Shiori and the Novelite

Entry 25

You stand utterly astonished, your jaw hanging slack as your gaze locks onto your friend's new appearance. She vanished without a trace for the entire summer, leaving everyone bewildered. Some whispered she must've met an untimely end, but now she's right here before you. Her once raven-black hair has transformed into a striking blend of white and black, and her golden-hued eyes fixate on you with an intriguing glint. "I suppose it's hard to recognize me like this, huh?" Her voice carries a tinge of melancholy as she poses this question. You have a myriad questions for her - what happened, where did you disappear to, are you safe? Sensing your curiosity, she offers a gentle smile. "Just visiting to say goodbye," she softly murmurs.

~~~~~

"Wait... What do you mean 'goodbye'? Where have you been?" you ask, panicking. You feel your pulse quicken, and your palms become sweaty.

"Simple, really. I'm an Archiver now... And... Your story is over," she responds, as a single tear slips down her cheek.

She steps forward, her hand coming out from behind her back, holding something black and wavering, but you can't look at it. You can't tear your eyes away from hers, which are now shining golden.

You can only mumble a dumbfounded, "Huh?" before you feel a sharp, momentary pain in your chest and back, right where your heart is.

"I'll make it painless for you, and... I'm sorry," she says, the tears flowing more. "I have to do this, if you live... More people will be hurt, through no fault of your own... The few must suffer for the needs of the many," she continues, her voice trembling. "You know, I wish... We.. No, it'd be cruel to say that now, to both of us" she shakes her head.

You just stand there, feeling weak as your vision darkens and you fall forward into her waiting arms. She won't let you fall, even now. As your vision disappears, and you get colder, and your hearing starts to fade, you can hear her sobs. She tried to stay strong for you, but couldn't in the end...

"I'm so sorry, -----," you can't even hear your own name anymore. Everything is gone.

----------

You wake up in a cold sweat in the mansion's guest suite's central room on the couch.

"W-What... Was that?" you mutter to yourself. "It was... So real..."

You get up and start moving toward the door, when you hear a knocking. Looking outside, it's still dark out...

"Dear guests, is everything to your satisfaction?" you hear through the door. It's Rose again... Did she know you woke up?

"U-uh... Yes... Everything is great, thank you," you reply, opening the door to see the same maid that greeted you before. "Can I... Help you with something? It's still dark outside."

"Oh, I happened to be passing by and heard some rustling and creaking and thought to check, is all," she smiles slightly, before bowing. "If there is nothing, I'll be on my way," she says, leaving toward the dark end of the hall, disappearing from sight.

"Thanks..." you say, a bit freaked out by the "coincidence".

You go back to the central room, and lay down on the couch, unable to fall asleep as you wonder what is going on in this mansion...