Gone Ennotana

Lost, Forgotten and Alone

Ennoshita's POV

In the forest, Ennoshita groaned. It was night again now, and his head and foot hurt more than ever. His empty stomach rumbled. He didn't dare eat any of the plants around him, since he didn't know what they were. It had been a day and a half since he'd eaten. The second year had skipped lunch the day before. He had been angry at his lackluster performance during the practice games, so he had spent lunchtime practicing. Technically, everyone was supposed to eat the noon meal together, but no one ever noticed when Chikara slipped away. In a way, he wished they did. At least he wouldn't feel so forgotten then.

Ennoshita didn't starve himself; he knew that would cause more harm than good. However, he did skip eating irregularly, usually to practice. He figured it wouldn't hurt to miss a few meals, since he was average weight anyway.

His belly turned over. He leaned to the side and dry heaved. Nausea and vomiting. Check that off the list. Guess I don't have any food left to puke up, though. Yay?

His head swam and his vision faded to black. The wing spiker quickly laid down, knowing what was about to happen. It wasn't the first time this occurred. Next his ears would ring. Ah, there it is, he thought. Then, everything would fade and he would pass out...

When Ennoshita woke up, he looked around the empty woods and really thought about his situation.

"I have no food or water, no way to contact anyone, and I'm lost. My foot is sprained and I have a concussion. I doubt anyone has realized I'm missing yet, since... No one ever notices me anyway."

Even though he'd thought it in the back of his mind for a while now, hearing it laid bare out loud somehow drove the point home even harder. The second year sat up and pulled his knees up to his chin, mindful of his injured foot. He cried. He didn't bother to stifle his sobs. It wasn't like anyone could hear him, and he doubted they would care even if they could hear.

Lost, forgotten and alone.

Suddenly, his thoughts were filled with Tanaka Ryunosuke. Damn, Ennoshita loved him. Sometimes, in moments like these, when his insecurities got the best of him, Chikara pretended the bald spiker was talking to him.

I'm scared, Ryu, Ennoshita thought to the absent boy.

It's alright, Chikara. I'm here. I'll keep you safe, I promise. Ennoshita smiled bitterly through his tears. How he wished Tanaka would say that, that it wasn't just his imagination. The second year wasn't sure if his feelings were really love, but they didn't dwindle or change with time, like his other crushes did. So Ennoshita thought it might really be love.

"But it doesn't matter anyway," he sobbed. "He likes Kiyoko. Of course he does, she's beautiful and smart and witty. Everything I'm not. How ironic; she doesn't mind staying in the background as our manager, but Ryu and Noya always put her in the spotlight. And I just want to come out of the background so Ryu would notice I exist, but here I am, stuck in it."

Chikara let his head fall forward onto his knees. His tears stained his clothes, but he didn't care. "Could this get any worse?" He slowly stood up and walked to a tall tree. It didn't seem too hard to climb, so he put one foot up the tree trunk.

"Ah! Shit!" That was my bad foot! Now it's twisted again. Ennoshita swore viciously. Really shouldn't have asked that.

He sat down hard. He grabbed his foot and shoved it back into normal position.

Chikara screamed in agony.

The wing spiker yanked off his sock and shoe to reveal the makeshift cast. The second year felt the skin with his sensitive fingertips. The foot was swelling again. Uh oh, he thought.