114 Different but the same [4]

"H-help... me. I'm scared.." 

Within a dark cave, a boy cried. He looked no older than eight, and he held his legs with both hands. 

"Waa...!" 

"Uha!" 

In the distance, he could hear the cries of the other children. Hugging his legs tightly, he hugged his body tightly. 

'Where am I...?'

'What's going on?' 

'I'm scared.' 

Such was Leonard's first memory at the Inverted Sky. 

From then on he was subjected to endless torture.

"...I'm sorry..." 

He was beaten.

"It... h-urts... It's my fault... Don't hit me." 

He was forced to repeat the same words each day.

"For the inverted sky!" 

And he couldn't remember the number of times he had starved. 

"I'm hungry." 

Everyday. 

"....Sorry "

Life was hell. 

'Ah... I can't do this anymore... It hurts...' 

"Hic... Hic..." 

His cries echoed quietly as he wept to himself.