Haha.
Very funny.
Sigh… Who am I kidding?
I looked over towards Mana, hoping. HOPING, that what I found was a way out of this now sudden nightmare.
“…”
She stared back at me, still chewing her food.
Snap!
With no concern whatsoever for my situation, she devoured away at her food. Once again, surprising me by the sheer amount she could eat.
“…”
Wait.
“…”
Waitwaitwaitwait.
“…”
Mom and dad looked at each other.
My eyes had widened to their fullest extent. Probably.
“…”
How?
“…Eon?”
What was the prayer?
Huff. Huff. I was hyperventilating again.
What was the prayer? Why couldn't I remember it?
Snap!
I jerked towards the source of that sound.
“Eon.” Dad spoke with sternness. “Calm down. What's wrong? What prayer are you talking about?”
Right. Calm down. Calm the fuck down.
“…”
I smiled.
“Nothing. It seems I had unknowingly mismatched the fictional elements in those stories with real life.”
This was stupid.
Snap!
What prayer was I even talking about? The incident in the cathedrals and everything before it, they must have messed with my brain. I needed sleep, and I would be getting that soon enough.
8:50 rang on the clock. I would definitely be getting my sleep soon. If yesterday… I mean if the first night was anything to go by, the world would forcefully banish me to the dream realms once it hit 11. Or somewhere around that time frame.
“You sure?” I nodded. Waiting for a moment, I put a lid on the train of my thoughts.
Mom and Dad looked at each other with uncertainty in their eyes. Regardless, they left the tension alone and resumed eating. I did too, joining amidst the chewing sounds produced by the brat sitting beside me.
No matter the tension, no matter the instance. She would not leave her food alone, that much I could tell.
Snap!
And she would continue to annoy me while she did so. Why did we have to use chopsticks?
Sooner than later, the chats once again began. As usual, they went on about random stuff in the day, catching up with whatever each may have missed from the other’s life.
Really, just what prayer was I even talking about? Was I drunk? Hallucinating? No… none of the meals or drinks I had had so far gave the sense of any alcohol content. Sigh… let’s leave that alone.
Our dining came to an end soon, hovering near the 9:05 mark. We went off to do the dishes, and manage the kitchen. Mana scrammed off quickly as usual, but at least she did her share.
Without breaking stuff. That would be bad.
The clanking of metals filled my mind, hyper focused on the task ahead of me. It was a source of reset, giving me time to fix my mental state. The other two realized it as well, keeping it mostly silent unless something was needed.
.
.
.
----------------------------------------
.
.
.
9:34 pm.
Dishwashing, done. Cleaning the table, done. What should I do next?
“How long is it before we go to sleep?” I would plan my activities on the basis of that.
“Hmm…” Mom glanced at the clock. “I’d say about one hours and a half. Give or take. Not much, but also won’t pass quickly. You plan to do something?”
“Probably.” What should I do? The wiring is done, and I already scoured my room.
‘...!!’
Right!
“Other than my room, did I spend my time anywhere else in the house?”
She blinked, before realizing what I planned to do. “Wouldn’t that be the garden? But it’s night time right now, I’d suggest staying inside.”
Seriously?
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My emotions must have showed on my face. “Yes, seriously. And no, it isn’t because of some random commandment or unwritten rule, just. I don’t have a good feeling about this.”
Okay, that was concerning. “Don’t ask me why, I don’t know why I am feeling like this. And as much as I would want to know…” She chuckled slightly. “…I have a feeling I shouldn’t pry into this.”
“…”
Her face was scary.
“My instincts are rarely wrong Eon, I trust them. I’d advise you to do the same.”
“…”
Sigh.
“…Do we have any other place, that’s IN the house?”
She thought for a bit. “That’s probably Mana’s room then, isn’t it?”
Right on cue, purplish hair peeked out —quickly I might add— from the living room. Followed by the rest of herself, she denied permission.
“We are NOT going to my room.”
““…””
She’s expressive this time huh. Deadpan eyes, and somewhat of a strong denial on ‘NOT’, a new look is added to the Mana’s Face Collection. What is she, a rare Pokemon?
I digress.
“And why would that be, little princess?”
Yikes, Mom’s angry.
“…”
Huh. My narration’s changed.
“Did you forget?” Mana elaborated, or rather, she questioned as a elaboration.
Did I do something?
“…”
Mom was unusually silent. Then her eyes widened.
“Ah… right. Eon, you might not remember this. But when you both were little…” She looked up at me. “You two ended up thrashing her entire room on some random topic. I don’t even remember what you guys fought over back then… this brings back memories.”
Mana turned her attention to me. “And after that, I stopped you from going to my room. I like my stuff where they are, please don’t disturb them.”
Mom — now spaced out in reminiscence — went off towards the kitchen room. Needed to wrap up the thing before locking the door for today, probably.
Soo…
“You spent most of the time in the garden with Dad. He’s upstairs right now, but you can ask him to go with you. He’s probably working on some paperwork again.”
Working on paperwork? More reason to NOT disturb him, don’t you thin—
“He should be done soon tho.” With that, she went back into the living room, content with spending her time lazing away at her video games.
Still… had she helped Dad out in arranging the papers or something? How did she even know about that? Besides, even if he WAS free, I felt like trusting Mom’s instincts would be a better option.
“…?”
I only had a few instances to hear my own thoughts before Mana came running back. The washroom maybe?
She stopped right in front of me. Never mind, it’s not the washroom. “Foget whateva I said, don’t go outside.” She spoke before…
[???]
…running off to the washroom. And do their lisps have a set timing or something? I recall her speaking those words(not in that order) and she didn’t lisp out then. Why this time?
“…”
My eyes narrowed.
This… What's waiting for me outside? I don't know. I wish to, but even my instincts warn me to not do anything rash.
Regardless…
"…"
Nononono.
"…"
Stop.
"..."
Get it out of your head. No means no.
"..."
[…]
Why are you here again?
"…"
He's gone.
I bit my lip. Sigh…
"My instincts are rarely wrong Eon, I trust them. I'd advise you to do the same."
I slowly made my way upstairs.
"…"
Why?
Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiighhhhhhhh.
Don't.
We can hit the books. There is still some left, let's complete that.
"…"
I opened the door. Stepping in, it lay the same as I had left it before. Books sprawled near the corner of the whiteboard, and that one stupid pen still on the ground.
At least the covers were managed. I went towards the center of this room…
"…"
…and took a look at what I would be reading in a few minutes.
Or wouldn't.
"…"
Do I?
Or do I not?
"…"
"My instincts are rarely wrong Eon, I trust them. I'd advise you to do the same."
SHOULD I?
Why should…
Wait.
Why do you think people feel a sudden urge to jump off a tall elevation? When they look down from the height they are standing on? To their… probable demise?
They… due to a quick misfiring of neurons. Our body, when on the edge of a cliff or something of that sorts, screams at us to back off at incomprehensible speeds. Our instinct is literally too quick for the brain to understand properly. It's…
Chills ran down my spine.
Hooooooo……
It's a misinterpretation.
"…"
The question remains.
Do I?
Or do I not?
"…"
[Can't decide?]
"…!"
Why are you here?
Again?
[Hmm… can I not be or something?]
He probably smiled right now. I don't know how I knew, but I knew. He definitely did.
[Oh yes I did. But why do you think so? Regardless…]
[You can't decide, now can you? I'll help ya.]
"…"
Seriously?
[Don't go outside. Listen to your 'Mother.']
"…Huh??"
[What?]
"…"
[Oh? The immortality thing? Yeah, that was just me messing with you.]
You fucking…
Sigh…
Wait.
[DON'T start on that stupid, Shoud I trust him? OrshouldInot? Bullshit right now.]
How can I not?
[OH I don't know? BY LISTENING TO THE VOICE IN YOUR HEAD FOR ONCE?]
"…"
[Don't. Go. Outside.]
Footsteps resounded on the stairs. A moment passed, and Mana peeked through the door.
"Brotha..?"
[…]
He's gone radio silent again.
[You should trust that... Sister of yours too.]
"..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
[I'm feeling bored right now. You can't handle that blondie yet, so don't go outside.]
"..?'
Ah crap.
"BROTHA!?"
She was right up my face. Staring down at me.
"…"
When did I sit down?
Sigh….
"Sorry sorry, I was a little lost in my thoughts. What happened?"
She mellowed her scowling expression, then looked around the room.
"…"
Let me guess.
She was bored again.
"When do you sleep?"
"…in 15 minutes I think."
This brat. "Shouldn't you be focused on prepping for bed time then?"
"It's already done. I just need to change into my pajamas." She looked at me once more. "Have you completed reading those books?"
"…? No, not yet. I'm barely done with history."
"…"
I looked out the window. The bluish moon shone brightly, illuminating the trees and grass.
"…"
"Brotha?"
"Mana."
She tilted her head at my call.
"..."
"Why shouldn't I go outside?"
"…"
"…"
She's staring quite intently at me.
"Because you can't."
Huh?
"The door's been locked already."
"I didn't hear anyone go across the corridor though?"
"…"
"We don't lock the door. No one does."
"Wait then, how——"
She stood up, and as she left the room, she whispered quietly to herself, almost as if she was the only one that needed to hear her words.
"No one in this world has any keys anyways."
The door silently closed.
“…”
I pounced back on my feet, and dashed to the drawer.
"Whoa!"
Tch. I'll throw this stupid pen to some other dimension.
Catching myself, I quickly opened the drawer.
"…"
It wasn't there.
"It's probably buried in this pile somewhere. Haha."
I was probably smiling awkwardly.
Restlessly.
Fearfully.
Clang! Tink! Thud!
Yeah. It’s probably buried somewhere. No way it’s just suddenly gone right?
“…”
I rummaged through, throwing everything I didn't need out of the way. Soon, the drawer was empty.
It wasn't there.
I went to the closet, keeping my feet off the random stuff. The closet opened as I willed it, without applying any force. I rummaged through here as well.
Where's the camera lens?
"..!" Found it!
"…"
"Eon, what prayer are you talking about?"
No prayers.
"No one in this world has any keys anyways."
No keys.
Both existed.
I knew for a fact that both existed yesterday.
"…"
I looked up. Then, at the moon.
"..."
I went off to clean the mess I had made. There wasn't much in the drawer in the first place, just horribly managed. I was done in no time.
Right.
"…?"
Wait what?
I rubbed my eyes. Where is it?
I checked the drawer once again.
Huh?
"…"
Sigh….
Firstly no prayers. Then no keys.
"…"
I grit my teeth.
Then, no pen.
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
Do I?
Sigh....
The doors are locked.
But she never said anything about the windows, now did she?
My head snapped towards this found opportu… nity.
"Are you fucki--"
RIght before my eyes, the windows letting in the moonlight closed. Then, the light was turned off.
The curtains draped over, covering the only remaining illumination in this room.
Then,
There was no then.
The world banished me to the dream realm.