"Hanako, don't blame yourself for this. It wasn't your fault. None of this was."
"Leave me alone, Jeremy. You're the last person I want to speak to right now."
"So what're you going to do then? Lock yourself away in your room and cry yourself to sleep?"
"Yes."
"Well I'm not going to let you do that."
"Jeremy, please...I just want to be alone right now..."
"...fine, but if you need anything, don't hesitate to call out to me, okay? I'm here for you. I always will be."
Maybe...if I fall asleep, I'll never wake up. Maybe I can stay sleeping forever and never see light again. I can emerge myself in the darkness that lingers about me. I could shut myself away, and no one would ever get hurt because of me...that would be for the best...
+++
February 12: one year ago
"So what do you want for your birthday, Morgan?"
Morgan and I were walking home from school on Friday, February 12, the date of his 15th birthday. We would always take a detour when walking home, one that led us around Lake Yurushi and through the forest, then back to the street my house was on, just to lengthen our time for conversation, and shorten my time having to be spent at home. Morgan knew how much I hated being there. It was quiet. Mercilessly quiet. My mother hardly ever spoke to me, and I almost felt as though she had forbidden Aki to speak to me. Occasionally, however, Aki did sneak into my room when I'd forget to lock the door. Those days when he would climb into my bed and onto my lap, then talk about pretty much anything...those were good days. But even so, I very much enjoyed my walks with Morgan. He was the only one who could truly understand me.
"My birthday?" Morgan made a puzzled face. "You already said 'happy birthday' to me, didn't you? I don't need anything else, Hanako."
I groaned and rolled my eyes, slumping my shoulders and lowering my head in defeat. "You're so difficult sometimes, you know that? Just tell me something, please. I want to get you something nice for once. It's the least I could do for all you've done for me."
Morgan laughed, a look of pure delight on his face. "You sounded like me there for a second," he said, shooting me a glance from the side. "I'm serious though, I don't need anything else. I'm completely happy with what I already have."
"It wouldn't hurt you to be a little selfish every now and again."
"Selfish?" Morgan tilted his head to the side. "Why on earth would I have a reason to be selfish?"
We had reached the lake now. It was warm out, the air was still, and not a single cloud was in the sky. The lake itself was motionless as well, due to the absence of wind. It was perfect weather, in my opinion. I always did hate the cold. And the rain...
"I'm not trying to be difficult, Hanako, really," said Morgan, casually kicking a rock into the water as we began strolling alongside the lake. "I just don't want you to go to any unnecessary trouble."
"But it's not unnecessary," I insisted. "Can't you see I'm trying to do something nice here? This doesn't happen often, so I suggest you take advantage of it."
"Nonsense, you're nice to me all the time," Morgan chuckled, waving at me dismissively. He then let out a long, heavy sigh, stopping suddenly in his tracks. I spun around once I had realized this, and I raised an eyebrow at him.
"I'm sorry, I'm probably getting on your nerves now, aren't I?"
"No," I whispered, shaking my head slightly. "Not at all."
Morgan pursed his lips and made a quiet humming noise, his brow furrowing in deep thought. "I suppose, if you really want to get me something, there is one thing I would like."
My head shot up. "Really? What is it?"
"I want to watch the meteor shower with you."
My eyes grew wide in surprise. I had almost forgotten about that. I'd heard on the weather forecast that there was supposed to be a meteor shower late at night this Friday, but it completely slipped my mind. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. Where is this coming from?
"It probably sounds stupid, doesn't it?" He said with a forced laugh, turning his head away. "I'm sorry, it was a stupid thing to ask. Staying up till midnight with me on a weekend is probably the last thing you want to do."
"That's not true at all." I softened my gaze a bit and looked at Morgan. "Do you really have that low an opinion of me? It's your birthday for Pete's sake, and besides, who said I didn't want to see it too?"
A warm, yet apologetic smile appeared on Morgan's face. "You're right, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. If anything, I hold a higher opinion for you than I do for anyone else."
"Even your family?"
"You are family."
I wanted to hug him right then and there, but I restrained myself and kept it at a heartfelt "thanks". Morgan chuckled and gestured for us to continue walking, so we did.
The lake of forgiveness is peaceful. Not a breath of wind moves its waters. It is calm. It is satisfied. It wants to stay this way. Only if it could, this city would be a better place to live in...a better place to be...
"So do you want me to bring anything?" Morgan asked after a few minutes of silence. "You know, when we go to watch the meteor shower."
"Just blankets, maybe a flashlight," I replied. "I'll bring some, too. Where did you want to view it? My house, your house, the lake...-"
"You know that empty field that's a couple of miles from here? Well, there's a hill that I think would be a perfect spot for watching it."
I nodded. "Okay then. We'll meet there at 11:30."
+++
I arrived home around 5:00 p.m. and went straight up to my room. After slipping out of my shoes and jacket, I took my phone out of my backpack and sent Morgan a text.
Hey I'm home. U make it home alright?
Morgan sent a reply immediately.
Yeah, thanks 4 asking. Did u talk to your mom about 2night yet?
No. She's at work right now. It's not like she'll really care if I leave the house anyway, so don't worry about it.
If u say so. I guess I'll see you 2night then?
Without a doubt.
I turned off my phone and gently tossed it aside. I sat silent and still for a moment, wondering what I would do until the time for us to meet would arrive. "I suppose I could always sleep until then," I said aloud. Heaving a sigh, I fell backwards onto my pillow and flipped on my side, staring blankly at the wall until eventually my eyelids began to grow heavy, and I drifted into a deep sleep.
+++
10:45 p.m.
I had everything packed in a duffel bag, and I was ready to leave for the hill. My plans were to get there before Morgan so that I would have time to set up everything, but also in hopes of surprising him. I wasn't typically the punctual kind of person, so I figured I might try something new for a change.
I left the house and headed straight down my street, made a left, then continued on for several more blocks until I reached the lake. From there I took the usual route around the lake, through the forest, and finally to the hilly field that lay beyond it. The sky was absolutely beautiful. Not a cloud was to be seen yet again, only the stars and moon shining brightly like floating lanterns.
A smile on my face, I happily strode over the grassy field until I came across the specific hill I had been looking for. I drew in a deep breath and sprinted up the slightly steep mount, soon to be disappointed at the sight of a certain orange haired boy sitting on a checkered blanket, waiting.
"You've got to be kidding me."
"Oh, hey, Hanako!" Morgan smiled widely and waved at me, patting the leveled ground beside him as an invitation for me to join him. Heaving a sigh of defeat, I trudged over to Morgan and set down my duffel bag, then carefully began unpacking it. He leaned over and curiously peered inside, just as I had taken out a blanket of my own. "So what else do you have in there?"
"Your present."
Morgan inhaled sharply, and his eyes lit up with happiness. "Really?!"
"You know, for a guy who insisted that a gift was unnecessary, you sure do sound enthused."
He shied away. "S-sorry...it just makes me happy that you went to that trouble for me..."
"It wasn't trouble," I sighed. "It's not like I went out and bought you something expensive. I just...had something..."
I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself for the response that would follow my statement. Morgan gasped audibly, and he began shaking me forcefully by the shoulders as he laughed with utter delight. "Hanako, you're giving me something that belongs to you?!" With open arms he tackled me, not even trying to hold back as he hugged me with all his might. "I know I don't deserve it, but thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you-!!"
"Cut it out!" I yelled, furiously struggling to escape physical contact. "What the heck are you getting so excited about? I haven't even showed it to you yet!"
"Then let me see it already!" Morgan released me in an instant and leapt backwards. He was soon sitting on his heels, his hands resting on his lap.
He looks just like an eager puppy... I thought, shuffling through my bag to find the box containing the gift. Once I had come across it, I slowly took it out and examined it, contemplating whether or not I should even bother giving it to him. It was something so small, something so simple, but also something that could quite easily be held as an important keepsake to someone...especially someone like Morgan. However, with just a slight glance to the side, my mind was instantly made up. I threw out my arm and offered the gift to him. And he opened it without hesitation.
"Hanako..."
"What?"
"Thank you."
It was a necklace. More specifically, a necklace my father had given to me the day before he left. Attached to a thin, silver chain was a little red arrow striking through a black moon. This, according to my father, was supposed to symbolize protection over all darkness. I didn't understand what he had meant back then, nor did it matter to me. But now I believed...that I could fully comprehend what his intentions were. He wanted to protect me. And by passing this necklace on to Morgan, I was telling him that I wanted to protect him as well.
"Hanako, I appreciate this, I really do," Morgan began, but there was doubt apparent in his voice. "But are you sure you want to give this to me? I mean, this belongs to your dad, doesn't it?"
"Not anymore," I said. "It belongs to you now."
That was all the persuasion necessary for Morgan to wholeheartedly accept the gift. He took both ends of the necklace and carefully tied it around his neck. Once he had done this, he rested the black moon on the palm of his hand and gazed at it admiringly. "I love it," he whispered. "I couldn't have asked for anything better."
The sound of pure, innocent happiness in his gentle voice put my nerves at rest. I knew now that I hadn't made a mistake in choosing to give him the necklace. He was genuinely grateful, and I knew he would take good care of it.
The two of us sat there in a comfortable silence underneath the stars, waiting for the time of the meteor shower to arrive. In due time, it did, and Morgan and I sat back and watched with eyes wide open. The meteors shot across the dark night sky—at first they came one by one, but before long they began to fly faster, their glowing tails chasing them until we could no longer follow their path with our gazes.
I looked at Morgan. His eyes were illuminated with a sense of wonder, and I don't think I had ever seen him happier. And if he was happy, then I was happy. As I turned my head back to the sky, I heard Morgan whisper something.
"Do you believe in wishing on a star?"
I thought for a moment, before replying, "I don't really know. I mean, I guess so. Do you?"
Morgan nodded. "Yeah. And I was thinking, with all these shooting stars in the sky right now, why don't we both make a wish?"
"If that's what you want, then sure." I took in a breath of air and was about to speak, but Morgan quickly slapped his hand over my mouth.
"You can't say your wish out loud!" He exclaimed, and I could tell he was completely serious about what I assumed was a dramatized reaction. "Otherwise, it won't come true! Here, I'll show you how it's done." Morgan gently closed his eyes, his facial expression becoming calm instantly. In just a few seconds, he opened his eyes again, and a look of satisfaction appeared on his face. "Okay, now it's your turn."
I raised an eyebrow at him, but decided to just go along with it. And so, closing my eyes as he had done, I silently made my wish...
I wish for Morgan to never leave me. I want him to always be by my side, even in my darkest days.
I opened my eyes again and soon found that Morgan was staring at me with intent. "Soooo..." He leaned in closer to me. "What did you wish for?"
"I thought you said if we say it out loud, it won't come true," I pointed out.
"That's only when you're first making the wish," he explained. "You can tell me now."
I turned my head away stubbornly. "N-no, I won't tell you."
"Aww, why not?"
It's too embarrassing. "It's...it's a secret."
"Will you ever tell me?"
"Some day," I answered hesitantly. "But only if you tell me your wish."
He grinned happily. "I wished that you and me would one day go on an adventure together, one that would lead us all across the country, discovering new places, meeting new people, and doing things that no other person ever dreamed of doing." After uttering this with as much animation as he could, Morgan looked at me, as if to get my approval. "What do you say? Sound like a plan?"
I cracked a smile but didn't speak.
Maybe some day, Morgan...maybe some day...
"Hanako, look over there!"
My train of thought was broken abruptly by Morgan's voice. I shot a curious glance at him, soon discovering that he was pointing at something in the field. I followed his finger in a straight line and found what it was.
"A firefly?"
"I see more!" He exclaimed. "Let's go catch some, Hanako!"
I let out a low grunt, slowly shaking my head. "Nah, I don't really want to. But hey, don't let me stop you. Go ahead. I'll be right here."
Morgan frowned in disappointment, but in a matter of seconds this frown had vanished, and his signature smile took its place. Before long he was running in the direction of the fireflies, sprinting and jumping and clapping his hands together as he attempted to catch them, all the while laughing and grinning widely like a child on Christmas morning. Morgan always did remind me of a child, but somehow...I respected him for this. If anything, I looked up to him. I admired him for the way his young, lively personality always kept him in high spirits. I wanted so desperately to be more like him. However, the more I was around Morgan, the more I came to realize that it would never happen. Even so, everything would be alright, so long as he'd always be there to keep me steady.
"It's amazing, isn't it?"
Startled by the unfamiliar voice, I flinched, soon finding myself staring into the wide, mystifying eyes of a beautiful stranger. It was a girl who appeared to be around my age. Her hair was a light shade of pink and poked out from beneath a knit, maroon winter hat. She wore a long, silky white dress that reached her toes, and even stretched a couple of feet behind her. The thing that stood out most about her, though, wasn't what she was wearing, or even the fact that she had appeared out nowhere and was barefoot.
"Your eyes..."
They were two different colors. One was a dark shade of brown, the other a shimmering gold. From the second I made eye contact with her, I was unable to look anywhere else. This was the first time I had seen heterochromia up close in person, and it was utterly breathtaking. I felt that it was slightly rude to stare, but I mean it when I say I couldn't look away. Her tender voice eventually broke the silence.
"You're Hanako Izumi, correct?"
I blinked and tried to focus on her kind manner of speaking. "Uh, y-yeah, that's right. And who are you?"
"Call me Connie," she said affably. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Hanako. I've been watching you from afar for quite some time."
It took me a minute, but it soon dawned on me that I might have seen this girl somewhere before. I have, I told myself. I know I have...
And then it hit me. I had seen her at school before. Many times, actually. It was just out of the corner of my eye, but I had spotted this peculiar, yet beautiful pink haired girl at my high school. We had passed each other in the hallway, and I had caught a glimpse of her face, but never before had I seen her eyes. That must have been why I didn't recognize her right away. Yet still, other than her eyes, there was something about Connie that seemed off, almost as if she were a lingering memory that I just couldn't shake. "Just...who are you, Connie?" This question slipped away from me before I had the chance to stop it. "Who are you, and why do I feel..." I craned my head and tried to turn it to the side to look at Morgan, but I soon found it as difficult as trying to pull a rusty lever. I could barely see him, but Morgan was still there, far away, bounding and leaping, still trying relentlessly to catch fireflies. My eyes flicked back to Connie, and I choked out, "What's...what's going on?"
"Please try to calm down, Hanako," she told me, reaching over to grab my hand. She held it in her own, which was very soft with a kind touch. "Please just listen, and I will explain. Morgan cannot see me, and he cannot see you speaking to me, so don't worry."
"I don't understand..."
Connie pressed her finger gently on my lips, hushing me. "That's what I'm here for. I'm here to tell you of things to come, Hanako. And I'm afraid many of those won't be very pleasant, but listen to me, and believe me when I say that you can endure it. However, you will require some help. After all, as you know, Morgan won't be around forever-"
"Yes he will."
I forced these words out from the depths of my stomach, urging them up my dry throat and out of my mouth, into the night air, where they seems to hang, suspended like cold stars.
"I know he will."
"Hanako, this isn't a memory, I'm sorry," Connie said with sincere sympathy. "This is a dream I sent you."
I took this moment to check if Morgan was still around, but to my dismay, he had vanished without a trace, as had the fireflies. "But h-...how could this...what do you mean you sent me a dream?"
"I am Connie, the first member of the Midnight Legion, and also the Keeper of Dreams. I have come to deliver a message to you, Hanako."
It felt as though my chest was being pelted with bullets, and my brain was desperately trying to tell my hands to take them out. My hands refused to cooperate, and instead trembled in fear.
Connie let go of my hand and brought hers up to her face, where she gently lifted the brim of her hat off her forehead, revealing a strange design that had been hidden beneath it.
It was a moon with an arrow striking through it—just like the one on the necklace I gave Morgan.
"Do you know what this is, Hanako?" She asked, but I was too petrified to respond. "It's the symbol of my family. The symbol of the Midnight Legion. Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?"
"If you're saying that my father is one of you, then you're wrong."
Denial. I was aware of it. But I didn't care.
"But if you think about it, it only makes sense, right?" said Connie. "Listen, Hanako, I'm not trying to be the bad guy here. Believe me, I'm on your side. I only want to tell you the truth about your father, and about what happened to-"
"Stop talking already!!"
Talking in itself was a strenuous task, so raising my voice to a shouting level was enough to tear up my throat and cause my blood pressure to skyrocket. I was bubbling with rage, self frustration, negativity in general. And since Connie happened to be the nearest living thing to me, I took it lol out on her.
"I don't want to hear it, do you understand me? Lies—that's all you're telling me. You're a fictitious storyteller, and I am not in the mood for it right now. First of all, you show up out of nowhere, and now you're trying to tell me my dad is a demon? Do you actually expect me to believe that?"
Connie shook her head solemnly. "No. I did not expect that of you at all. I only came to tell you one thing in particular. I hope you will excuse me for getting sidetracked. I wanted to let you know that the seems of this reality are falling apart, and they are falling apart because of you. Soon they will cave in, and you will have no choice but to make a very important sacrifice."
"If this is all happening in the future, then it means nothing to me."
"Well, then what would you do if I told you that your precious city of Bluegate will be the first to collapse?"
"What?"
Connie nodded. "Your mother and brother will die," she began in an ominous tone, "and you will be forced yet again to rely on the comforts and compassion of Jeremy Ryder."
"Don't you dare say that to me," I scowled. "Mom and Aki are safe, and I made a promise to myself that I would never lean on Jeremy for support. I'm only around him because I consider him my friend, not because I'm afraid of what's chasing me."
"So you are aware that you're being chased?"
"I've been aware of that for a long time now."
+++
Connie continued to stare at me. Her multicolored eyes twinkled alarmingly, and the next six words that escaped her lips were uttered in a quiet, yet incredibly strict tone:
"Go to Bluegate. Then you'll see."
"I can't," I said in a low voice, gaze dropping to the ground. "How could I go back? The way I am now, my mother would be terrified of me, and Aki, too. I don't want that."
Connie placed her hand on my shoulder and lifted my chin with her hand, staring deeply and thoughtfully into my eyes. "Hanako, we don't have much time, so I'll have to make this quick. This dream will come to end soon, and so will this reality. Things have begun to disappear already. Tell me, Hanako, do you remember a man by the name of Ezekiel?"
I felt a sudden sharp pain in my chest, as if the sound of this name meant something to me. Yet somehow, I couldn't remember the face of the man she spoke of. "E-Ezekiel? No...I don't remember."
"That's because his presence has already vanished from the face of the earth. As did a boy named Peter. And Suri's little sister, Ciara."
My heartbeat quickened, and I felt blood drain from my face as I was suddenly filled with a sense of insecurity. "What are you going on about? Quit spewing nonsense already."
Connie took her hand off my shoulder and placed it this time on my cheek, then with her other hand, firmly held the other side of my face.
"You are the center of creation, Hanako!"
There was firm purpose in her voice.
"You need to know this. Jeremy and your father are trying their hardest to protect you, and to hide the fact that your life is the most important and crucial part of this reality, but their efforts will soon go to waste. Niall died believing that you would be safe, that you would go on living with your friends in a life full of happiness and secureness, but I'm afraid that is not the case anymore. When you wake up from this dream, Hanako, I need you to do a few things for me. First of all, I need you to make sure Rachel stays with Luca at the bar. She'll be safe there."
"Jeremy already had that idea," I informed her. "Luca had agreed to take care of her."
"Good," Connie breathed a sigh of relief. "Second, you, Jeremy, Suri, and Morgan need to pay a visit to Bluegate. Whether or not you stop by your mother's house, that's your decision. But I need you to see just what is happening to Bluegate before it's gone entirely."
I had no reply. I just nodded very slowly and tried to feign bravery.
"Last of all, I want you to brace yourself for Christmas, Hanako. On December 25, your eyes will at last be fully opened, and I already know what will happen."
She closed her eyes and bit down on her lip, as if to stop herself from speaking her mind.
"I am the Keeper of Dreams—but of course, nightmares are dreams, too..."
After she had said this, Connie's face gradually began to fade, until soon, her entire body started to drift away like dust in the wind. Before I knew it, this mysterious girl had disappeared as quickly as she had appeared, and I was left all alone again.