 12th Colonel of the Syndicate's Military Force, Zebulos of the Western Sylvvean Community. Überhuman. Age thirty-nine. Cause of death: mana saturation.'"

" 'REST EASIER THAN ME, ROOK' "

"Tokken?" a voice called, noticeably distraught.

The darkness of night had reached its peak, and with a lack of any light sources coupled with haze-hidden skies, it was almost pitch black, if not for their eyes growing accustomed to their blotted surroundings. It was times like these that the lad wished he had packed a flashlight. Or at least a lighter.

"Yeah?" he called back, trying to maintain his composure.

"Can we go now? I'm hungry and this is giving me the heebie-jeebies," Chloe said.

"Uhm... yeah, sure. Just give me a minute. Use your nose if you're scared."

"I would, but it's hard to smell anything other than... them. Besides, you should know better than to rely on smells alone to detect predators..."

"Honestly, I think the only reason I'm not scared is that this place probably mows down any threats that come near, especially now that they're more aware of who wants to hurt them. I'm also not afraid of ghosts,” Tokken said.

"Well, maybe I am..." Chloe mumbled, her ears drooping.

Turning to face her with a raised brow, he asked, "You are? I thought you were a skeptic."

"More or less," the Howler feigned, showing less fear than she was exhibiting as she puffed out her chest.

"More than less though, right?"

"Oh, what are we even looking for!" Chloe blurted, irritated at her over-awareness kicking in.

"Right, right. My bad." Tokken scratched his head, turning his head to find an exit. He noticed a deviating path that hid in the bushes and checked on his companion one last time before walking towards it with the quadruped in tow. He couldn't very well see in front of him, but he could at least keep himself from hitting any tree trunks as he slowly trod upon the dirt path. He keenly remembered the floor being outfitted with stone slabs earlier... In fact, this route seemed haphazardly made.

“Why did we go off-road in the first place!”

"T—Tokken?"

"We're not lost!" The youth shouted, trying to invigorate himself.

"N—Not that..."

"...Yeah?" He gulped, trying to hide his cracking voice.

"I smell more of them down this road..." Chloe warned.

Giving the heart-wrenching canine a sympathetic smile, he nervously defended his choice. "Are you sure? Your nose is probably just clogged up from all that uhm... smell, earlier. It can't go on forever, right? If we reach a dead-end, we'll just turn back..." his voice trailed off as he looked in front of him.

Well, he was right. A dead-end it was. The word 'dead' carried a lot of meaning, in fact. The clearing they had arrived to was yet another kind of graveyard, this time far smaller in comparison; no bigger than that of a rustic chapel and surrounded by trees.

Complete silence filled the area as if the air itself grieved the loss of those resting here. Unrefined stone slabs marked those presumably buried beneath, and there couldn't be more than a dozen. Even the coarse earth looked damp and loose; the earth's lament. A terrible, soul-crushing aura surrounded this dreaded, mourned clearing, and the feeling alone was enough to make the boy turn back wordlessly.

Chloe said nothing either, feeling the truest, rawest feelings of discomfort drown her instincts. She almost didn't hear the teen leave before she quickly ran to his side again. Blessed with enhanced vision, the Howler noticed the disturbed look on Tokken's face. She couldn't bring herself to ask. Not now.

The two spent a mercilessly quiet half-hour creeping out of the vibrant garden, breathing a heavy sigh of relief as they finally reached the doors to the complex. While neither of the two could say this Facility was a comforting place, it was certainly well-guarded. So long as they adhered to the rules and conditions—of which there were few the unemployed pair were forced to heed—they would be safe within this pseudo-castle's walls.

The two made their way to the kitchen silently, dined quietly, and found their way back to their dorm without a single word to exhale. Curiosity lingered unwelcomed in their minds.

Chloe could do nought but wonder as she gazed discreetly at the lad's expression, lying down in her designated spot on the bed, as she watched the boy slip into the sheets. He looked exhausted, and she was worried his mind might've caved from all his recent experiences. Tokken stared at the ceiling, bags under his eyes as he tiredly pondered. His mind had been running in circles for an hour now.

“Who in the world was buried there, and why did it feel so... familiar?” he thought, feeling fatigue rob him of his consciousness. He wasn't sure what he had just seen, but he knew he wanted to find out. Even if it wracked his mind, it would do him no less favour if he simply pushed the possibilities into the realm of perpetual speculation. He'd never hear the end of his thoughts that way. That’s not how we worked.

"Good night," were the last words he heard, the sweetness of her care finally dropping him asleep.

♦ ♥ ♣ ♠

The day was just beginning to start, as soldiers from countless dormitories rose to see the delightful rays of the morning sun, coupled with the damp, refreshing breeze that signified the night's end. What bliss. The cool air, comforting warmth and bright colours served as a spectacular, purely natural motivation to get up each morning. To embrace the world for what it was, even if it often was cruel, dirty and rambunctious. Such wonderful feelings would sink into even the densest minds, and yet...

A teen spat the acids of his stomach from his mouth, a Howler consoling him with gentle kneads against his back. Kneeling on the mud beneath him, he couldn't bring himself to quell this stabbing feeling of nausea that drowned all senses in his body. His mind spun and twisted violently, racing to find the reason — any reason behind such a macabre display. The motive for the events that took place years before his arrival. The explanation for this horrendous feeling engulfing the air, crushing him subconsciously even as the canine employed her all to soothe him.

Upon the dozen or so tablets that dotted that small little clearing near the graveyard, several remorseful scriptures overwrote their original engravings. These engravings, just like those of the original cemetery, had one distinct pattern in mind.

‘Here lies Dorothy Stewart of the Southwestern Financial District. Human. Age eight. Cause of death: Last Resort Program.’

‘Here lies Natasha of the Southeastern Quarry District. Human. Age eight. Cause of death: Last Resort Program.’

‘Here lies Denlo of the Northeastern Mountainous District. Mynotaur. Age eight. Cause of death: Last Resort Program.’

. . . . .

‘VICTUS FORGIVE US.’

‘WE DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE. I'M SORRY.’

‘I REMEMBER THE LOOK ON YOUR FACE.’

‘WE MADE A PROMISE. I CAN'T FORGIVE THEM. I CAN'T FORGIVE MYSELF.’

‘I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU, YOU LITTLE HERO.’

‘HELL AWAITS ME.’

‘YOU'RE MY SAVING GRACE. PLEASE COME BACK TO ME.’

‘PLEASE. PLEASE. PLEASE. PLEASE. PLEASE. PLEASE...

...PLEASE. PLEASE STOP STARING IN MY NIGHTMARES.’