[First point of view - Chept ]
The sound of my heartbeat vibrated in my head. However, the sound slowly faded, leaving pain in every beat. My eyes looked upward, once again gazing at her figure.
She was crying; I could see her tears flowing, reflecting a green light. Her mouth began to open; I think she was speaking to me. From the movement of her lips, I tried to decipher her words.
Although for some reason, the sounds around me disappeared. Her words had made me feel as if I remembered something important again. An old feeling that held back the end of this breath.
But what?
Haah.
My body felt heavy for a moment and slowly went numb.
My body wasn't even capable of doing just this much.
Damn it.
My eyes... are getting heavier.
Everything is turning dark.
Maybe my body has already fallen to the floor.
My head was silent. Something happened. It felt like a hand had stroked my heart. A comfortable warmth in my chest. I don't know when, but I could already feel my body again.
Chept.
Wake up.
A soft voice called to me. My heart felt something. This is different, something I have never felt before.
-When I Open My Eyes: Extra Chapter-
"Wake up, Chept!" Someone's hand moved around, while calling to the person in front of her.
Soft fingers pinched Chept's shoulder hard. She called Chept's name repeatedly. However, her voice might not have truly gotten through to wake Chept up.
She didn't give up. Her body moved closer to the table. One of her hands pressed against the table, supporting the weight of her body as it lowered slowly. Her face got closer, her right hand cupped the side of her mouth. She whispered into Chept's ear softly.
"Wake up...,"
Chept woke up from his sleep. His shoulders jerked slightly. He stood up tense and fast, his chair shifted roughly against the floor. Tables bumped softly.
"I-I'm sorry!!!"
The person only looked at him without any guilt. Her right hand began to cover her entire mouth, appearing to try and hold back her laughter at Chept's funny reaction. However, her small laugh could still be heard from the exhales of her breath.
"Why are you so surprised, Chept?"
Chept's hand moved quickly. The back of his hand rubbed both eyes that looked half-closed.
Meanwhile, the person who called him didn't want to move away. The hand supporting her body on the table became firmer. Her brown hair flowed, following her body as it moved upward.
"Should I not have woken you up?" she said, her voice feeling so close that it made Chept stop rubbing his eyes.
Slowly Chept opened his eyes. In a room full of tables and chairs. The warm sunlight still shone through the window. Their eyes met. Both of them standing, the table height was level with their chests.
"So it was you, Agathe?" Chept replied, while taking a step to get out from the tables and chairs that were crowding him.
"Mother Claudine's lesson finished a while ago,"
"Even the others left the church ages ago," Agathe continued.
Chept observed the entire room, which now only held him and Agathe. His hand then moved to take a book from the drawer. Chept's wrist, which had been still, was gripped softly by Agathe. As if she was trying to get his attention. Agathe's face slipped in and entered Chept's view completely.
"Is there something going on?" Agathe asked.
The brown hair hanging as she tilted her face.
Then the other side of her face, which was more illuminated by the sunlight.
A gentle expression that was truly pure concern.
I think.
Maybe around 50 years ago.
Vlaghju Village.
My consciousness feels like it is re-watching an old memory that I actually didn't need to remember anymore.
"No, it seems I just lacked sleep," Chept replied.
"...And also, could you let go of your hand," Chept continued right then and there.
Even though Agathe felt confused hearing Chept's words, she did not let go of her hand. Her head went back up calmly, while still looking at Chept's face.
"Why should I let go?"
Agathe's eyes caught a difference in Chept that didn't look obvious. A difference that became the reason for making Agathe sure of her actions.
"Actually, it hurts,"
Agathe's head jerked back slightly; the grip of her hand released immediately. Agathe felt Chept's words sounded honest. Agathe's eyes immediately stared with concern at Chept's wrist, which was covered by the fabric of his shirt.
"Sorry!"
"Agathe is not wrong; instead, I should be the one to thank you." Chept's other hand began to emerge from the drawer while gripping a book.
"There must be something going on, right," said Agathe, staring at Chept; the child moved one of her legs. Her body seemed to block the exit from there.
And after that first sentence, Agathe continued.
"If it has come to this... maybe Agathe herself will take action—"
Agathe's sentence was cut off right then and there by a gentle push as Chept's body walked past her.
"...Sorry, Agathe." Their eyes met again for a moment.
"You should just forget about it,"
Agathe wanted to reply. However, hearing Chept's words, her voice seemed unable to come out. Her eyes could only watch Chept walking out, leaving her behind.
This memory is bad; looking at my selfish self, I should have been more honest with her.
Agathe is a good friend.
She had a kind nature toward me.
And at that time, her nature, which was too kind.
For me, it was a confusing, foreign thing.
The warm light of the morning sun illuminated Chept's steps. Small rocks on the road shifted when stepped on by the heavy soles of his shoes. The wind blew softly, passing through his body. The sound of tree leaves rubbing against each other. The sound of grass colliding with one another.
As his body began to enter the shadow of a tall building. His eyes looked at the top of the building's roof. Something that would attract everyone's attention. The part that had a containment area with a roof that provided protection.
"The eternal stone that emits fire,"
Nothing has changed about this place.
Modestia Church.
The fire that burns there is an offering from humans to the Goddess.
"Truly stupid,"
Chept's steps entered the church's front environment and began to feel the mix of crowded voices.
Other children who were playing and chatting with each other created a very striking difference in atmosphere.
As Chept's steps passed that atmosphere and he was about to leave the church. His name was called, stopping his steps.
"Chept!"
"That's Chept, come on!"
The sound of people's footsteps mixed, approaching Chept quickly. Chept turned around to find three children standing and smiling in front of him.
"You look free, Chept,"
"We have a big goal,"
"And as usual, you will help us,"
If I remember back the way I survived at that time.
You could say I was the stupid one.
Like forgetting what my father and mother did every night.
These three people, even their faces are no longer stored in my head.
After walking not too far, the four of them arrived at a house whose yard was well-kept and clean. Trees and green plants were planted, surrounded by a stone fence. The quiet yard there began to be disturbed.
The thin soles of his shoes did not make a sound. The grass, which stood without interference, was stepped on by Chept's shoes. Its soft sound began to try to convince Chept.
"Listen, Chept, all you have to do is take the dress... that is in this old man's house." His hand patted Chept's shoulder softly, giving him a push.
Chept turned around; both his hands leaned against the stone fence; a little doubt was visible from his hands.
"Just relax, Chept... the old man is out of the house. If you move quickly, everything will succeed,"
"That's right, Chept, come on...,"
"But...," the voice that came out of Chept still sounded doubtful.
"Listen, Chept." He put his arm around Chept, then spoke closer to Chept.
"Like I said, the dress has high value. When we sell it, I will give a higher share to you,"
"High value... a larger share?"
"That's right... the price is maybe equal to a dozen gold coins. That's what I heard,"
Hearing the reward he would receive, Chept's mind was filled with two conflicting beliefs. But, Chept turned his body around. Staring confidently ahead.
"Good, Chept... Don't forget, the black-colored dress,"
"If I'm not mistaken, yesterday I saw it being sun-dried in the backyard,"
"If you don't find it in the backyard, just go inside the house, Chept...,"
After obtaining the information he felt was enough, Chept stepped quickly and silently.
Passing the small garden's wooden fence. Stepping without sound on the path. In a moment, Chept's body stuck to the wall of the house made of stone. At that time the sky was covered by thick clouds, the sunlight was blocked, and it seemed it would get even darker.
Chept's body stuck close to the wall, then slowly he traced the side of the house with quick and restrained steps. His steps reached the corner of the wall and stopped right at the end. His head glanced slowly at the backyard of that house.
There he saw several pieces of tree trunks lying on the ground. Chept's eyes caught the most important part; several small poles stood firmly, a rope connecting between the poles stretched out, several long cloths swayed in the wind.
Chept observed his surroundings again, ensuring no one was there. He began to step out toward the laundry, his steps looking calmer.
The closer he got, his nose felt the aroma of wet fabric. The laundry in front of him was quite a lot, and the black dress he was looking for was not visible, there were only a few worn-out cloths that were still wet.
Chept bent his body, passing through the rows of laundry. As his body stood upright again, his eyes caught several long white cloths. Then the black silhouette he was looking for appeared. He stepped shortly to the right, trying to approach to ensure what his eyes saw.
A black dress with patterns that stood out weakly hung downward. The patterns on the dress caught Chept's attention; he didn't pay much attention to the bottom part. Also, the upper part and the sleeves, which disappeared, covered by white cloth.
His hand touched the soft fabric. A feeling that felt new to him made him pull the dress without thinking twice. For some reason, it felt heavy; that was what was on Chept's mind at that time.
His hand pulled hard, until his body tilted backward.
However, his eyes quickly caught a black movement.
Chept slammed into the ground, letting go of the black dress by force.
He lifted his right arm, clearing his sleeve slowly with his other hand. The skin in front of his eyes looked red and warm. He tried to move his hand. An unbearable pain came attacking.
"According to the request, I can justify the actions you took earlier." Her hand lifted the white cloth that covered her upper body slowly.
"Who are you!?" For the first time, Chept felt he did not want to look at the face of the person in front of him. The pain that continued to be felt in his hand slowly turned into fear.
"However, I also have limits... you know, little child,"
That person crouched down; the black dress that was previously hanging began to cover down to her feet. Her hand moved slowly, touching Chept's neck gently.
"You know... now I really want to break your neck,"
Her voice entered Chept's ears softly. Chept's eyes, which were trembling with one small piece of trust, tried to stare at the face of the person in front of him.
"Forgive me," Chept's voice sounded almost lost.
A soft, expressionless face; the bandage of black cloth tied to her eyes began to loosen. The cloth moved down, a green sparkle radiated from her eyes. A green sparkle that played with Chept's heart.
"Forgive me, forgive me, I didn't mean to, I didn't do it on purpose, I won't repeat it, I will leave here now... and disappear... forgive me, I beg you," his voice was not even as loud as the sound of the cloths swaying around.
"Is that true?"
"Should I believe your words just now?"
Chept's neck was pressed hard and sharply at one point.
"Sorry..." Chept's weak voice was heard.
Slowly her hand moved away from Chept's neck. The woman in the black dress began to stand, overshadowing Chept.
"Forgive me, Obsidia," she said while diverting her gaze for a moment from Chept.
Her hand lifted to the back of her head. Moving around and tying tight again the bandage of cloth that covered her eyes earlier. After lowering her hand, her face stared at Chept, who was frozen in place.
"How about if I let you go, with one small condition,"
"Just relax, that pain and other pains, I will make them disappear,"
"All you need to do is make a sound, use your mouth to tell me—"
In the end, those three sentences were what I heard from her, before my memory cut off because I could not withstand the pain anymore.
Since that time, I began to change. The old beliefs that were always embedded in my heart. Shattered and replaced by something new. Even though it feels like I was born as a better person starting from that day.
Lamenting the past and remembering back the old faces. Their expressions that once again touched my heart. Then how the end of every path is formed.
This is just a nightmare.
Which only makes me want to cry.