Everything got really dark.
..
Where i?
..
"Ern..." A woman's low voice was heard.
Who's calling?
"Ern!!".
That scream made me open my eyes , and a beautiful woman was crying right above me. What is she crying about?
"Ernor you wake up!" Her face a little surprised then my body was lifted to embrace his body.
"Please don't leave mom anymore ..".
Mom? Who this lady?
"A.." When I let out a little sound the crying subsided a little.
But.. I realized something else, i'm in a strange place. A room with slightly cracked walls and some peeling paint in the corners of the room. The white curtain slightly moved with the light entering the room.
"umm..".
"yes! something sick?".
"no.. just.. what had happened?".
She who claimed to be my mother laid me back on the bed, her eyes were gloomy for a few moments and slowly calmed down.
"I'm sorry ,i've made you like this" She held my hand tightly as if she didn't want to lose me.
My eyes suddenly got heavy, making me unable to defend myself.
"Thank you for not leave me. Ern" A little smile appeared on his mouth.
Until my vision became dark again.
…
…
How long i've been asleep?
The brass light came in through the frosted glass beside the bed, I think it was late afternoon. My reflection was painted on the other side of the wall.
It made me a little curious so I walked to the mirror in the corner of the room. Brown hair extending downwards with ears that gaped upwards or.. That is like animal ears than human ears that I remember. Even my body felt quite small at least the size of a 9 year old child, and ernor..
'Ahh! I can't remember anything'
The door suddenly opened wide to my surprise, a brown haired woman in a simple brown leather dress tied together by ropes and white cloth wrapped around her insides and arms.
"Ern!"
In an instant I was embraced by her.
"Are you well son?"
"Yes. I'm fine "
"Thank goodness.. Oh yes! Warm drink!.. Mom will be back soon"
She left with the door open.
…
"Ern! Mom is back!"
Her arrival startled me a bit as I was playing with my hair on the side of the bed. She looks more smiling than before.
Hot tea and a few slices of bread were placed on the table.
"Umm.. Before eating.. Can I ask something?".
"Yes, what you want?".
"Um.." I'm a little hesitant to say.
"So?".
"Just where are we actually?" Her smile dropped slightly and looked away briefly.
"Okay, maybe you should know this place, here is a small Medame village far from the capital"
"Medame?"
"Yes, Medame. A place to live for people who want to live freely"
Although I don't understand what it means, at least it's enough to answer my little curiosity.
..
"Ak.."
One small bite of bread put in my mouth, the bread is a little hard but still sweet. It made me choke a little.
"Wait! I will take you tea"
The tea is pitch black and a bit of steam rises up. A few sips is enough to remove the bread that clogs the throat. My throat is getting better again, i think I'm full enough now.
"Tasty?" She widened her smile while tilting her head, she looked beautiful for a moment.
"Wait ernor. I will come back again"
Then she stood up and went to take glasses and plates with him . When in front of the door steps a bit loose and almost fell.
"a.."
I almost screamed and moved from my spot. Luckily she was able to lean against the wall in front of him.
"dont wory son! Mother will be back soon!" As soon as he said he was invisible before my eyes.
I just realized, mom has human ears, it's different from me who has these ears.
…
…
Few hundred breaths had already passed.
Where my mom go?
My feet got off the bed and down the wooden floor. Some light comes in from the crack in the ceiling of the house, my eyes glanced at some of the cloth that fell on the floor, and person i was looking for was lying on the edge of the couch, her eyes moved for a moment then opened.
"Umm.. Mom?".
His head moves towards me standing.
".."
Hers words were so soft that even his face didn't change.
"Want me to take you to bed?".
"No, mom just fell on the sofa a little.".
"fell?".
Is it true she fell? Is it because.. No! No! Definitely not.
I hugged by my mother when my thoughts started messing with me.
"Ehh..What's wrong?" I'm a little creeped out by the sudden attack.
"Tomorrow night you want to come with the mother, Ern?" My mother tightened her embrace.
My shoulder hurts a little because my clothes are wrapped around me.
'This hurts!'
".."
Her hands off and now hers face a little sad.
"Don't want son? Even though mom already prepared it..".
'Wait! I haven't answered anything!'
Her face looks like a baby about to cry, how deep is her wish really? My face turned slightly as I thought of the answer.
"Hm?" His head tilted slightly for a moment.
"I..Yes".
His face immediately changed to one of joy.
"Good! you will love it! Oh yes! Shall we have lunch?".
Have Lunch! No I Just Ate!
"I've eaten, mom!".
Did she fall so that she lost her memory? It's not possible right?.
"It's been a long time right?"
"But.." My mouth stopped with his index finger.
"Follow me" Mother's face looks a bit scary.
"*Huh*".
There was no choice but for me to do what she said even though swallowing on a full stomach was like swallowing a lump of white bread all at once without water.
I actually have doubts as to who she is, but I want to believe she is my mother.
…
…
The planned night arrived.
Walking from our small house accompanied by lanterns in every village street. A place that looks like a colorful twinkling can be seen at the end of the road. Mother is wearing normal clothes like yesterday.
Some people on the street glanced at us then immediately dodged when our eyes met. And some people lowered their heads.
Maybe it's because I'm wearing a pink robe that covers my head, from other people's perspective it looks cute but my ears are a little squeezed. This is very uncomfortable.
Everything just passed by until arrived at the Festival, my eyes were surprised by a bubble floating above my head.
'This'
[puff]
The bubble exploded into twinkling dust on contact with my finger.
"Hey little lady..You want to try?" Man's hand with a mustache stretched out to the side. But this tug of my mother made me leave without answering.
"Mom" My face might look sullen for a while.
Everything here is fun to look at, people put on some of their tricks to catch the attention of the crowd that came. The sound at this festival is so loud that I can't even hear my own breath. The fun-looking thing just passed away, because my feet kept following my mother's hand.
I realized Some people averted their eyes when they saw my mother.
"Umm..Mom? Are you okay?".
Hers gaze stayed focused, but I couldn't figure out why.
'What's wrong with her?, This is boring!'
Mother's gaze still looks sharp and keeps walking, no matter what is around her.
Mother's steps stopped in front of a large building in the middle of the festival. In front of me was a group of people gathered around a wooden stage with a man in a black hat speaking rather strange words.
"Enough mom!".
I pulled my hand from his grip.
"What's wrong with you Mom!?".
She sat level with my body.
"Sorry, Mom just.. Thought of something" His face looks restless.
For some reason his feelings of worry were immediately conveyed clearly.
"Hei you there! You guys are really presumptuous to run away from a predetermined fate!".
I was surprised by a loud voice from behind.
He wears a long brown shirt down that looks like a coat with a red stripe like a ribbon that cuts the cloth on the right and left.
Who is he? Why he looking at us?
"No! Who are you! You can't be able to catch us!" .
Mom said out loud while covering me behind her.
"Dirty human who is not ashamed when he makes a mistake, you better get out of my face now!".
The person spoke again but now seemed to emphasize his anger even more.
Without me noticing people had started to gather around us.
["That, that person isn't it" , "He said the child was the result of a kidnapping" , "The child is really strange why the hood is not removed" , "I'll bet that lady loses"]
The voices of people's whispers gathered in my ears. My chest hurts and my heart beats faster after hearing their words. My legs now can't stand properly and are shaking.
What happened with myself!
"Mom..".
I don't care about my face. Maybe it looks like a baby, I really don't have the courage anymore.
"Don't worry, mom already has a plan" Mother whispered in my ear.
"What are you doing! Hand over the child quickly!".
"No you won't even be able to touch it as long as I live!".
"You!!" With a wall of teeth that shows his forefinger pointing at my mother.
"Who are you, why dare to interfere in a place like this!".
"Huh. I? I don't need to say who I am".
"Quick catch them!!".
[drag drag]
Their footsteps hit the ground hard.
'I can't move. This body sucks!'
[pssh]
White mist spread covering the view.
"*Cough* Who dares to do this!".
"Who are you why barged in!".
Several voices of screaming men behind the white mist sounded in my ears, a man in a gray robe appeared grabbing my body.
"Hurry up there's no time left".
This is too sudden, who is this person?
Without me knowing i was already on horseback with mom and this guy. White mist lingers behind. Several people came out of the fog.
"Do'nt run!"