Prisoners of Sin: A Dreamer's Lie

Flowers of blue

The ticking of the train's clock made me close my eyes for only a second. It was relentless, hounding me even as I fought it off. That overwhelming sense of dread made me feel ill.

What was making me feel this way? Well, I was going to see a long-time friend, Mikuna Hatune. Why was I going to see her? It was for a book I was working on. And possibly because I missed her.

My brother sat next to be, messing with his sleeves. "Are we sure this is the place?" he asked in a low voice. I nodded. "Are you sure, Ria?"

"Of course! I haven't been friends with her all these years to forget where she moved to!"

Leo winced at my tone. "Jeez, you can just say yes, ya know." I rolled my eyes and went back to reading.

The book was about a city that had mysteriously died over the course of a month. No one knew why that had happened, and it had happened over one-hundred years ago. An entire city of people, dead. And now, Toxica was in the midst of something similar and just as sinister. People were dying in their sleep left and right, and so while it wasn't really up to me and Leo, we were going to figure it out.

My brother was attempting to read his book in peace, but his attention span didn't allow it. "Hey, tell me again what happened?" he said to me. I rolled my eyes.

"So, some months ago, people began dying. They were dying in their sleep. Of course, some of these people were old, or sick, so that kinda made sense. But when more and more people died, rumors began of a 'Sleep Goddess'." Leo looked repulsed by my words. I giggled, covering my mouth with my hand.

"Of course, there is no goddess. It's all a rumor. But, you do have it written down, no? So, why asked me?" He looked guilty.

"I like to hear you talk," Leo admitted to me. I smiled softly.

Then, I faced the window. "Thanks, but we need to focus. Mikuna said that this was urgent in her letter." Trees, grass, blue flowers, all of them whipped by as I stared out the window. The train shot forward at seemingly impossible speeds, yet it all was possible.

What had Mikuna said in that letter?

"Still no dreams. I'm tired of the darkness when I sleep. I want to dream."

I knew that she couldn't dream, but I didn't know why. No one knew why. Mikuna refused to see any sort of psychiatrist or psychologist about this. Any doctor or whomever was shot down when I asked. Luckily for both of us, the train made it to Belphe in just a few hours. Thank the Gods above.

  We made our way to her house, a large, white manor. Raising my hand, I took ahold of the door-knocker, and pounded it against the tall door. Footsteps scurried to the door, and it opened inwards. Leo and I shared a look with each other and entered.

Inside the house stood a maid with long pink hair and blue eyes. She smiled at us, and without a word, took us to Mikuna's room. Once there, she left us outside the door. Once more, I raised my hand to knock. And again, the door swung inward, and I saw my best friend.

  Mikuna was sitting on her bed, her body turned away from us, brushing her hair. Her eyes caught mine in the reflection of her mirror, and I saw her smile. "Hello, Ria, it's good to see you. How are you?" Her voice is just barely above a tired whisper.

  Leo stepped inside, and I followed. "I'm good, and so is Leo. What about you?"

  My friend turned to us, to me, and smiled once more, but it's wary. "I've been better. Despite all the sleep I get, I haven't dreamt once!" That tone became frenzied and feverish. Her eyes seemed to flash yellow. My brother looked at me.