Sometimes Yashiro Nene found herself wondering where she would be in a year.
It was the 10th of April and the hour was evidently far too late to be awake; perfect time to be pondering on such things. At night, Nene was left with only her own mind as company. It was never a place to wander without a guide, one's own head; sadly the only person who knew this place best was Nene herself.
So on the early dark hours of April 10th, Yashiro Nene woke up and she wasn't on her bed anymore. She wasn't anywhere, really. There was no ground she was standing on, nor a drop of water as she saw herself drown in many of her nightmares. Only eternal abyss, no end to the tunnel. Not a single noise, it was as if this side of the universe was covered with a thick wool blanket; blocking all sound, sight and feeling.
She looked down on herself. She was fully disrobed, but not lost. At least she had herself, at least she was still present. Yet, a newfound and uncertain discomfort crawled up her chest, urging her to stare above rather than at her modesty. She squinted her eyes, awaiting for something, anything.
The void didn't react at all to her suspicions squinting gaze. Until out of nowhere, her thumbs prickled and she could tell something evil was on its way. Frantic, she looked around to find and catch the thing with her eyes, as caging it in a rose red stare would be the only restriction she could put in this state. But there was no running away from it.
Hot air hit the back of her neck in a quick sigh. Her back arched in a way most painful, intensely discomforted and afraid. She covered her nape with her hands, feeling the sticky cold sweat in her palms lick her servical vertebra, touching that little lump there. The next stimulation came in the form of a whisper, wet and right in her ear.
"Yashiro. Nene."
She screamed, turning to see that it had disappeared again. But she was sure, so sure she had seen something at the very edge of her vision. She could still feel it speaking in that jeering tone, saying her own name to her ear like it was something she didn't know. Yashiro Nene. Yashiro. Nene. Nene Yashiro. Three times, that's how many times you need to tell a baby its name so it can take the name as its own forever.
She felt it before she saw it. Two firm hands latched onto her shoulders like twin black widows. Cold, much too cold on her hot, sweaty skin. It beat with the adrenaline rushing in her veins under its long and chilling claws. What was in front of her was a boy with swirly gilt eyes. His pupils were dilated and to her horror, rolled back; as if they were trying to break free from their liquid gold prison. They were an incomprehensible sight she could drown in, a mind game she didn't even want to learn the rules of.
He lifted his chin, up and up; making her feel smaller and smaller. Strands of his choppy dark hair fell from his forehead to his temples, yet his eyes didn't leave hers. They stayed this way for what felt like minutes, hours and then it had been days. She could feel the worms under her skin fighting to break free before-
Finally he smiled, and this he said:
"Yashiro Nene. You have very little time left to spare."
He let her go with a shove, and Nene fell back like he was the only thing keeping her standing. Her back hit the soft cushions and she shot up immediately after.
She was back on her bed.
And she was alone.
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both the fic and the art belongs to me. my instagram is kyorattie, come scream at me there. wanna be my beta reader? hmu wherever.
