[17.2] Sleep Deprivation is the Devil's Playground

[Author's note: Another dream~]

Once again, I was in the small body of the original owner. I could only see the cobblestone at my feet thanks to a fabric covering half of my face obstructing my vision. I walked silently, not afraid of anyone who would stand in my way.

And no one did.

I entered a tavern and pulled down my hood. I could now see rugged and dangerous-looking thugs staring at me. Their voices were filled with mockery. "Oi look. A little girl."

Another snickered, "You lost, girlie?"

I raised an eyebrow nonchalantly.

A man grabbed my shoulder, "I can take you to where you need to go. Heh."

My lip curled in disgust. Without saying a word, I twirled the wand in my hand and tapped it against the man.

*CRACK*

He shrieked in agony as his arm was twisted and snapped in half.

As he fell to the ground, I grinned, "I was told you would all know this man."

I pulled out a hand-painted portrait that was so accurate, that it looked like a real person was stuck on the paper.

"Tell me where he is." My tone held a hint of danger, "Oh, and don't bother lying."

The men jumped up and pulled out their wands.

My lips turned down in annoyance, "Eh. Who needs you."

Before they could wave their wands and say a spell, I had already twirled mine. Their arms all broke in half as if they had been turned to paper. I hummed to myself as I stepped over their writhing bodies and ignored their wails.

I threw open a door with a mad smile, "Found you."

A man I had recognized as the prisoner from the earlier dream, was now propped against the wall as if he was trying to hide. However, he was beaten into a bloody mess and gasping for air.

It seems this is a memory from the previous owner before she used him for the magic circle.

I tilted my head with a smirk, "I was told that you're the man who killed my mummy's brother."

He gasped, "Humans… Should… Suffer…"

I shrugged, "I don't disagree. And although I applaud you for working with demons and breaking preconceived notions about only demons being evil; unfortunately one of the men you killed was technically my uncle."

My gaze turned fierce, "I was rather fond of him too."

Red vines covered in fire shot up from the ground, wrapping around his body. He screamed out in pain from the fire burning his skin.

"I finally got the family I always wanted... And you took that from me!" I clenched my jaw as I seethed with anger, "Now I have no one! I have no one to buy me tarts! No one to tell me it's alright! No one to tuck me in at night! No one to pay attention to me! AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"

As I raised my wand with a devilish look in my eye, a voice called out from the other side of the door.

"Everyone freeze! We are with the Royal Knights and we believe a criminal is here! Everyone put down your wands and- W-Wait… What is this?!"

I could hear the confusion of the Knights who just entered. They hadn't been expecting to find a bunch of thugs rolling on the ground in agony.

I clicked my tongue, "...How annoying."

I turned back to the man with an evil glint in my eye, "I will come back for you later. But first, I'm going to-"

…

I jumped up with a shriek, "STOP!"

Everyone in the class froze and turned to me in confusion. The teacher forced a smile, "Is something wrong?"

I could feel exhaustion pulling at my eyelids, yet my heart was racing.

I'm not embarrassed.

I'm not embarrassed.

Cyrus looked at me with concern, "...Reika?"

I'M EMBARRASSED!

I jumped out of my seat and ran out of the room.

Cyrus jumped up, "Wait!!"

Then, he too ran out of the room.

Felix stood up as well and ran off, "Sorry, professor! There's an emergency!"

The professor stared at the doorway and shrugged, "...Let's continue, shall we?"

…

I ran down the hallway gasping madly for air.

I'm so out of shape.

I stopped to catch my breath and rub my eyes.

So tired.

So tired.

"Humans deserve worse!"

I looked up to see the corpse of the prisoner staring down at me.

I screamed at the top of my lungs, "EEEK!"

I sprinted off, however, I couldn't escape from his voice. I could hear his shouts and screams no matter how frantically I tried to plug my ears.

I skidded to a stop and froze when I noticed a dark archway in front of me start to morph. I gulped as eight long spider legs started to climb out of the darkness. My face paled as a spider three times my size appeared in front of me.

I pinched my cheeks anxiously, "Is that real?! Am I sleeping!? WHAT IS IT?!"

The spider lunged at me, giving me no time for contemplation.

I jumped to avoid the attack, "EEEK!"

I ran into a nearby room and slammed the door behind me. My eyes were so heavy and scratchy, that I felt like I was being driven insane.

I clawed at my eyes as I stomped my foot, "I do not like this!!!"

I just want to sleep…

Please let me sleep…

A charred hand reached out of the darkness and grabbed my arm. I froze as I heard its scratchy voice, "You… Killed… Me…"

The prisoner's rough voice echoed in my ears, "You sacrificed me…"

I covered my ears and forced my eyes closed, "It wasn't me!!! I just got here!!!"

Children's voices cried out, "You let them kill us!"

I cried out, "I didn't know!!"

Bea's voice rang clear, "You tortured me!!"

ARG! I can't refute that one!!

Hands reached out from the darkness to grab me, scratching and pulling at me frantically. I recognized them as the hands of the children from the orphanage as their screams and cries echoed in my ears.

"You could have done something!"

"Why didn't you save us?!"

I squeezed my eyes shut tighter and pressed my hands over my ears tightly.

Make it go away…

Please make it go away!

Then… I felt a strange stabbing sensation in my calf that felt different from the hands.

It felt real.

I opened my eyes and looked down to see the book creature I had created, stabbing me with a fork. I let out a shriek and punted it across the room like a football. The book creature flew across the room toward the two people who just walked in.

Cyrus stealthily dodged the attack.

...Felix wasn't as lucky.

The book hit Felix dead center on his forehead causing him to fall over. The book staggered up and sauntered away before it could be caught.

Cyrus rushed over to me, "Are you okay!?"

I shrieked, "No I'm not okay!!! I'm TIRED!"

He flinched from my sudden scream, "What's wrong!? Why are you so tired?"

"I. Don't. Know." I groaned as I ruffled my hair in annoyance, "ARG! What's happening to me!? It feels like there are bees in my head!!"

I've never had these kinds of nightmares before.

I've never even had night terrors as a child!

Cyrus reached out to me, "Maybe we should talk to the Headmaster…"

I stepped out of his reach and stared at him suspiciously, "Why do you want to talk to him?! Hmm?! Why does everyone want to go to him!!?"

Cyrus spoke hesitantly, "...Because he is your guardian?"

"Guardian, huh?" I laughed loudly, "I bet he's working with the police to bring me down!!!"

Cyrus shook his head in confusion, "Police?"

"Those annoying investigators from the M.I.B!"

Cyrus asked, "Why would he be working with them?"

"They must know something!!"

That's right! The Headmaster has to know! Him and that brother of his!

They have to know of the original body's past somehow! Otherwise, why would they take me in?!

Isn't it all a trap?!

Cyrus frowned, "I don't understand... What could he know?"

I grabbed at my face, "I DON'T KNOW!"

Felix rubbed his swollen forehead and forced a smile, "Reika… Don't you think you are being a bit paranoid?"

"Paranoid!? You think I'm paranoid??" I chuckled with a dark expression, "I will show you who is being paranoid!"