Agape

Chapter 5

Nightmares, the companions of the burdens in human minds. It was a reminder, a constant state of mind, reminding us of the horrors in life. The terrifying echo of the past, replaying. Shu had savoured those nights where he could sleep in peace without his brain playing tricks on him. It was a rare feeling. After the circumstances he had to face as a captive. At one point in his life, the albino was quite certain he had forgotten the days where he went to sleep with a light heart and sweet dreams whispering in his ear. What was left in that silent wonder of his childhood was just scattered fragments of memory. Not often recalled. A set of memories that seemed to be nothing but a pretty delusion. Shu felt himself falling, walking down paths coated with blood. He could see the hands, ready to grab a hold of him, cutting off the freedom he had required through long nights of torture. He tossed and turned and finally opened his eyes giving up on the rest he needed. He stared into the darkness of the room, listening to the quiet breathing of the rest of the squad inside. That's when the nausea came rushing back to him. He pressed down on the feeling, sitting up. He had to get out of here. The room was stuffy and the windows were firmly closed. An eerie lingering feeling of discomfort crept up his spine. Shu stood up and silently made his way towards the door, craving for a fresh burst of air to fill his lungs.

It was cold outside. Shu inhaled deeply, enjoying the crisp air. The outside was quiet. Not a single soul in sight. The albino walked down the street, looking around the empty shop fronts and the silent houses. There were no candlelights behind those closed windows. It's almost as if the whole place had been wiped clean of any living source. Shu frowned, looking up at the clear night sky, littered with stars. It should be the tenth hour in the night, he concluded reading the constellations. That was one of those rare recollections he remembered about his mother. She loved the night sky and all the wonder it carried. Shu lost himself in the varying memories back when everything was fine. Back when he was just a child looking forward to another adventure. Back when he was naive and innocent. Back when his smile hadn't been stolen from his lips or his innocence had been robbed off his heart.

"What are you doing outside?" Lui's familiar voice spoke, startling the male. Shu turned to see him standing behind him. After much reflection, he had walked to the clear patch of land behind the small town. The closely woven trees deepened the darkness of the forest in front of them. In a moment of bizarre feelings, Shu felt like crawling deep into the deep depths of those trees. Lui sighed, walking to him. Before he could repeat the question Shu talked.

"I came to get some fresh air"

Lui crossed his arms, tapping his finger restlessly against his bicep. "Didn't you hear the warnings?"

It was Shu's time to feel restless. "What warnings?"

"The warnings that clearly said not to go out at night?"

Shu frowned, racking his brain to find that piece of information. He was not quite sure when they issued that kind of a warning which he had no memory of. "Ah yes, you were probably resting" Lui tattled, looking around. When they noticed the mist surrounding them in a thick layer of white cotton, it was too late. A moment earlier, there was nothing except for the clear night sky and the darkness around them. But now, they were standing in the midst of a fog, tufts of smoky plumes covering them from the rest of the world.

"What's going on?" Shu asked, narrowing his eyes. He was trying to see through this sudden curtain of mist shielding them from the others.

"Beats me"

Shu drew closer to the White Tyrant who stood just a few feet away. The fog faded away as seconds passed. Shu marvelled at the scenery in front of him. The whole plain had disappeared from their sight only to be replaced with a stunning set of walls covered with fresh ivy. The smell of the fresh leaves scattered with drops of water glinted in the strange light which replaced the darkness of the night. They were standing on a narrow path which forked and split into different directions. "Bloody hell," Lui commented.