"Sato Ayumu"
I introduced myself this way now.
[Ayumu= means dream]
Apparently my name means dream. My late mother who passed away 17 years ago, said she always wanted to give me this name for me to live a joyous life. Although, my life turned out to be the complete opposite of that name.
Long story, short. My name is Sato Ayumu, 26 years old, single adult who work as a part timer for living. I never anticipated running away would be this hard. Since I had transfer here empty handed with no information about myself to put on a resume to apply a decent job. I end up continuing attending part time to sustain my daily needs. Either way it's a good thing I have to live differently from my previous life.
I glimpsed at my watch it was already 10 o'clock and I was waiting for a bus home at the waiting area. In a noisy street I felt strange stares behind my back, It belongs to a tall person standing behind me. However, can't clearly foreseen that stranger face was.
"What a creep..." I muttered
He's been watching me for a long time now and It's making me feel uncomfortable.
... Oh!.. did he noticed that I... smell?
I tried to sniff my clothes and I really smell disgusting, this is so embarrassing. I was about to turn my back to him when the bus arrived. I hurriedly get on and didn't get a chance to glimpse at him.
I hurriedly find a empty seat next to the window...
I want to be away from people as much as possible. I have to throw a pile of trash earlier that I smelled like one.
"Ugh... I'm used carrying heavy deliveries but not smelly trash, I really need to take a bath when I get home" I kept mumbling to myself when that person spoke to me.
"May I seat next to you?" I was about to refuse...then
I stopped the moment I heard that familiar voice. My state of mind suddenly come into state of confusion.
That voice could it be...
I hesitate for a while before slowly jerking my head up. Only then I realized that creep in the waiting shed was unexpectedly known to me...
Tall woman who dress up with office clothes with a briefcase in her hands. Wearing the same bolo tie I used to wear...
"It's nice to finally meet for years my lady"
I was dumbfounded, how did she get in here?
And why is she using honorifics on me? it sound weird.
I regain my composure and speak with her calmly...
"What are you doing here... Emma"
"...."
She became mute in my sudden provocation. She smirked after and quietly sat at the vacant seat beside me.
"I apologies for my rudeness, my lady..."
"Ah... stop using honorifics on me, it sound weird in this country"
"Yes...Ad..."
" Ayumu... my name is Ayumu remember " She squint her eyes and stare at me with a serious face. She then looked away and smirked like she find it amusing.
"Yes Ayumu" She was unexpectedly calm after seeing me again. Am I the only one been tense when we met again?
"You looked very different from how I used to know. Your hair also quite to short..."
"Yes yes, I know I looked like a guy, laugh as much as you"
"I'm not laughing though" Geez, I really put an effort to it, I even cut my own hair this short even it's against my will. But she effortlessly perceive me through my disguise.
I don't have time for her ludicrous acts, I need to know the details of his arrival. I know she didn't come here for no reason
"So tell me how did you determine my current location?"
"...I learned it from lady Adreana"
Adreana...?
I closed my mouth after hearing that up...
"Just like you anticipated to happen, Lady Adreana learn the truth and track your location. 5:30 am she booked a flight and flew in this country. I secretly follow them afterwards"
"I see but why did you broke your promise?"
"Pardon?"
"I ordered you not to find me before, didn't I? And you promised me that"
"I'm terribly sorry if I didn't fullfil my duties, I was worried she might do something to harm you so I approach you much earlier before she can"
Hmm... So that explains why she's here, I don't know why she keeps worrying about me this much. I haven't met that person she's taking about yet, there's still time...
"You should go back tomorrow, I will let this go just once. Never try finding me again I shall handle things here on my own from now on"
"But..."
"Don't act like you care, you don't serve for me anymore so stop worrying your self to death" She bit her lips, I really don't want to say this harsh words to her but I have to drove her away.
"Besides you saw it with your own eyes...Your master have demise for a long
time..."
She clench her hand tightly and looked away. Suppressing the emotions dwelling from her inside. I know that my words cut her deeply. She have served me and my family for many years. I'm no longer part of that family so my well being doesn't concern her anymore. I can't let her drawn by her emotions and lost her job. I know I will meet that person sooner or later and I can't afford dragging her with me... again
We were silent for a while before Emma broke that silence between us.
" Okay... I'll leave tomorrow then. But just like you said I'm no longer your servant, so at least take my help as a friend"
Smile
She's forcing herself to smile, seeing this making me remorseful about my words. I shift my gaze outside the window...
"I thought you want our relationship to be nothing more but master and servant what changed your mind now?" I said, avoiding her eyes as much as I could.
"No...I always think our relationship was more than that. Your the only person I ever consider as my friend..."
That's right, she never said she was but she always act like one. I was always the one who failed to see it through.
"Anyways, I brought this thing with me"
"Hm?"
She lift the briefcase in her hand. The lock click as she slowly opened it, reveling a familiar book inside.
[ Night of Nightmares ]
"You wrote this book didn't you?" My eyes widen after seeing the book.
"I found it on the attic where your things are kept hidden" I held the book in my arms and gently brush it with my hand. How long has it been since I write in this old book.
"It was a great story, why you didn't try to published it?"
Smile
I glimpsed at the book for a while. Moreover, it's not a story I made but a story that appears to me every night. I wrote it to preserve in my memories. It was foul story but it help me cope with the pain I had to struggle in my past.
"How could you say, did you read it?"
"Yes I did" She quickly replied while scratching her wrist. Ayumu instantly noticed it and squint her eyes.
Like how she know me better, I'm familiar with her habits more than anyone. Mendacious as always I see. She really know how tell lies even to her former master. Geez how could she try to say such a lie to me after meeting again for a long time...
I thoughtlessly opened the book and while I was about to open the first page. Strange memories of my dreams cross my mind. I instinctively closed the book full of confusion.
What was that?
Beep!
The car outside the window suddenly horn loudly, cause me to flinched, the book slip on my lap cause it to fall opening the first page I hesitatedly tried to open earlier. I tilted my head and read the first sentence that meet my eyes.
[The night of nightmares began in a blink. When a strange symbol appeared before my very own eyes]
I was momentarily paused, when Emma tapped my shoulder.
"Ayumu are you okay"
" Ah...yes..." I hurriedly pick up the book and closed it afterwards.
"This traffic is much longer than I expected"
I fixed my gaze outside the window. We've been talking for a while now and I noticed we're not moving at all. The bus stopped long before we start our conversation.
What's causing this long traffic at this hour? Did an accident happened? if that so, it should have been resolved by now.
I stood up from my seat and peered at the other passengers. Everyone was enraged about the long traffic jam. Loud honking of cars was overheard from outside.
"What's the matter?" Emma asked after noticing my uneasy behavior. "You should seat down the bus will move soon"
I'm rather uneasy about this, it's not like I never experienced traffic jam before. But traffic jam in this hour? I'm having a ominous feeling about it, but I can't clearly explain why.
The bus suddenly started to move again. "See I told you, now seat down" I gazed at the other passengers looking so relieved when the bus started moving. I sat back to my seat like Emma said. How dumb I worry for nothing, I don't know why I felt like something unpleasant is going to happen.
"Looks like I got agitated for nothing" I muttered
" You look so uneasy is something bothering you?" That's right, why am I so I'll at ease?
Screech
The bus shook off loudly making a loud screeching sound. The bus made a sudden brake, I was caught of guard and was about to hit my head on the seat upfront when Emma blocked it on time. "Huff huff"
"Ayumu are you okay?"
"Yeah I'm good"
"What wrong with that driver! I'm going to him right now..."
"No, wait calm down"
Confused and agitating voice was then overheard.
"What the heck is happening?"
"Why did we suddenly stopped again?"
Then a sudden message pop in my phone, however, I'm not the only one who received that message. Monotonous sound of notifications echo inside the bus. Every person inside the bus wear the same bewilderment expressions in their faces.
"What is this?"
"What kind of sick joke is this"
Strange eye symbol appeared in their phones cause everyone to be so confused. Even I was dazed looking at the eye symbol filling my phone screen. Familiar words from the book started crossing my mind again. Chills run down my spine after realizing what that symbols was.
This eye symbolize one thing in my dreams... feast of nightmares will began.