Chapter 9 [Dream sequence]

A familiar song played in the background, a song that I haven't heard in a long time. I can never forget this song because it is one of my uncle favorites. I can tell that the song currently playing is Don't let me be misunderstood by The Animals

I can still hear uncle humming the song back when we used to live in Vietnam, we would go fishing in the Vietnam river, on a run down boat. He would bring that old small stereo and he would play his mix on it. Even now I can feel it, the hot wind brushing against my face, the smell of the jungle, the swaying of the boat and the cold drinks in my hand.

"I'm just a soul whose intentions are good,

Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood" uncle hum.

A small smile form on my face then I begin to open my eyes. Everything went quiet, as I saw myself facing a mirror, I look at my reflection. It shows me I being strap onto a chair by a metal chain.

Where is uncle Touka?- I tried to move my body to get out of this chain but the more I move the tighter it becomes. I look at my reflection again and saw a small Scorpion climbing onto my leg and upward to my chest, I struggle to shake the scorpion off my chest, But it only makes the restraint tighter.

I look at the scorpion, it raises it to own stinger up in the air then it brings the stinger down toward my chest, stabbing me. Pain begins to spread to all part of my body, I open my mouth to scream but something else is stuck in my throat. It trying to wiggle out of my mouth.

As it climbs up into my mouth filling my entire mouth and spreading it wide open, I can taste a feathery sensation. My eyes wander back to the mirror want to see what is coming out of my mouth.

My eyes widen when I saw a black crow wiggle out, I scream but muffle by the Crow in my mouth.

SQUAWK, SQUAWK

Finally, the Black Crow manage to get out from my mouth, it flew away and landed on the top mirror but it doesn't stop there, as a huge amount of Butterflies pour out of my mouth and it begins to fly around me. Until one of the begins to land on me and others follow, they covered my entire body.

My eyes went to the mirror and I saw someone standing behind me, He has the same face as mine looking back at me through the mirror, His smile so sinister and evil, just looking at him make my entire body tremble in fear.

I close my eyes when I open it again.

A familiar ceiling greets me, as to a familiar scent that always reminds me of home. My hand feels heavy and numb as my sense begin to set in. I look to my right arm, saw Lina head resting on it while she holding my hand and I look closely and notice that she is sleeping.

I also notice her hair is dirty and her face, there is a black mark that usually comes from touching charcoal on her cloth and face. Then I quickly move my left hand to my neck, it covered by some type of cloth, presumably bandage.

Also, I realized not just my neck also my entire upper chest is covered bandage. That means what happened last night wasn't a nightmare, I just lost the only family I had. I clench my left hand in anger, I wanted to scream but...

I can't because when I look at Lina calm sleeping face, my anger just dissipates slightly. She must be the one who saves me last night, those black stain and where am I right now, is the evidence which points toward it.

KILL!!

A word appears suddenly in my mind, followed by a loud ringing in my ears, massive headache follow afterward. I recoil my upper body forward and pressing both my hand on each side of my forehead, I grunt loudly trying to ease the pain by letting out a sound.

Lina wakes up shocked at my sudden burst of noise "Haru?! Are you okay?" she said while looking at my body trying to search for the source of the pain. The pain suddenly went away just like it suddenly appear before. I look at Lina worried face, her eyes lid are swollen from what I can tell is she been crying all night. Then, She about to cry again as her eyes begin to become teary.

"I'm fine, it just a slight headache" I reassure her, I force a smile on my face.

Her face still worried but I can see a sign of relieved, she wipes her eyes for a few seconds.

"Is my uncle...gone?" I said, my eyes stare deeply into Lina's eyes.

"I'm sorry Haru," Lina said, her eyes lowered and clenching her fist. "It's all my fault, I try to find him after I bring you to safety but the housing collapse before I could go in and save Uncle Touka," Lina said, she covered her mouth and begin to cry.

"Please don't hate me," she said while crying.

"It not your fault Lina," I said, moving my leg out of the bed.

"Where are you going Haru?" She said, surprised.

"I'm going to find the people who did this and kill them all," I said.

"NOOOoo!!!!" Lina scream, she tackles me to the baed with her body. She hugs my body while we both on the bed.

It painful when she tackled me, but how I could move her away, she is crying uncontrollably and I almost forgot that she is stronger than me.

"Please Haru, don't leave me, I don't want to lose another one that I love, Haru... I love you," Lina said.

"I have been in love with you since the day you found out about my power, you always treat me like a normal girl when everyone either scared of me or put me on pedestal, even though I only know you for three year, I have always thought you have been with me since the beginning" Lina said, she lowered her head, hiding her face from me so I can't see her blushing cheek.

"Please stay, I know you in pain, angry and want to punish the people who did this but I can't let you go knowing that you will get hurt in the process," Lina said.

"Lina, I feel the same way, I have always loved you but I need.." I said.

"Please, please... At least do it for me" Lina said, there ache in my heart like a getting stun by a bee as I hear her crying. Maybe just for her, I could.. forget about the pain and anger, if I forgot will uncle be glad for me or shame of me. I look again at the top of Lina's head, she knows to ask me to forgot is causing so much pain for me.

"It not fair", I said, letting out a laugh and my eyes begin to tear up.

Lina looks at me again, her eyes lid becoming more swollen from all the crying but a hopeful smile forming on her mouth.

"Just for you, I will try," I said, smiling.

I wiggle my arm out from Lina hug and hugging her back, I can feel Lina warmth body against mine, she was blushing at first but continue hugging me, on that moment, all my worries, pain and anger was gone., It like they disappear into thin air.

But I can feel something in the back of my head, watching me, despise me, angry at me and it wants blood. I want to tell Lina that I'm scared, scared of becoming something else but how I could burden with this, she will only worried, I can only pray to god that It doesn't consume me.

We stay like that for a while, Lina on top of me, closing her eyes it like she is asleep, but she soon has to wake up because as Lina Mom opens the door and surprised to see her on top of me.

Lina Mom eyes widen and a huge grin on her face.

"Humm, sorry to bother you guys, can you walk Haru?" Lina mom said I nod "Good then food will be ready downstairs." She said and slowly closing the door but before she could fully close it she whispers "remember to use protection".

Lina face quickly change from pinkish to bright red like a tomato as the last word her mother said can be heard by both of us. I smile and laugh at Lina mom word, Lina apologizes for her mom behavior. I always wonder what my mom would be like, I never get to know her since she has been gone for my entire life but if I can a mother I would pick Lina mom, just because Lina mom is the best, she always makes me laugh and her cooking is amazing.

"Are you hungry Haru?" Lina asks then she brush her misplaced streak of hair away.

"I'm a little peckish," I said, suddenly a loud growl can be heard coming from my stomach. I scratch my cheek embarrassed by my sudden burst.

"I'm starving actually," I said.

Lina giggle, as she looks at my embarrassed expression. "Hmm, do you want to move? So I can get up" I said.

Lina looks at me, there a disappointed expression on her face, probably she wanted to stay like this for a while. So I did what any man would do.

I position my hand so I have a proper grip on Lina body, then I stand up with Lina on both of my hands, carrying her like a princess.

"Haru?!! Haru, Haru!!" she exclaims.

"Do you want me to put you down?" I ask. I can see Lina contemplating whether she wants to get down or stay like this.

Lina decided to stay like this by hiding her face in my chest and holding tightly around my body. I let out a laugh that causes her to hit me on the arm, I wince a little from the pain.

"I'm sorry, did it hurt?" Lina says worriedly.

"It okay," I said, letting out a small smile.

Then I start walking heading in the direction of the kitchen with Lina on my arm.