***

“You…-“

Her eyes widen as the sharp pain ed through her body. Blood had already start gushing out from the stab, creating a waterfall of blood down her chest.

Her knees felt weak as she stumbles, grasping the hand that held the knife that stabbed into her body. Her body is caught as she knelt on the ground. The edges of the sword grazes against her skin as it mixed with the red blood flowing out of her body.

An arm holds her body, pulling her into a hug.

She open but no words came out. Only tears burn in her eyes as the knife twist in her chest, digging deeper.

A voice whispers in her ear, hot breath against her face.

“I’m sorry.”

Her eyes widen once more as the knife is pulled out of her body then plunge again, and again.

The immense pain was unbearable but she couldn’t scream, too weak.

She lie against the body that held her. Running out of her breath, her body heaves up and down, trying to draw in air. Her hand twitches on the ground and weakly held the hem of the clothes of the person in front of her.

Blood was the only warmest fluid in her hands. Her focus showed the great betrayal in her heart as she looks up at the dark ceiling, looking into the endless pit… her eyes slowly drift half close.

Her breathing stops and her eyes become lifeless.

 

***

 

She opens her eyes to a dark dimension. At the end of an endless path was a bright light, rays of white light pierces through the dark dimension.

A thin voice, singing a tune hurls from behind her. Turning around, she faces it.

Nothing.

“You there~” another voice spoke from behind her, making her spin around in circles, and then another, and one more.

Covering her ears anxiously, she closed her eyes. After a moment, she realizes there were no sounds. She stops in her tracks, noticing the white light had disappeared.

 

“When will the cherry blossoms bloom?

When will they bloom in the village in the mountain?

When will the cherry blossoms smell?

When the laughing child plays

When will the cherry blossoms dance?

When the singing child sleep

When will the cherry blossoms wile?

When the dead child rises…

 

A wilting yearning grew in her heart, such sorrow, she had yet to know. Slowly turning around, she sees the back of another girl behind her. By her feet were cherry blossom petals.

She felt sorrow for the person but as she was about to step forward-

 

“Find it.” The velvet voice spoke.

Find it? She was puzzle.

“Find it and you shall be free.” The girl turns around, half of her face glimpsing at her.

Her eyes widen. That girl…

Suddenly images flash through her head. Blurry faces but human actions.

There, the bright light glows behind her, turning back to the blinding light, she blocks it with her hand.

“Excuse me,” she glances back, “Find wha-“

The girl was gone. Only the remnants of petals remain, slowly blown away by unseen wind.

The voice then echoes from the light.

“Find it.” Then with disparity, “You have to.”

The light grew brighter, blinding her as she cover her eyes, her sight is swallow by darkness.

***

 

A light tune plays out and a flower petal slowly falls onto a body of water, causing a ripple in the seemingly calm water. Following it, a drip of water splashes down, then a drop of blood.

.

.

.

She slowly open her eyes, meeting the bright light that soon dims. A leaf falls on her face, itching her nose.

Where was she?

Sitting up, she observes the mysterious surrounding. Just as she stands up, the wind blew over her and specks fragrance cover her, using her hand she covers her face with the long sleeve.

 

“Find it. You must find it.”

Her eyes dart open.

Then a gasp came from afar. She looks up.

A mysterious girl runs to her.

“You’re not supposed to be here.”

She finally spoke to the girl. “Where am I? Where is this place?”

The girl’s eyes widen, “You-“ but stops as shuffling comes through. She grabs her and they hid behind the trees.

First to come into view was a man dressed in black. His face was unseen while behind him was a group of men in black robes. And behind them were groups of people. People in white robes, tied with red ropes by their hands.

After the group had passed, they stepped out from the trees.

“That was close,” the girl sigh in relief then looks at her. With a bitter look and smile, “You must be new here.”

“Little girl, where is this place?” she asked again.

“You really don’t know?” Her eyes widen in bewilderment. “This place is the entrance to the 18 levels of Hell.”

Hell…? Her eyes widen. 18 levels of Hell?!

“What nonsense are you spouting?” she becomes frantic as she grab the girl by her shoulders, “What 18 levels? What hell?”

The girl grew silent, emotionless, then with her lifeless yet pitiful eyes, she stares straight into her eyes.

“You are dead.”

***

 

“You.are. dead.”

The words echo in her head. Dead…? How can she-

“I-I can’t be dead.” Her voice quivers. “I,” she takes a deep breath, “I can’t be dead, you are mistaken!”

“Don’t you remember how you died?”

She stands, puzzle and confuse. Remember…

“How I died…?” she dig through the farthest of her brain but couldn’t find it. “How did I die?” Her hands move to touch her head. “How did I die? Why can’t I remember?!”

She steps back, bewilder at the surroundings once more. Where she woke up from was next to the tree. The tree.

She gets on her knees and start digging, dirt stuck under her nails.

Dead. I can’t be dead. There has to be a way out. I’m dreaming. I can’t be-

“What an unfortunate soul.” The girl whispers behind her.

She finally stops digging as it got her nowhere. Though her mind was full of shock, no tears shed, no weeping, just silence. Sitting on the dirt she had dig, she could only stare into the pit of light and darkness from the sky.

I woke up… to find out I died…

A poor, unfortunate soul…