The Disillusioned Land

Chapter 5 - Reminiscence of sin

I had been walking through this soulless landscape for gods know how long now, my body creeping closer on the verge of collapse with every step. Yet something deep within me compelled me to keep walking forward, my aimless wandering now felt like a journey to somewhere important. The picture-esque forest I had found myself in had morphed into something more sinister, the sky shifted color into a more reddish tint, and a strange miasma occupied the air, it smelled faintly familiar, yet also disgusted me to my very core. The lovely and pure moon I had dearly missed became a malicious looking black hole in the sky, as if to mock me for ever trying to find comfort in it; I nearly lost myself staring into the endless nothingness it held, and felt as though it was judging me. Any calming effect the environment gave me prior has now vanished completely.

What else was strange, was the random assortment of objects I witnessed while I trudged forward: a rusted chain, a broken crtv, an entire subway train, multiple household appliances accompanied by FishTec Fuel Cells, a doll of a girl with long blond hair wearing a blue dress, and a multitude of what appeared to be human remains. I had heard tales about a place with this similar phenomenon, but even if I knew if that place existed, something told me this was surely not it.

At last, something in the distance began to come into view and broke me out of my stupor, a large pristine white building. I was filled with relief that the tedium of trees and nothing else had finally ended, however as I dragged myself toward the pristine structure, I shot a glance at the large sign attached above its entrance.

'What...? No... no...no..nonono-it can't be....That's impossible-...That should not be here'

That should not exist anymore

That should be removed from my sight

That was supposed to have been destroyed during that one infernal night

A laugh tinted with madness began to emerge from my throat, my entire body shook in disbelief and abject terror as I fell to my knees. The sign causing my sudden bout of madness had read a name I never wanted to hear or speak of again: Yakumo Corporation.

I remember it now, the floodgates of my mind had opened and were assaulted by repressed memories I thought I had discarded. One moment I was kneeling and staring at this repulsive monolith, the next I was back in the past.

...

??/04/2021 - Somewhere in ?????

I bit my thumb in frustration, until its nail broke. This place and the monsters running it should all go to hell. Someone in white came around the corner and spoke to me.

"Are you out of your damned mind [̷̭͙̰̿̊̽͜]̶̲̓[̸͈̱̠͓̅́͘]̴̧͇̯̮̌̐[̷͈̄̃̆́ͅ]̸̩̉[̶͈͇̻̇͆͛̾͠]̷͍̯̳̇̄̽?! That was the CEO for god's sake! She could make you disappear without even raising a finger!"

"As if I care what she could do to me now, I didn't sign up for this, and she knows that if I die her sweet little dream dies along with me."

"You!- This research could save countless lives [̶̢͈̦͕͉̬̆͐̒͆͝]̶̢̣̱̟̜̄̂[̴̜͈̫̿̂̏͗͑͜]̴͖̀͐͋̇̇[̵̲̩̬̮̮̉͐̽̇̍]̵̯̪̝̜̺̲͙̈́[̵̡̤̗͙̙̩͚̅̅́̈͊]̴̤̭͊̅̌̈́͝ and you just want to throw it all away?!"

"And how many will be used in order to achieve that goal? Do you have any idea what kind of future she's working towards? Do you want those-, those things running amok? To live in constant fear for the rest of your life?"

"I-"

"Silence, I care not for the opinion of a mindless fool such as yourself." I cut them off as I stand up and march out of the room.

...

??/03/2021 - Somewhere in ?????

I watch through the glass as someone places a talisman on a young boy, the slip of paper begins to glow as the boy begins to convulse and point his arm at the opposite side of the room, a purple portal with eyes peering out of it begins to slowly open up in front of him. The process is brought to an abrupt end as his arm begins to become mangled beyond recognition, his cries fill my ears as I shut my eyes and turn away.

I hear a feminine voice speak up to my left "How disappointing. Bring in the next one." I hold back the urge to scream.

...

I am brought out of my sudden trance and find myself back in front of that dreadful facility. Against better judgment, I pull myself off the ground and shamble through the front doors, the main lobby is as alien and unnervingly clean as I remember it. A feeling of dread fills the pit of my stomach as I feel something behind me. I turn to look and see a woman with long blond hair in a purple dress covering her face with a fan.

She lets out a chuckle and says "My, it's about time we've finally reunited with each other hmmm?" She takes a step toward me and lowers the fan from her face, the smile she has forces me to take a step back.

"Isn't that right? My dearest Ryan?"