It... gave me a tiny bit of comfort. My injured fingers still hurt, but my hands, which had been trembling nonstop, finally began to calm down.
Chapter 52: The Cold Wind
But... the itch on my face grew even worse... and my vision grew blurry... Was I crying?
Why... was I suddenly missing the past? Why did it feel like I could see my mother nagging and my father laughing cheerfully before my eyes, just like ten years ago?
So cold...
A gust of wind blew over. The lighter's flame, already so small, was snuffed out at once. The chill didn't just take away that little bit of light—it took away the warmth and memories within me, too...
"Dad... Mom... where are you...?"
So cold...
It hurts so much...
Why... why did so much have to happen to me?
Why, why was I the only one...
I curled up, and the rainwater slowly spread around me. The "whooshing" rain drowned out all the 'lively' roars. I pulled the plastic sheet covering me tighter and tighter, but it still couldn't keep out the cold wind...
Before I knew it... they seemed to appear before my eyes again.
Dad... Mom... they're all there... along with that jerk who was always showing off everything to me...
But... why... why couldn't I reach them?
Wait!! Don't go... don't go!
"Don't go!!"
I cried out and suddenly opened my eyes. Beneath me was a pool of cold water... Ahead, everything was still pitch-black. The rain outside hadn't let up at all. Maybe it was because I'd just woken up... but it felt like the rain had gotten heavier. A small pool had gathered where I was sitting, and my hair had gotten soaked at some point.
I huddled deeper under the plastic sheet and reached