「SO OUTSIDE OF MY MISERY, I THINK I'LL FIND」
「A WAY OF ENVISIONING A BETTER LIFE」
「FOR THE REST OF US, THE REST OF US」
「THERE'S HOPE FOR THE REST OF US, THE REST OF US」
•THIS IS BOOK II
• THE FIRST BOOK IS CALLED "Revenge"
•ART CREDITS ARE UNKNOWN:...
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Chapter Thirty-Six: From Ashes
Warning: Slight blood/ gore
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THE sun was shining brightly, warming everything to the touch. Flowers turned their petals upward, soaking in the sunlight to help them prosper in the coldness of the coming winter. The fountain in the garden ran steadily, ripples appearing across the water as various bugs landed on the surface.
A soft humming sounded from the expanse of vegetation, filling the space with a soft melody. Hope knelt on the stone path, her fingers brushing along the petals of a white rose. She swayed as she hummed, bright blue eyes filled with wonder as she gazed upon the many different kinds of flowers that surrounded her. She shuffled to the side, the ends of her dress speckled with dirt when she rubbed her hands there so as to not dirty the petals of the beautiful flowers.
She could hear the birds chirping around her, and she lifted her head, watching a flock of doves fly above her. Her lips pulled into a smile as she rose onto her feet, brushing her hands on her dress. She sauntered down the stone path, her arms swinging beside her as she continued to hum the songs her mother sang to her.
Her steps slowly came to a stop when she noticed that there was a patch of dead flowers to her left. She curiously stepped towards them, gasping as they crumbled under her light touch. She drew her hand back to her chest, her eyes widening as they began to fall nothing to ashes. She watched as it continued all around her, spreading like a disease that began to cause each and every flower in the garden to die.
She noticed that the fountain was slowly coming to a stop, sputtering and struggling until it came to a standstill. She lifted her head to the sky, loud cawing making her hunker down, watching as a murder of crows flew above her. The perfect blue skies began to darken until it was almost pitch black, making goosebumps arise across her skin.
Immediately, she turned and bolted toward the glass doors, calling out for her father in fear. He was there in an instant, sweeping her into his arms as she tightly grasped his jacket in her hands. She hid her face in the crook of his neck, making him place a hand on the back of her head.
"Hope?" Satoru asked worriedly. "What happened?"
"What's going on?" Simon asked, a frown on his lips as he approached.
Hope turned her head, and pointed her finger toward the doors. Simon stepped forward, his lips parting as his eyebrows laced together. What was once a vibrant and beautiful garden full of life, was now a mass of ash and darkness. Satoru slowly stepped forward, his eyes widening by a fraction.
"Simon?" He asked, turning his head to the blond man. "What the fuck is going on?"
"I don't feel any demons in the area," Simon shook his head. "I don't understand."
