32. Surreal Experience of Familiarity

Where is this…

Once again, the surrounding space was pitch black, not a single bit of light penetrated into this eternal darkness.

Sharp branches pierced through my flesh, limbs pinned to an invisible wall.

From all sides, four chains shot forward, they pierced my body and pinned the wall.

A woman emerged from the darkness, with a face exactly like mine, but cracked like broken glass trying to put together.

That woman reached forward, touched my face, caressed it affectionately.

My whole body ached, my skin throbbed, but I couldn't scream, couldn't groan, nor express this undescribable pain.

The girl stepped out from the darkness, then receded into nothingness.

My eyes followed those heavy footsteps, the voice of people echoed throughout the space.

Dozens of eyes appeared at the same time, gleaming silver-gray, all of them looking at me.

Arms connected through hands, they pulled from nowhere where the girl entered, like hundreds of centipedes entwined with this suspended chained body.

Despite the feeling of dread, my screams could not be voiced, all the eyes were still fixed on me, and the sound of water drops falling to the ground.

The initially silent space was filled with the sound of water drops breaking, and the sound of hundreds of arms entwining and crashing into my body, so strong it felt like it wanted to crush everything inside my body.

Then all of a sudden, the chains, the branches, the arms, everything disappeared.

Only the eyes, or rather, my family members remained.

They all had silver gray hair and eyes, they were all… smiling.

The woman from earlier with a cracked face just like me, approached to support my exhausted body.

The girl's mouth wasn't open, but I seemed to be able to hear a cry from the depths of her same color eyes.

Not a single word was uttered, not a particular expression.

Before my eyes was the experience of mixed emotions like water flowing backwards, rushing into me. Emotions jostled together in space that was clearer than ever before.

I slowly opened my eyes, a ray of light entered the field of vision.

"Are you okay? I was worried you wouldn't wake up."

Albert sat next to me, in a small room.

Maybe so, I can't see everything clearly yet.

"You shouted a lot…"

I squinted at his face.

The man turned abruptly, then stood up.

After a while, Albert came back and helped me up.

Water slowly flows down the throat. He is… pouring water for me.

His lips were unusually soft, and a soft scent entwined his ruddy tongue.

Eye to eye, we looked at each other strangely.

But deep down in my heart, it is racing, feeling tight like a Gordian knot, just waiting for someone to untie.

He wrapped his arms around my back, chest pressed together.

Glossy sweat ran down my body, and I leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"You're not Albert, are you?"

The man's irises gradually turned silver, and he pinned me down in front of the bed.

"I am you. I am your existence. I am your beloved, your nostalgia and pain. I'm Cecile."