Shrike's Heart (#4)

[idolpro]

The woman before you is beautiful—fair of features, with lovely golden skin and luxurious long black hair, petite. You have the immediate and distinct impression that she's just let go of your hand, and she steps back, and smiles.

It's not quite a happy smile.

"I'm sorry," she says. "There's just nothing I can do, as things are. But the way is there; it just needs to be lit."

You open your mouth—maybe to say something, or to express confusion—but you have to cough, and taste something metallic, spattering black blood onto the ground in front of you. Then you realize—blood seeps from opening wounds in your arms, your chest, your stomach, your face. It rims your eyes and trails from your nose and you feel like you're dissolving—

—and you fall through the ground like it's the surface of a lake, and go down, down, down.

> Wake Up

Comments

Re: HOME

[we_meet_again]

Is there something you still wish for?

Re: HOME

[handpuppets]

Mm... my mother’s esteem, my brother’s friendship, a way to have the home I left and the home I wanted. Or, um—something like that.

But everything here is always... ending. There’s always an ending.

Re: HOME

[we_meet_again]

I'm sorry. That's really rough.



I know it's not much but... would you like a hug?

Re: HOME

[handpuppets]

..........yeah. If you—really don’t mind.

Re: HOME

[we_meet_again]

Of course not.

[He opens his arms, inviting]

C'mere.

Re: HOME

[handpuppets]

[ she still hesitates, like she's not sure how to go about this, hands held up to her sides awkwardly. like she hasn't done this before. ]

Re: HOME

[we_meet_again]

[He wraps his arms around her and pulls her close. This hug is warm and full of affection.]

Re: HOME

[handpuppets]

[ she goes still for a moment, and then sinks into it, closing her eyes and throwing her arms around his waist. ]

Re: HOME

[we_meet_again]

I'm sorry things have been so rough.

Things will get better. Please don't give up.

Re: HOME

[handpuppets]

Mm. There's someone else who should probably hear that, though.

I'm... really glad, though. Getting to have these kinds of friends...

Re: HOME

[we_meet_again]

[he pets her hair]

There are a lot of people who care about you. And I'll tell that to as many parts of you as I can.

Re: HOME

[handpuppets]

...Thank you. That this is here at all...

...it's something.

Re: HOME

[we_meet_again]

I hope it takes a while for your mom to get back. Give you a little peace and quiet for a while so you can fix the place up how you like.

[one last fond pat on the head]

Ah... I'm going to try this food you made before it gets cold. Is that alright?

Re: HOME

[handpuppets]

Of course! It was for practice so, um, it might not be that good, but it's practice for friends, so...

[ it's nothing exquisite, but it's tasty, and actually pretty spicy. ]

Re: HOME

[we_meet_again]

[He slurps up a big bite of noodles.]

..Mm~~! Ish delishuf!

[nom nom]

Oh, whew, that packs a punch.