Usually when you talk about your experiences on a cruise, you’d do it with friends and family. Sitting around the couch with snacks and drinks, surrounded by hearty laughter all around while you tell them the joyous stories of your trip.
Even an anti-social introverted NEET like me knew that much.
Except there weren't any comfy couches. This was the pediatric ward of a hospital, and my audience included a skeptical detective who admitted to practicing unsafe psychic weapons on me, and the psychic weapon itself.
None of this was done over laughter either. As I recalled more and more events aboard the S.S. Anne, including Mr. M and Mr. BH’s physical and mental abuse, the interrogator’s expressions went from an amiable smile to something that could only be described as a furious scowl.
“Two perpetrators of different builds, a logo on the back of their jackets that looked like a bird, and they said they were looking for something from you?” Blain summarized as he began jotting words down on a tiny brown leather notebook that he procured out of his much larger leather trench coat, “and just before you passed out you heard them mention some kind of project and an individual going by the name of ‘Mr. Blue’.”
I nodded in response. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to talk anymore, I couldn’t. The icy cold feeling of something slimy and robust entering my throat was making me instinctively gag up. My shoulders stiffened by themselves and my entire body trembled uncontrollably again.
The detective took notice of my condition, and without saying a word, did something I never experienced in my past life.
He extended one of his arms towards me and caressed me squarely over the head.
“You did good holding up till this far, leave the rest to us, the adults.”
They were tender words. Words that I’ve never expected to hear in my past life. Words that struck me somewhere deep inside.
Inexplicable emotions welled up inside of me until they finally flooded out as tears. The relief this body must’ve felt to be finally free from the kidnappers and something else. Someone else… me… that someone else was me. Those tears were mine, a 22 year old good for nothing, I was bawling my eyes out at the slightest compassion someone has shown me in a long time.
If I had heard those words back then, I wonder if things would have been different. Maybe I wouldn’t have been as afraid of failing as I am now, maybe something would’ve changed for the better… and I wouldn’t be stuck in this world fearing for my life, while also fearing that I’ll have failed again.
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“Ahem, I’m glad the interrogation went well-!??” Dr. Elliot froze mid-sentence when he spotted me walking out of the room with teary eyes and disheveled hair along with the likely perpetrator that did this to me.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
“Investigator Blain, please, let’s have a little talk shall we?” It was the first time I saw the old geezer so worked up over something other than examinations during my stay at the hospital.
The detective waved his arms awkwardly in disapproval as he was forcibly dragged across the hall by the Einstein look-alike. The comical scene inspired many chuckles from the patients as the pair passed by, but instead of joining them, I turned the opposite direction and headed for the stairs.
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It wasn’t until I opened the door to the rooftop and felt the breeze wash over my hair did I realize how late it had gotten. The sky was set ablaze in the distance by the setting sun, providing the last shimmer of light before the city was engulfed in darkness.
I crossed my arms over my forehead as a cushion and leaned head-first onto the glossy railings. The cool metal bars could be felt pressing into my skin through the sleeves of my hoodie.
As I stood there in the brisk winds, I leaned over and looked. My gaze expanded towards the horizon, past the lively streets, past the old-fashioned houses of varying sizes and colors, past the exotic looking buildings that screamed anime, past the imposing forests and majestic mountains in the distance, and finally settled onto the orange disc lowering itself into the ground.
At least the sunset still looks the same.
Back in my hometown, there was never this much vegetation. What little greens persevered within the concrete city were mercilessly trampled over by cars and pedestrians alike. Everyone on the streets kept their heads low, as if scavenging for pennies on the ground. Even the buildings looked gray and colorless.
Maybe I would’ve gone out more if the outside looked more like this. But I guess that settles it… this really is an Isekai. And there are no second chances here either. If I fail even once I might really di-
“Blissey~”
“You know, this place has the best view out of everywhere in Viridian.”
I snapped my head around at the sudden disturbance, but relaxed a bit when I identified the intruders to be nurse Fred and the Blissey.
“This gal was really worried about you ever since that investigator took you away.” Fred was the same as always, cheerful and joyous. But it was clear that something was bothering him from the melancholic look in his eyes.
“Bli bli!” The Blissey flapped its stumpy arms as if to agree.
“She seems close to you.” I turned my gaze back to the horizon, catching a glimpse of the last ray of sunlight, “your Blissey, I mean.”
“This gal? She’s not mine… or at least she wasn’t.” I heard Fred’s footsteps echoing closer towards me, coming to a halt when he was a few feet away by the railings, “Blibly here belonged to someone really dear to me.”
“Your wife?” I asked nonchalantly while looking up at him. Standing close, the difference in our heights became really apparent.
“Ahahaha do I really look that old…” The young nurse scratched the back of his head in embarrassment, but his gaze was fixated towards the scenery below us.
One by one, the houses lit up with faint glows illuminating their windows. There was no rhythm to it, no order, no rules. One popped up in the center of the town while another followed near the edge. The city became covered with patches of radiance before the last rays of sunlight disappeared in the distance. It wasn’t long until the cloudless sky was taken over once again by the faded shine of a crescent moon while countless gleams sparkled overhead.
“Beautiful…” the word escaped my mouth before I knew it. I stood there awestruck by the simple yet aesthetic landscape in front me.
“Yeah, it sure is…” Fred finally looked over and gave a gentle pat over the head for both me and his Blissey, who stood at around even heights, “hey listen ummm… if there’s anything you wanna talk about, I’ll be here to listen… so don’t try to keep it all to yourself, I’ll be here not as your nurse, but as your friend as well.”
Friends huh… I wonder when was the last time I heard that word…
“I guess I just… I feel kinda lost.” Those were my honest feelings. Being dragged into a world I almost knew nothing about, forced into a body I’ve never seen, living a life that I never imagined. And now running away from an organization that's after my life. No. Worse. They were after information which I didn't have, information which they're willing to torture a preteen out of.
“Hey, I get that. I've always felt that way as well ever since…” Fred's voice trailed off for a moment as he drew a shaky breath, “...ever since my sister disappeared.”
It was the first time our eyes really met during the entire conversation. Within his eyes of deep emerald-green was an even deeper sorrow.