[Arc 1] Chapter 3. A Smile For Tomorrow

The darkness prevailed over all colors; a voice reached throughout the darkness, familiar it was as the voice was none other than that of the girl's but a bit different… the voice sounded lively, not a single sign of the grief and sorrow as the one I heard.

"Where are we going, Papa?"

Her brown-hair fluttered around, tied in a cute ponytail as she walked down together with a brown-haired man whose eyes glanced at the girl several times, his eyes were filled with worry and love that of which was of a father.

The excitement that she carried could be felt inside of me, a warm burst of feelings as the sensation of a hand grasping mine strengthened. It was as if I was looking at the view of the girl which amused me as a mature male voice that was filled with hesitation replied.

"You will know soon…"

It was clear from plain sight that the male voice who should be her father was hesitant on what he was about to do… from the way he held her hand… the sensation I felt from his way of holding was as if he wanted to run away together with her.

The girl who was clearly clueless as to what would happen, followed along while hopping joyously… her eyes were a bit faded but there was a tiny visible tint of pink that could be seen as they soon reached the entrance of the forest.

"Are we near yet?" the girl asked once more as they entered inside the forest, walking deeper as they stomped on several twigs. Her body shivered a bit from the coldness to which the man hugged her a bit closer as if protecting her.

I couldn't move my body at all, the only part I could do was watch as everything unfold…. I couldn't even speak my own voice which was strange but after some quick thinking, I soon realized this entire scenario seems to be a replication of what had happened to the girl… a familiar scene that felt like the one Mom had read in the past.

"We are close…" the man said as he stopped a bit, taking a deep breath as they wandered deeper and deeper into the forest, waiting for nobody as the entire surroundings turned dark. Not long after… the inevitable happened.

The man looked at the girl one more time before mumbling, "I am sorry…" as he released her hand, running away in a speedy manner backward as he left the girl with tears running off from his eyes. The scenario I never wanted to see, happened.

As if oblivious to what had happened, the little girl looked around joyously before realizing something as she looked around while asking, "Papa… are you there?" but her question reached nobody as she walked towards a nearby rock, tumbling down.

I felt a sudden pain strike me as the girl fell to the soil, dirtying her clothes as she tried to reach her hand upwards with confusion all over her. All of a sudden, the scenario changed as the entire place was now covered in a thick fog.

The fog felt familiar… it smelled like the smell of flames… I felt a sudden pain struck through my head like a sea of needles puncturing through my brain as the sight of a gigantic aircraft descending down from the skies came to mind.

"No…" I mumbled while looking at the aircraft as the scene changed to that of the playground… a horror scene as dozens of children played around with one another, oblivious to the disaster that was about to strike.

"NOOOO! RUN AWAY!" I screamed at them, but my voice was only air as the aircraft slammed down towards the playground, exploding into hundreds of pieces as flames erupted from within… turning the poor children into ashes.

My body fell to the floor as I looked at the scene of carnage once more… the cries of the children as their bodies were smashed down by thick metals… their bodies pierced by metals and poles… flames burning through the area.

"I… I…" I looked at the scene, tears dripping from my eyes as I reached out towards the children with my hand, but it was as if a wall was there… an invisible barrier that stopped me from reaching towards them, "I… am sorry."

All of sudden, the scene reverted back to the scene of the girl as she laid on the floor with tears in her eyes as she stood up once more, stumbling back down as several rocks pierced her knees. Her body was paled as tears fell from her eyes.

"Mama… I am scared…" the girl sobbed before all of a sudden, flames erupted from within the forest, engulfing the place in its entirety as the girl looked at me with her eyes wide open, it was as if she was looking through the depths of my soul.

The entire forest was as if hell as the girl looked at me straight as if she could see me… I was stunned as she reached her hand towards me but to no extent as flames suddenly exploded from behind her, turning her to ash as I looked in fear.

"No…"

My body trembled as I looked at the girl who had vanished from the spot… all of a sudden, a voice called out from behind. The voice of the girl but this time… it carried a deep grudge almost as if it was filled with hatred.

"Why… why didn't you help me?!"

I turned around before lo and behold, the girl whose facials were burnt… her eyes were filled with blood and her skin was turned into roast stood there with her head tilted to the side. I felt my body tremble even more as I reached my hand towards her before more voices echoed throughout the forest.

"Why…?", "Why didn't you help us?", "Why did you let us die?", "Why are you still alive?", "You should have been the one who died…"

The voices echoed all around me as the figures of children forming a circle around me appeared, their bodies were burnt… some lost parts of their bodies, some lost their eyes while some had their limbs completely ripped away.

"I…" I tried to reply before their voices became louder, echoing throughout the forest as I felt my heart ache… it felt like I was struck by a knife.

"I… I didn't mean to…" I said before falling to the floor head-on as tears fell from my eyes, "I… I wanted to help all of you… I didn't mean to live…"

All of a sudden, a bright light exploded around me as the girl stood there looking down at me with a smile as she reached her hand towards me… her angelic pink eyes stared at me with a beautiful smile as if warming my heart.

"Book… are you awake?" an angelic voice came from the girl's lips… a warm voice that healed the cracks within me. Her hand looked soft as she looked at me with a tilt, confused, "Book… are you awake or are you asleep?"

"I… I am awake…" I said while grabbing her hand as everything vanished, turning into darkness before a tiny light appeared over the darkness, gradually brightening before the face of a cute brown-haired girl with pink eyes appeared before me, smiling as she looked at me.