Chapter 6: Recipient of XXXX
Through the door was, again, a place I knew. The same place where that cat lured me to open that first door - my room in the facility. For some reason, all the furniture that should have been there was gone, with only the closet placed in the middle of the room. …It might as well have said “Open me.”
After some indecision, I put my hand on the closet, just like that night.
…And then, I woke up.
I was in my room as it usually was, with not just a closet, but a desk, chair, and bed too. The closet door I thought I’d just opened was firmly shut. …Was it just a dream?
I crawled out of bed and looked all around. A light blue notebook sat lonesomely on my desk. I walked over there, picked it up, and turned the pages.
“…Help me.”
“I remember…”
A hole inside me was filled at once. My heart which had shrunk so much in this World couldn’t hold it all, and it began to pour out my eyes. I stayed still, feeling that which filled me.
“…Oh, you’re crying again. Hah, you really are a crybaby. There there, there there, there, there… It’s okay.”
Fiona held my hand tight and recited a charm. My heart was strangely eased as I listened to it. Her fingers wiped away the liquid pouring from my eyes.
“It’s up to you to change the ending of the story. And now that you have it back, I’m sure you’ll be fine. …Good night, Crybaby.”
I woke up collapsed in front of the door. I got up and looked around. The thing I’d gotten back seemed to be producing warmth near my heart.
I had to go. My body moved before I could think. I turned the knob and threw the door open. The room looked like a cramped storeroom.
My eyes stopped on a white-covered book stuck between thick books on a bookshelf. Pulling it out, the cover and back were both blank, with no title or anything. Flipping through, I saw dates and diary entries.
Today I met a girl. A few days ago, she was found near a house that burned down, and seems to be the daughter. She insists there’s someone other than her. She seems to have another personality. So I gave her double the furniture and such. I wasn’t sure what to do, but at any rate, I’ve finally found a research subject. She’s now in my care. No symptoms at the moment.
I met a second girl. I received a letter three days ago that had all the particulars. Perhaps because of what she’s been through, she’s much less cheery. She’s reluctant to talk with me. She enjoyed talking with the other girl, albeit not for very long. It may be slow, but I’ll try to get her talking with me. No symptoms at the moment.
The third. I met a boy. I was surprised, but given his mother, I decided to take him in. He talks plenty, but he’s… illogical. He was a little awkward with the two girls, but they’re playing together a few days later. Today he put about three frogs on my head. He’s a bit too mischievous. No symptoms at the moment.
I met the fourth, a girl. She walked from the town deep in the woods. I talked with her, and she told me all the townspeople had been wiped out. So surely she did have a resistance to it? I’m a little interested, but it’s unrelated to what I’m doing now. She doesn’t want to talk about it much, either. It’s hard to talk with her. She doesn’t talk with the others, just playing piano in her room. No symptoms at the moment.
All the children have the potential to break out, but still no symptoms. But are there even symptoms? How did it go back then? I’m getting a headache. I’ll stop for now.
I met a fifth child. He was outside when the incident happened. They say the shock caused memory loss. At a glance, I was surprised. It’s just a hunch, but he must be on the verge. I’ll watch him very carefully.
Two seasons have passed since then. What have I been doing? I feel like my chest is burning. I see the scene in my mind again. This must mean… Yes. Very soon. It must be over soon. My head hurts. I’m sorry, Fiona.
…Deep in my ears, there were many metallic sounds overlapping each other. My body felt weightless, like I was thrown into zero-gravity. My eyelids were heavy, and felt sewn shut; I couldn’t open them. The same sensation as when my soul