Chapter X

I open my eyes, only to find a very familiar roof. My bedroom roof. I sit up, and sure enough, I'm in my room. Was I in a dream? I passed out there, so how did I not return? But even better, how the hell did I get here? The last I remember was in a bar and got knocked out. I look over at my alarm, it's noon. I get out of my bed and walk to my mirror. The same clothes I was wearing in the other world. No shirt, but the scar is gone. I look back at the clock.

"What the..."

It's still noon. I was up and moving around for at least two minutes. This has to be a dream... It has to be. I stare at the clock and count to a minute. It still doesn't change. Why the hell am I dreaming about my home? I don't want to be here, I want to go back. I walk over to my door and hover my hand over the knob. Am I home? I open the door and... Wha... My sister is leaning up against the wall. Shirt and thighs covered in blood, and throat slit. My hands go numb, and my arms start to shake.

This... Can't be real. Saori can't be dead. This can't be my home. I stumble forward and place my hand on her forehead. It's cold, just like her eyes. No life behind anything involving her. Why, why am I not crying? I rub my eyes with my shaky hands, only for them to come back dry. A sudden burst of burning arises in my head, It feels as if it's charring my brain. The same burning feeling on my chest back in the new world. I place my hand on my head, but take it off as I attempt to stand up. My legs feel like they're about to give out on me.

I look at Saori a little longer. Seeing her dead, it hurts. But it also doesn't at the same time. My head is compromised by so many things, I can't think straight. I don't even want to look down the stairs, I'm scared of what I'll see. The darkness doesn't help my situation either. I turn around to go back into my room, only to see that it's just a wall. There's no door. What the hell? I place my hand on where the door is, and it's solid. I back up, the only place I can go is down the stairs. 

I slowly turn towards the stairs, the burning still running rampant in my head. I close my eyes for a moment, grabbing my head. Trying anything to stop the pain, but nothing works. I stumble over to a wall at the top of the stairs and look down them with a blurry vision. The kitchen light is on, and a red spot reaches out from across the corner of the wall. I try to focus more on the red, and I see what looks like a hand lying in it. It can't be...

The hand looks exactly like my mother's. The ring, her short teal nails. There's no mistaking it, it's her hand. The feeling in my legs disappears in an instant, and I fall to my knees. Still, no tears coming out of my eyes. What the hell is wrong with me? My parents are dead! And I feel nothing! The burning steepens, and I can barely see. It feels like my head is going to melt off. I hear someone calling out my name faintly, but I can't focus enough to find where it is because of my head. 

I try to scream, but nothing comes out of my mouth. Somehow my head gets worse. I completely go limp, my body falling to the ground. The sound of my name gets louder, as my vision gets more white and smaller. I reach out to my mother's hand, wanting the nightmare to end. The voice gets so loud that it reverbs in my ears, repeating over and over. As everything goes to black, I attempt to let out one final cry for help...

"AAHHHHH!"

My eyes shoot open, and my body feels extremely hot. I close my eyes and place my head on my face. I'm sweating a lot. I lay for a moment like this, trying to catch my breath and calm down. I slide my hands down my face, I'm hoping that I'm still in Renia's room. I open my eyes to find Renia looking at me, distressed. Thank god, it was just a dream. I sit up, my head feeling a little light-headed. I pat Renia on her shoulder as I move myself to the edge of the bed. 

"Are you... Alright?"

"Yeah, just a nightmare. Sorry if I worried you at all."

She looks at me skeptically. Who wouldn't after watching me wake up screaming? I sure would if I saw someone do that, so I won't be upset with that reaction. I rub my forehead and run my fingers through my hair. It's gotten rather long, but I think I'm liking it. I feel Renia place her hand on my shoulder. I look over at her, and she looks really worried. She stands up and walks over to a desk, and grabs something. She turns around and she has what looks like a black piece of clothing. 

"For you... I figured you liked black, based on what you arrived in..."

I was correct. she hands me it, and it's a shirt. It feels soft, unlike anything I've ever felt before. Silk clothing doesn't have anything on this fabric, whatever it is. I Put the shirt on, and it fits nicely. It's a little tight around my arms, but I don't care. The softness of it makes it to where I don't even notice unless I pay attention. 

"Thanks, Renia. It fits nicely."

She takes my compliment in stride and she blushes a bit. I stand up from the bed and walk over to a window. Taking in a beautiful look at the city in front of me. I hear Renia walk up behind me, she stops just short of touching me. I wonder if Renia will take me on a tour of some kind.

"Hey, I got a question," I ask, looking down at her.

"What is it?"

"Can you take me around this place? I'm interested in it."

Her eyes started to beam with happiness, It seemed that she had forgotten all about what had just happened to me when I woke up. She nods excitedly, accepting my request. I wonder if I'll be going around the city or just the castle I'm in right now. I'm hoping for both though. God, I feel like a little kid going to a place he's wanted to go to his entire life. I can't wait to see what this world has to offer me.