"You're the child of one of our town people and had been secretly kept at the wooden house in the mountains?"
"Yes," I sniffed. "F-father had always kept me locked up and whenever someone from the outside came, he hid me inside the cellar."
Everyone spoke the same language as me. That was a nice surprise.
They whispered among themselves talking about what I'd just said. I didn't understand why but I felt nervous and almost anxious seeing everyone.
"But that house belongs to the town chief and plenty amount of tourists had been living there."
"This girl, what if she's related to the demon?" Said the same person I'd locked eyes with at the woods.
At that moment I locked eyes with them and they jolted away. I looked down at my feet like I'd done something wrong.
Just then the surrounding towns people stirred and moved away to make space for an old man. His shoes stopped in front of me causing a ringing feeling inside my guts, "What's your father's name, kiddo?"
"I...I don't remember."
The chief became quiet. There was no need to look up to tell what he was thinking. The hushed whispers of the villagers rose in volume and I could only watch his shoes.
A soft sigh came from him.
"Okay, I'll have you stay in my house for the time being. You'll be safe for the time being from your father and we'll figure out what to do." The chief spoke kindly.
I looked at him in surprise, a little old man with a soft expression stood before me, smiling. Wasn't it a bit stupid to let in a girl that doesn't even know her dad's name?
But then again it was the truth.
There were many reason he could've let me in and a sense that his smile didn't quite appear sincere let doubt to many a reason. Maybe he's letting me in because I'm all alone by myself despite being suspicious. Or maybe, there's something going on here.
I glanced at the towns people behind him. They looked at the old man with hesitant expressions but didn't argue with him and quickly left the area.
We walked along the main road to the old man's home. The dusk painted the town red and orange, but where the light didn't reach it was grey and blue. Passing by the only cement road in the town and other small dirt pathways branching from it. Somehow a modern town like this felt more novel than the fantasy ones I'd dreamt about visiting while sick.
It felt nostalgic. Somewhere from a memory both only recent but far away.
The tallest building was two stories. The town was so small, probably everyone here knew each other and was like a one big family. Aren't small secluded places like these wary against outsiders? There were only several car dirt paths leading to the town and I don't think many people come here, the car paths were covered in weeds and shrubs, barely recognisable.
But what I was curious about was almost all answered, you can't have cars without large civilization and civilization requires authorities to keep order. They should've called for the authorities when someone comes up stating to be kept isolated by her father, but they didn't. Plus the car path being barely recognizable. I still don't know the rules of the floors and how they function, so I can't be sure if this place functions like a real society. But...
I stared at the old man's back. My leg went weak and I almost slipped.
The old man looked back at me worriedly. After making sure I was okay, we went forward and arrived in front of a small two story building.
I shouldn't open this door, I shouldn't open this door, I shouldn't open this door...
But despite the sudden reluctance flowing from insight, the feeling of coming nearer and nearer was exhilarating. Almost like every inch toward that house was taking me back to being human.
The chief opened the door and I went over the threshold first. Inside in the kitchen, visible from the door sat a young girl with pink hair.
"Floor 40, boss room Nostalgic Remembrance."
The girl was looking down at the black thing in her lap and stroking it. Something about that pink hair was indeed familiar but…
A face drawn in the style of 2000's anime turned to me and the old man at the door. Beaming she said "Yun and chief!"
She had blue and purple eyes with white irises and held a baby dragon in her lap. She wasn't a game or an anime character. Just a cring-
A horrible crying sound from somewhere escaped. A nostalgia and a horrible sense of loss came crashing down on me.
When I came back to it I looked down at my feet and didn't dare look up. If I did, if I took one more look at her, I think I'd be damned.
But then I realised someone was already holding my hand and calling out to me.
"Yun, Yun?"
I pushed her away.
"Let's get you upstairs."
Grandpa took me upstairs to rest.
I sat in a small room the chief gave me and held my head to soothe my insides. The walls were brown while the bedding and the curtains were pure white. The soft after glow of reflecting dusk light cast the room in a depressing grey and blue. It felt like being inside a mental hospital.
I sat in silence.
Everything was fine, so what was going on?
I stood up and my hand trembled. Trudging around in the small space spared a bit of comfort.
I looked down at my dress. Then back to the door.
But I had to know.
And I couldn't lose her. Whatever nostalgia was making me feel this way.
Now I was sure the apocalypse did happen and I must've met her then.
Touching the door knob my hand trembled.
I walked down the stairs with my insides almost making me fly with every step.
The girl was still sitting in her chair with her back to the stairs. The stairs creaked. I brushed past her and sat opposite on the kitchen table. She looked at me worried, "Are you okay?"
I tried to open my mouth but nothing came out.
Eventually, I just let myself lean on the table to look away from her. A short sigh, but also a sense of loss felt inside me.
"Yun?"
A worried voice.
I clenched my mouth and forced myself to speak, "I'm okay."
"You don't look okay."
"I have a headache, that's all."
"Oh."
The feelings inside began to subside.
I looked up at her and then suddenly laughed. It felt funny seeing an anime character pop up out of nowhere.
She furrowed her brows.
How old was she? How does she know me?
Looking at her was painful and uncomfortable, but I couldn't stop myself from staring into her white irises.
"Can you tell me about a story?"