DYSCHRONOMETRIA

CHAPTER 12 - Silent Cries (part 1)

Collins and Lianna were in the middle of a sandstorm. They were struggling to move forward as they try to find shelter, but to no avail.

"Ughh..." Collins grunted at the specks of sand getting into his eyes.

He hissed sharply at the feeling.

Meanwhile Lianna looked out for anyone or anything on sight. She saw the group the watch kept showing them. A terrible scream made the pair cover their ears. As the cry was put to a stop, so is the sandstorm.

It was impossible. A sandstorm can't completely perish in a matter of 2 seconds. It was absurd, but what can she do? This world is tampered with magic anyway.

Collins rubbed his eyes and slowly opened it. He saw the group they previously interacted with. There was a monstrous sandworm beside them, seemingly dead. "Hey--!" Collins attempted to call them out but Lianna stopped him.

"Don't," she spoke. "It's too dangerous."

"How dangerous?"

"Just don't."

Collins was annoyed. He has been noticing that Lianna was jumpy towards them, he knows they're friendly, and Lianna is his friend-- but this is getting on his nerves.

"Fine then!" Collins decided to wall towards the group.

"Collins, wait!" she reached her arm towards him, but was faster. Lianna had a long face,

Suddenly, a portal opened behind. Lianna looked between it and Collins who was chatting with the group. Good thing she wasn't noticed by the members, though, the Witch had eyes on her. She was torn between going having to go on and Collins.

She simply cried it out. Quietly.

You aren't doing any progress.

He's holding you back, leave him.

Go to the portal, now.

You can't let him hinder your journey. There are still people problematic in the outside world.

There they are again. The voices in her head. Should she listen? Should she leave him?

"Do what you must." The Witch said, as if reading Lianna's thoughts. She kept her position, sat down with her knees up on her chest and her hands around it. She avoided eye contact with the Witch.

"How? I can't-- I can't leave him here... If he's happy with you already,"

"You can come back," the Witch replied. "You always have time."

Her last sentence made the young woman look onto the watch she's clutching tightly. Her fist were trembling, the portal still activated on her left, while the Witch remained on her right.

"Tell me, do you need someone to talk to?" the Witch offered.

"N-no... Y-yes? Maybe? I don't know. I'm broken..." she was confused, the Witch took a note on that.

She looked sympathetically at Lianna, "For an adult, you seem to have problems piercing your heart," despite her tall figure, Lianna felt something soft on her. As soft spot.

"Why, have you... had your own?"

The Witch sighed heavily, "Yes, but I'm not giving you the full story... It's too gruesome." Lianna remained silent. Gruesome?

"I was miserable as a child, I was in pain, everything of me was. And even until now I still am. I had no parents nor friends, I experienced bullying, torture, abuse..." she closed her eyes for a moment, Lianna looked at her and saw an expression from her -- the expression of pain, anger, sorrow.

"I was probably the typical lonely character in a story if I was," she chuckled. "But, even as I went through horrible events, I still persevered and got to this point in my life." she looked at her group, Lianna followed her sight. They were happy. They were smiling and laughing as the sun slowly set. It was something she can't do lately.

"I hate this..." she set her head down on her knees. "... I'm troubled."

The Witch simply looked at her.

Lianna cried one again. Unexpectedly, she felt a pat on her back,

"Be grateful someone is here to comfort you, I had no one." The Witch had tears welling up on her eyes.

Lianna was feeling heavy, but the Witch had something heavier in her heart.

Ever since she found the watch, events after events started crashing down on her. Pushing her on edge, stressing her everyday, forced to see horrible events. But she knows some people had it harder than her...

"Thank you... for the comfort..." she was grateful someone was there to listen to her.

"Your cry was loud enough for me to hear. Only Time can tell everything. So use it wisely." was all that she said before she left.

The Witch glanced back at her, and pointedly at the portal before continuing to walk to her group.

Lianna took it as a signal for her to continue.

"Do what you must." "You always have time."

The Witch's words echoed inher mind. She wiped her tears and entered the portal.

She wasn't ready for this, but this has to happen,

"Only Time can tell."