Another

Chapter Ten: Knock Knock

??? POV

I can't breathe!

What's happening to me?

Everything is dark. It's so dark! Where am I? What's going on?

Who am I?

I can't remember who I am!

I can't remember anything!

No, that's not right. I do. I do remember something. A boy? He was wearing a muffler and a green-and-black checkered haori. He had reddish-brown hair, and brilliant matching eyes. He has earrings of the rising sun dangling from his ears. His face...

It makes me wanna cry, how kind it is.

"Nezuko?"

I jolted. Who is that? Please help me! I don't know what's going on.

"Nezuko."

"Onee-chan!" I stiffened. It was cold. I felt as if I were encased in ice.

"Please come back to us!"

I felt my teeth grind. "I don't know who you are! Don't call me that!"

I felt something slide down my cheeks. I peeked my tongue out. It was salty.

"Nezuko, honey, please open your eyes."

This voice sounded warm. Like the sun.

My chest panged.

"But, I'm so tired." Everything felt heavy, as if it were lead. "I...don't want to." Maybe being here isn't so bad.

"I know." Something sifted through my hair. A hand? It felt nice. Warm.

"But Tanjiro is waiting for you on the other side, and we need to talk to you first."

"Tanjiro?"

"Yes, Tanjiro, your older brother. He's been worried about you. All of us are."

"All..of you?"

"Yes, honey. So please, open your eyes." The hand pressed against my cheek, wiping away the salty tears.

"We've missed you."

Another memory. My...mom?

I opened my eyes. She was looking down at me, my head in her lap. Her hand was pressed against my cheek. "Okaa-san?"

She smiled at me. I felt my breath catch.

"Is it really you?"

She nodded, a small smile on her face. Her hands pressed against my back, sitting me up.

In front of me, there were four other kids, three boys and one girl, and a tall man. The man looked at me sadly. He looked a lot like that boy.

"Nezuko, do you know who they are?"

I looked back at okaa-san, and shook my head. She pursed her lips.

"Onee-chan! How could you forget us?" The girl had thrown her arms around my shoulders. I resisted the urge to throw her off me. Her tears were wetting my clothes. "How could you forget us?"

"I'm sorry." I gently pushed her away, something foreign gripping my heart. "I really..." The girl had straight black bangs, and eyes like that boy. She looked like a doll..