My heart started hammering in my chest, and my breathing quickened. “This… this can’t be happening,” I whispered to myself, my voice trembling. My hands clutched the edge of the sink so tightly that my knuckles turned white. Tears blurred my vision, and my throat tightened with a pain that felt unbearable.
I had been free—free from the weight of expectations, free from the suffocating responsibilities of this world. And now, it was gone. Torn away like a cruel joke.
“Rei, are you done yet? Breakfast’s ready!” my mother called from the kitchen.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to breathe. I wiped my face with a towel, trying to compose myself. “Coming,” I called back, though my voice cracked.
Dragging myself to the dining table, I saw my mom setting down a plate of scrambled eggs and toast. The scent of butter and pepper wafted up, but I felt numb. I picked at the food, eating in silence while she hummed a tune.
“Thanks for breakfast,” I mumbled after finishing.
She smiled at me warmly, her face glowing with the kind of kindness that made me feel like I was being stabbed in the chest. “You’re welcome, sweetheart. Have a good day at college.”
I nodded, forcing a weak smile.
I dressed quickly, slinging my bag over my shoulder as I headed for the door. “Bye, Mom,” I muttered, stepping out into the world that felt more like a prison than ever before.
The bus terminal was only a short walk away, but every step felt heavy. My thoughts spiraled, looping the same hopeless refrain. I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to stay here. I want to go back. I need to go back to that world.
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At the platform, I swiped my card and stood waiting, the usual crowd of commuters around me. They all seemed oblivious, caught up in their mundane routines. How could they seem so… normal? Didn’t they feel the crushing weight of this world too?
The thoughts clawed at my mind, louder and louder until—
A deafening screech ripped through my ears, a sound so piercing it made me clutch my head in agony. My knees buckled slightly, and I staggered.
I looked around, trying to find the source of the sound, but no one else seemed to notice. Their blank stares and confused glances were more unsettling than the noise itself.
Then it came.
A voice. The same voice I’d heard that day. It was no less terrifying now. The sound was like shards of glass, sharp and unrelenting, piercing through every thought. But this time around, I understood it.
“Why do you want to go to that world?”
I froze. My throat felt dry, but I forced myself to speak, my voice shaking. “Because… I want to be free.”
The voice boomed again, each word reverberating through my skull.
“Do you really wish for that? Do you truly want to leave this world and everyone behind? Are you prepared for that?”
My chest tightened, and I felt a lump in my throat. The questions stung, but I steadied myself. “Yes,” I said, my voice firmer this time. “I’m certain.”
The voice grew colder, more commanding.
“Then prove it to me! Prove it to me that you’re ready to leave this all behind. Jump off this platform to show your resolve.”
My stomach churned. The platform? I stared down at the tracks, the faint hum of an approaching train growing louder.
Was I really ready?
My legs felt like lead, and for a moment, I couldn’t move. But then I thought of that world—its freedom, its lightness, its beauty. I thought of the crushing weight I carried here.
“I’m ready,” I whispered, more to myself than to the voice.
With trembling hands, I took a step forward. Then another. The murmurs of the people around me faded into the background as I reached the edge of the platform.
I took one last, deep breath. Then I jumped.
The train’s horn blared, and everything went black.
When I opened my eyes, the first thing I noticed was the sky—a brilliant expanse of endless blue. I sat up, my heart racing. I looked around and saw my camp, the man I had helped, and the city off into the distance.
I was back.
The air felt lighter, the colors brighter, and the ache that had haunted me was gone. I laughed, a sound that bubbled up uncontrollably, tears streaming down my face. “I’m back,” I whispered, my voice full of relief. “I’m finally free.”
If only, on that day, I hadn’t accepted its offer. If only I’d known what freedom truly meant. If only I’d realized, that the cost of escaping one prison was to step into another, far worse...
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