Sin ran without looking back. Her bare feet tore against the earth, stones cutting into her skin, branches whipping her arms, but she didn't care. The pain outside her body was nothing compared to the storm raging inside.
Maybe if she ran far enough, she thought, she could escape it all—the villagers, their torches, their hate. Maybe she could even outrun the hollow ache tearing through her chest. But no matter how far she went, the weight clung to her.
Her breaths came ragged, her vision blurred with tears. She stumbled through the dark woods, every step heavier than the last. Her body moved, but her soul… her soul was still back there, lying beside Reina, holding her hand.
She pressed her palm against her chest, gasping as if trying to feel a heartbeat that wasn't hers. "Reina…" The name slipped from her lips like a prayer, or a curse.
For the first time, she felt truly empty.... like a body without a soul, a vessel carved hollow by grief. The night around her whispered with echoes of the villagers' chant, monster, monster, but the voice that cut deepest was her own, whispering back:
Maybe they're right.
Sin stumbled deeper into the night, her legs heavy, her breaths shallow. The cold bit into her skin like knives, her body shaking uncontrollably. Hunger gnawed at her stomach, but she barely noticed—her heart already felt hollow, as if nothing could fill it again.
Her pace slowed, her feet dragging against the dirt. The trees blurred together, the shadows closing in. Finally, her knees buckled, and she fell hard against the ground. The world spun as she lay there, trembling, the earth cold beneath her cheek.
Her eyelids fluttered, heavy with exhaustion. The mob's shouts had faded far behind her, swallowed by the forest. All that remained was silence—until a voice rose from deep within her memory.
"… go to Hiroshi. He's in the next village, running a restaurant…."
Reina's words. Her voice, faint but clear, like a candle flickering in the darkness. Sin's chest tightened as tears welled again, spilling hot against the frozen ground.
"Reina…" she whispered, clutching the dirt in her fists.
The memory gave her a fragile thread of strength. She forced her aching body to roll onto her back, staring up at the endless black sky. For the first time since she fled, she let herself breathe.
Maybe she couldn't bring Reina back. Maybe, But she could keep her promise.
Hiroshi..... The next village.. The restaurant.
With the last of her strength, Sin clung to that thought. And as sleep finally dragged her under, it was Reina's voice she carried with her.... guiding her, even from beyond.
The pale morning light crept through the trees when Sin opened her eyes again. Her body felt like stone, too heavy to move, her lips cracked from thirst. Every muscle ached, yet her stomach was the loudest... it burned with emptiness, twisting painfully with each breath.
She tried to walk, but her legs barely held her. Stumbling through the forest, she searched desperately for anything, until her eyes caught movement under a rotting log. Worms—small, pale, writhing in the dirt.
Her chest tightened in disgust, but hunger clawed stronger. Shaking hands reached down, scooping one into her palm. She stared at it, tears burning her eyes. "I have to… if I want to live…"
Closing her eyes, she forced herself to swallow, gagging at the taste. One, then another, until the fire in her stomach dulled just enough for her to stand again. Survival had stripped her of pride... but it also gave her a fragile determination.
"Hiroshi… I have to find him," she whispered, Reina's voice echoing in her mind.
Hours passed, each step dragging heavier than the last. Just as the horizon broke open, she spotted a dirt road. Her breath caught when she saw it.... a carriage creaking slowly along, piled high with crates and baskets of goods, heading straight for the village ahead.
Sin's eyes widened. This was her chance. Gathering what little strength she had left, she crept toward it, waiting for the driver's attention to drift. With a weak but desperate leap, she pulled herself onto the back. Her arms trembled, nearly giving way, but sheer will kept her clinging until she rolled between the crates, curling up small.
She buried herself beneath sacks of grain, heart pounding in her ears, holding her breath as the carriage wheels rattled on. The village gates loomed closer, guarded by men with spears.
Sin pressed her body deeper into the shadows of the goods, praying no one would notice. She wasn't ready to face another crowd, another pair of accusing eyes.
All she had was Reina's last words, guiding her like a fragile flame: Find Hiroshi.