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DAY 13
-Suzume-
-ˋˏ ೱ ˎˊ-
Suzume stirred in the dim light of early dawn, her body heavy and unwilling. She was half-asleep when she felt Satoru shifting beside her, his usual lack of grace all too familiar by now. He muttered something under his breath, probably complaining, and she heard the soft swish of the blackout curtains being pulled open. Or at least... she assumed that's what it was.
She didn't move right away, letting her body rest a little longer. She felt so heavy. Her body ached, weighed down by an exhaustion that had grown too familiar over the past few weeks. But it was almost over, right? There wasn't much left to do-just one last thing. She would dissolve the technique, say their goodbyes, and that would be that. She could handle that much. Her body would just have to hold on a little longer. Afterward... well, she'd have plenty of time to rest.
With a deep breath, she forced herself to sit up, bracing her hands against the mattress. Slowly, she opened her eyes, the world around her still quiet in the early hours of the day.
Something wasn't right.
The world around her... it was dark. Too dark.
«Satoru?» her voice came out softer than she intended. «Can you... can you open the curtains?»
There was a pause, followed by a dry, sarcastic response from across the room. «I already did, genius.»
She blinked again. Already did? Then why...
«What do you mean...?» she trailed off, her voice barely a whisper as the realization slowly sunk in. She pressed her palms against her face, her hands trembling. Her eyes were open, she was sure of it. But the darkness remained, a void that swallowed everything.
Oh.
Oh no.
She couldn't see.
The heaviness in her chest deepened, spreading through her limbs. Suzume sat there, her hands frozen against her face. She could feel Satoru's presence beside her, could practically hear the gears turning in his head as he pieced together the same realization she had just come to. Her sight was gone. Just like that.
«Oh.» Suzume whispered, her voice barely audible.
Now what?
Suzume swallowed hard, trying to push down the sudden wave of panic threatening to rise. No, no, she couldn't let this get to her-not now, not when they were so close to the end. She forced a smile, or at least tried to, because someone had to break the tension, right? «Guess... I'm not seeing the sunrise today, huh?» she quipped, her voice strained but light.
