Unknown POV:
I know she isn't our mother. We all know she isn't our mother. Afterall, we are all orphans. Orphans don't have parents. And even if we wish we had parents, not her, not it. The legs that go till the neck. The neck that contains the eyes. That's all can I see. My hair doesn't allow me to look any above. But I know it has more hands than me; more than the two I can see from her neck. My eyes could never see her mouth but atleast I could see her eyes. So, I know when she wants me. I can also hear her.
Even though she isn't our mother, I know we can't complain. We got to know from the beginning that the children that complain, disappear. We thought it was just some story that the head matron told us to keep us from being bad. Looks like it was true. But she was an adult, right? Does it apply to her too? And if that story is true, then what about others, like the prince on a white horse or the boggeyman that puts dust in my eyes or tooth fairy that gives children gifts for every fallen tooth or, or, or like Santa? Why didn't Santa come this winter? Have I been bad?
"diNnEr TiMe"
Looks like she is calling me again. I need to go. Maybe, there will be meat again. It says it's good for us. Bu…bu..but I don't want any more meat. It's not chicken, I know; since the first time. Bu..but I can't tell anymore. Sob, sob. And sometimes, some things are so hard I can't eat. My teeth hurts. They fall but there is no tooth fairy. No, no don't cry. Children that complain disappear. We shouldn't complain. We? But are there any others? I haven't talked to anyone since….yeah, since my birthday. Was it three days ago? Three weeks? Years? I can't remember. But it was only me and Asagi that came. Maybe I will talk to her today. It doesn't deny us talking as long as we didn't talk about outside.
Hmm? She/it is holding only one cup. I see, Asagi isn't here. Maybe she already ate. I move my hands to get the cup she is giving me. Has she gotten bigger? I can't see her neck anymore. We also aren't allowed to look up after all. Oh, no. The cup fell. No, no, no I didn't do it. I'm sorry. It never reached my hands. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Agrh, my eyes feel bad. They hurt. No, no. Please. I don't want to disappear. Humps loudly. Haa, haa, haa. What is this line of glow? Tears up. Did I disappear too? No, this is….this…is….this is light. So, beautiful. I didn't disappear? It's still the same hall. Thank u. I will never be bad again. Sob, sob.
What's that? It's so close. It's so…white. White? White horse? No, this isn't a horse. This is…this is….Yeah, I remember. A Dog. This is a dog. Wait, where are you going? It went to the door. It is looking back? The dog is looking at me moving his tail left right. You want me to come after you? No, I can't. I shouldn't. I will disappear. No, wait. Where are you going? Wait. No, stop. Why am I moving? I can't. I can't be bad. I will disappear. No, stop. Please stop. She is right here. Please just stop. Please stop. Please stop there. Please just stop here. Please stop running. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please don't stop. I can't stay here anymore. I don't want to. I can't eat any more of that food. I don't want to. I, I, I, I, I want to be free.
Ahh. So bright. Tha….that must be….It is….Yes….it is the sun. I can't see it but I know it is.
Hmm. It's stopping. The dog is stopping near long legs in black pants, human legs. And there is another dog like the one before. No, this is black in color. Wait, there is someone else. The white dog stops near a boy as he moves his hands through its fur. So nice. It rubs itself on the boy. So beautiful. The boy looks at me. So bright. He came for me. I know he did. So pretty. Like in the stories.
My prince.
My prince is talking to the man with long legs. He is annoyed. No, don't be. Even if it is still so good, don't be. Be happy. You should be happy; like you made me.
Wait, why are you turning? Where are you going? Are you leaving? Wait, take me with you. I reach my hand forward. Please stop.
"Ano" They stop and turn. My voice coarse but I know I can't stop. "Can I come with you?"
My prince looks up the long legs besides him. Please say yes. Please say yes. He then looks at me and nods. Breathes out. I smile. That's what I am doing, right? Yeah, I remember. People smile when they are happy. And for the first time since so long; I am happy.
Tsumiki POV:
"So, are you ready now?"
"No." Megumi said grumpily and since he is buried in my stomach, the voice became even more grumpy. Hehehe, how cute.
"Oh, come on. Tell me now. I'm dying to know. I need some new topics to gossip with my friends."
He looks up from the hug with an amused smile. Good. Atleast he isn't sad anymore. I don't what happened at the 'sightseeing' that Satoru-ni took him to. But he is definitely brooding since then. Well, more than usual. Hence, the hug. Now, aren't you happy Shoko-nee left? Just thinking about the embarrassed face Gumi would have made makes me already regret not doing that before, when she was here. But now isn't the time for that. Something happened and I need to know what.
"Nothing. It's just Satoru." Now normally this would have been enough of a explanation.
"Hmm" I make a mock thinking pose. "Maybe he's getting out of hand now. He needs to be punished."
"Oh really. How so?" Gumi's amusement increasing.
"Hmph! I won't talk to him for three weeks straight." Snapping my head to the side, like a spoiled brat.
"No, no. That would be too much. You will kill him." Gumi says between his laugh. Atleast he isn't grumpy anymore. "You do remember how much he sulked around when you didn't pick up his call only because you were in a class." Yeah, it was pretty funny looking at an adult crying and apologizing to a kid asking what he did wrong.
"Yeah, he also brought ridiculous amount of sweets the next day." It was just Satoru-ni being a busy body. He is pretty fun parent to have. And even while inexperienced, he did do enough of parenting for me to easily refer him as dad. Though Megumi might disagree considering how he demands we refer to him as an older brother instead. But yeah, he's much better of a parent to have than either of our originals.
After a long period of comfortable silence, my little brother finally speaks up.
"We didn't really go sightseeing." Yeah, I pretty much know about it considering Shoko-nee spilled the beans. "It was a curse viewing outing. Satoru-ni wanted me to experience a curse before I actually start gaining new shikigami. It wasn't anything new but…sigh."
"Well, what is it?"
This is one of the few times I lament the fact I'm not a sorcerer. I can't share his experience. Even if I can see curses and shikigami, being a sorcerer is simply impossible for me. Not that I envy that life but seeing my brother being upset about something I'm helpless to do anything about is pretty frustrating. Afterall, he is the only family I got. I mean, sure Satoru-ni might be like a distant parent or a cousin, and maybe even Shoko-nee but neither of them can come close to being what Megumi is for me. He is my most precious gem. I still remember the six year old kid trying to console a step-sister he suddenly got out of nowhere. I remember him patting my head and saying 'It will ok', even if we both we knew that was probably the last time we will see any of our parents. The warmth that was generated within me, knowing I was not alone. That I also had a family. The six-year old kid tried to be strong for a girl he barely knew. That's when I knew I need to protect him, my adorable little brother. Any way possible. Just like he did, when I needed it the most.
"It was a first grade curse." Hmm, yes I remember reading about them being the strongest of the ordinary curses. "Well, it was supposedly out of my league and Satoru-ni only wanted me to scout it out before he would kill it. But I did kill it using the new technique I have been thinking of trying. Actually, it was pretty shocking…"
"Megumi" I interrupt him seeing him trying to deflect the topic he should actually talking about.
Sigh "The compound used to be an orphanage. Last year, a gas explosion ruined the place but it somehow lead to a curse creation. It killed the rescue team and considering a few people from the surrounding areas were also disappearing, it is clear that the curse was responsible."
He pauses before looking at the ceiling for a sec. It is clear that whatever it is he wants to say, is eating him from inside. Looks like the experience was not as simple as that.
"And?" I ask him gently while stroking his hair, making him look at me.
"There used to be around 24 children in the orphanage. After I exorcised the curse, we were able to rescue only one of them. A little girl of my age."
Oh boy. Looks like it was quite the outing. But I understand. The death of children his age must have shocked him to his core. Damn it Satoru-ni, couldn't you have chosen a situation like a curse in a prison or something. Did you have to make him experience his first curse killing to be involving children? That idiot; looks like punishment is in order. Wait!
"Wait a second. You said the gas explosion took place more than a year back right." He nods and look like he understands where I am going with this. "Then how did the girl survive a year without food or water? Even the stock in a ruined orphanage shouldn't be enough."
"The curse that was created considered itself as a mother or matron. It took care of the children. It killed the head matron of the orphanage that had survived the explosion along with the 18 children, age ranging from 6 to 12. The curse then took the role of matron. Well as much as a cylindrical bipedal curse with eyes at the stomach and mouth at the top of the forehead could. It had four hands though.
"Anyway, according to the girl, it created a set of rules for the kids to follow. Any child that didn't obey the rules or complained, apparently disappeared. Sigh. When my dog arrived at the place they were staying, I found the curse cooking and trying to feed the girl." He paused.
I remained silent somewhat expecting and dreading for what is about to come next. He took a deep breath and continued in his neutral tone once again.
"It served the food in a bowl that contained the materials that were lying around from destroyed building…..And it contained meat. My shikigami's smell confirmed the meat to be of the corpse of the girl lying beside the curse."