Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Mystic Grey ❯ Volume Seven: Chap. Twenty: Care and Memories ( Chapter 20 )

Care and Memories

Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.

Rieko awoke to a cool cloth on her forehead.

“Hm?” she asked. The girl sat up in bed. This room looked so small. She noticed a mirror across the room. She almost didn't recognize her own face.

“W-W-Where am I?” the girl asked.

“Oh good. You're awake,” a voice said. Rieko turned her head. A woman stood in the doorway. She held a tray in her hands.

“Are you okay, dear?” the woman asked. Rieko blinked for a moment.

“Where am I?” she asked. There wasn't much in the room. Just a bed, a small table, a basin, a mirror, and a lamp.

“My room,” the woman said. Rieko pressed her lips together.

“Are you hungry?” the woman asked. The girl slowly nodded.

“Great. Here,” the woman said. She walked over and set down the tray in front of her. Rieko looked down to see a bowl of soup in front of her. A tall glass of water stood next to it.

“T-T-Thank you,” she said in a shaky voice. She picked up the spoon and started eating.

“This is really good,” she said. She took another bite. The woman sat down at the foot of the bed.

“What happened to you?” she asked. Rieko shook her head.

“I… I don't know,” she said. The girl tried to piece together what happened to her.

“Who… are you?” she asked. The woman giggled.

“Oh, my name is Sarah,” she said. She held out her hand. Rieko slowly shook it.

“Rieko…” she said.

“What were you doing out there?” Sarah asked. The girl sheepishly looked away. She mumbled under her breath.

“What is it, dear?” the woman asked. Rieko shook her head. She knew she couldn't stay there. More memories started to surface as she started trembling.

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How many times has he done this? He's killed everyone they've met. She didn't understand why. It was like he didn't want to share her with anyone else. Even if she spoke with them, they would be dead. Because of this, he scared her.

“Why did you kill them?” she asked. He would just look at her with a dead-eyed expression. What she thought and felt never mattered to him. She was his doll. He could do what he wanted with her. She could do nothing to stop him.

That was until she ran away.

“Rieko? Rieko? What's the matter? Honey? Honey?”

The girl turned her head. Sarah had a worried look on her face.

“Are you all right?” she asked. Rieko shook her head.

“No. No…” she said. The girl broke down crying. She buried her head in her lap. Sarah hurried over to her.

“There, there,” she whispered. “It's okay. It's okay.” The woman rubbed Rieko's back. The girl was crying not only for herself but for the future victim trying to comfort her. She already knew what was coming next.

“I'm sorry, so sorry,” Rieko whispered.

“Hm? What do you mean?” Sarah asked. The girl shook her head. She would have to see for herself. No. It didn't have to be like this. She wouldn't let it happen again. But how? What could she do to stop him?

Fading Hope