The Gaze of Fear

Chapter 11: A Cold Embrace

     Crunching snow beneath their feet fill the soft air of light snow and easy breezes. Though it feels empty and chilling, it comforts Leider in a way he can't recognize, Ayana leading the way just in front of him. I want to ask so many things, but I don't want to hear my own voice. Maybe she-

     "You know, even though we look like humans, we're still Osores." A turn of her head shows a smirk that makes Leider chuckle, guess he still isn't alone even in his head.

     So if you can still hear me in a different, uh, dimension?

     "Realm but continue."

     Right, realm. If you can still hear me here, then when, or I guess if, I return to Caroline and them will you still hear me?

     As she laughs, she stops walking and turns. "Yes I will, and have been even. You're quite the character Leider." A look of surprise across his face, she offers a soft smile. "Don't worry, no judgment here. I'll talk to you every now and again, when you need me. Like I said, I'll always be with you." She nods and turns back around, continuing her walk. "What I don't understand though is why you refuse to talk. Its not bad, I just don't get it."

     It was true, he simply felt no need to hear his own voice, to feel that deep beating in his head as an annoying sound emitted from someone as inefficient as him. He didn't get it himself. "Unless... you like being quiet, don't you? I mean you're not the most confident person I've ever met but, I think I'm stating to piece you together all by myself. Let me guess, you don't like talking even though you force yourself to when you're with the others, right?"

     I really don't. I've always been this way, I never liked being the one to raise my hand and answer. I hate it. I like being quiet, it's easier.

     "Do you realize what you just said by the way?" Ayana asks aloud, turning her head behind her as they continue on.

     What? That I was a quiet kid?

     "Yeah, you remembered." It took a brief moment to realize her meaning, he had a memory. A memory from his childhood nonetheless! "Haha, look at you. Happy as a cat high on catnip. Memories are usually wiped for those who are... well, let's say that memories aren't exactly clear for yourself and the others."

     The others? But they seem to have their memories intact.

     "Leider, if you want someone to act a certain way based on memories, what would you want? For them to work with what they already know and have it preplanted in their head, or for you to put fake memories in there for them?"

     Fake memories? This isn't making sense, how would that be possible? And why? First you say that what they're on isn't Earth, then you say there is some man in control of what we know earlier, and now they don't have real memories? Ayana, I want to trust you but you can't be this shady.

     "I know. And I don't want to be, trust me. But for now, I have to be. You'll more than trust me eventually, I promise. Like I said, I want you to be safe, I'll always be there for you." Didn't really say much, but fair enough. For now.

     Well anyway, I'm not complaining but where are we going exactly? This isn't the warmest of walks and I'd like to know we at least have a destination in mind.

     "We're going to The Guider. Issue is that his home is different for everyone, so since this is your mind it may be separate from the castle I saw, or the cottage some others have seen."

     Everyone? Hold on, Osores aren't a one or two creature species?

     "Wow. The more I hear you, the more I feel bad for you. This is beyond basic knowledge, even for Caroline and the others. No sweetie, Osores are far more than one or two. We're plentiful. Many. And now you're half of one of us! Oh, and uh, in case you're wondering, you're fully human because again, this is in your mind. Your body on the couch in the house is still half Osore and half human. This realm is merely the opposite of what we were in earlier, when everything was abyssed. Look at it as this is the light, that was the dark, and the realm with Caroline and them is the middle. The grey area." It made sense. Mostly.