Hitomi

I open my heavy eyelids. I'm lying on my belly in the soft grass again. On my right I can see the wooden sign. "Barrier" doesn't pique my curiosity anymore. At this point I don't want to do anything at all with it. Just looking in that direction makes me want to throw up. As I manage to stand up, I notice that my rags are dripping. I already threw up. I groan as I get annoyed. My only piece of clothing is now wet, cold and reeks. Come to think of it, I've never taken a notice of my clothing before. I'm wearing a short sleeved piece of clothing made out of rags. It almost completely covers my body as it goes down to my dirty leather shoes.

It also has a hoodie..!

I smile as I found the first thing to appreciate in this unforgiving place. Although my smile quickly fades out as I remember it's all wet and dirty now. I start looking around my soaking clothing as the engraving "Astaria" catches my glimpse.

"It sounds like a name of a town."

I say my thoughts aloud. Suddenly it strikes my mind. Maybe I could get it cleaned there?! "Astaria it is then" I decide. Although it's not like I had many options, I think as I look into the barrier arrow's direction.

"What barrier?"

I murmur, as I stare into the seemingly normal forest, without noticing anything that could symboloze a barrier. After all it wasn't like some object or anything physical stopped me.

It was fear.

I hope this is the last time I see this place as I start running towards Astaria, excited about getting my clothing cleaned.

As I run in a straight line I seem to notice that the further I run, the more the forest seems to turn into a field with mainly tree stumps around it. It's sad seeing nature destroyed like this. But on the good side at least it means that I'm getting closer to this so called place Astaria.

I stop. A two way path is now ahead of me. One heading downhill and the other continuing in a straight line. Both have a stepped path. As I start examining them I hear loud voices coming from the downhill path's direction. I don't think much of it and start running towards the voices, following a path heading downhill.

"IS THAT REALLY EVERYTHING YOU GOT TODAY?"

The voices keep getting closer.

"PFFFFFFFFFT! DID YOU BITE OFF YOUR TONGUE WITH THOSE CROOKED TEETH, YOU OLD HAG?!"

I start to see the silhouttes of three people. Two of them seem to surround the one kneeling on the ground.

"YO KAO! MAYBE WE SHOULD TAKE THEM OUT, SINCE ALL THEY DO IS CAUSE PAIN TO MISS HITOMI?!"

Yells the silhouette on the left.

"HIKA HAVE YOUR BRAINCELLS CAME BACK FROM A DAY OFF? SINCE WHEN ARE YOU SO FULL OF SUCH BRILLIANT IDE- HUH?!"

Only a little distance is separating me from the three individuals now. All three of them seem to be looking at this new outsider. At my eye level I can see two young men with no differences between their faces. The only significant difference between them is their hair color. The right one has light, hay-like hair while the one on the left has hair as dark as a charcoal. They both are wearing some kind of violet uniform with long capes around them. It almost looks as if they are from a cult.

Looking down I notice a kneeling old lady with her helpless grey eyes staring into mine, as if I were her last hope. Her grey eyes beautifully blend with her silver-colored hair. She seems to be in a casual clothes.

"Hello"

As absurd as it might sound, that's all I push out of my mouth in this awkward encounter.

"Kao, how the fuck is someone in this forest? I thought they didn't allow anyone in here."

The black haired guy says with a serious look in his face, while staring at the yellow haired guy, named Kao.

"How the fuck would I know, Hika?! Ask this shithead!"

Kao stares at me with a mocking smirk, as if this all a big joke to him.

I try to think of an answer as fast as possible, sensing danger from those two seemingly impatient individuals.

"FUCK! THIS DOG SMELLS LIKE SHIT!"

Hika suddenly yells, interrupting your thought process.

"PFFFFT! PERHAPS HE DIDN'T GET INTO THE FOREST, BUT GREW UP THERE! THAT'D PRETTY UNDERSTANDABLE REGARDING THE SMELL..!"

Kao adds up to Hika's yelling.

"Actually, Kao, I can barely breathe anymore… Let's leave!"

Hika seems to exaggerate having a hard time breathing. Although the smell even to myself isn't too pleasant.

"Let's leave this little animal to Hitomi then! It will be a great punishment for today!"

Kao starts looking back and forth at you and Hitomi with an even bigger smirk on his face.

"Let's get the fuck out of here then."

As Hika says these words, he kicks the old lady in her stomach and she falls on her back, from the kneeling position. Kao adds in by kicking some dirt into her face. Then they start heading my direction, since this is the only path, as the river and the mountains surround the place. While walking past me they both hit their shoulders onto mine and I hit the ground really hard with my butt.

I'm now in the same height level as the old lady, named Hitomi. Our eyes meet.

Hitomi's mouth softly opens.

"Who are you kid?"

I would like to know as well.