Heartless

Prologue: Rei

I thought the day my world would end would be the day I died but I was wrong. That was only the beginning. Instead, the day my world ended was when I discovered that the reality I knew was a lie. My world was shattered and so was my heart because it wasn't my death that my world revolved around but hers. The day she died, I knew that I could never forgive who killed her. I wanted to hate them but that was hard to do after I realized who they were.

It haunts me, trailing me like a shadow. It won't leave me alone. I can feel its presence in the darkness, beside me all the time. I can feel it drawing my energy and sapping my strength all the time. It overshadows everything I do.

I think I knew nothing was truly real. As convincing as it was, I believe that deep down I knew I was being deceived but I was okay with that. I was willingly being deceived and when my reality was threatened, I became defensive and I ignored anything that pointed to the truth that I craved so deeply to ignore.

"Will I see you again?" I asked.

"I don't know..." Her figure was blurred. I could only make out her silhouette and the defined long brown hair.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why don't you know?"

"All I know is that I can't stay here now. Too much has been taken away from me. I have to try to at least get back what I can."

"And what about me? You're so willing to just leave me behind?"

"You did to me."

"That's not fair. I died! I didn't have a choice but you do so choose to stay. Stay and I swear we can work this out!"

"No, there was a time that I would do anything for you but you are not the same man you were."

"Death can do that to you."

"No, it's something more. When you come back to life it's like a part of you is now gone."

Gone... gone...

No, not gone, just lost. Locked up in a chest and forgotten. Memories buried with the past.

I felt disoriented. I couldn't tell you what day it was. Where I was or even my name.

R-

Wait...

-ei!

It's coming to me.

Rei!

But I can't recall it... No, but I think I can hear it.

"Rei!"

Yes! I can hear it! Somebody is calling my name.

"Rei!"

Something is coming into focus. It's like I'm watching a play. No, not a play. A memory, or is this a dream?

"Rei!" I can hear the voice clearer now.

And it's...

My wife.

"Rei!"

I feel my consciousness slipping, my thoughts become muddled and I lose sight of my senses. I slip into a dark place where there is no light. I appeared to be alone but I could feel a presence around me, like a cloud hovering in the shadows.