Forgotten, but not broken

Chapter 4

-The Next Day-

-2 hours before Remilia learned about the disappearance of 12-

-12's POV-

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„I... I trusted you!"

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I wake up. Another nightmare, I think... But I cannot recall what it was about... Agh! My head hurts and my vision is blurry, a painful noise ringing in my head... It's over. Damn. I think sleeping on the hard ground wasn't the brightest idea...

I fully awake and slowly make my way out of the hole I came in last night. The sun is already up quite high, I assume it's about lunch time. Lunch... Crap. I should find a way to secure some food for myself.

As I stretch my limbs out, after previously having them crammed in a small space, to make the stiffness fade. I quickly realize my situation I am in. How can I forget? I am in a forest possibly filled with these youkai beings which would love to take a bite out of me.

This hideout should remain a safe point in case I don't manage to find my way into the human village. Where should I even start? I think before I try looking for the human village I should make sure I'm fed for today and well hydrated. But how...

!!!

I know! If I recall correctly, there should be a lake nearby. This lake is close to the Mansion though... Ah, whatever! It's daytime! Remilia should be asleep so there is no way I get spotted until later, if even.

The lake should provide me with water and even fish, which should be enough to fill my stomach. The water might be dirty, but still drinkable. I might get a diarrhoea later, but hey, at least I don't die!

...But what about that Rumia girl, youkai, whatever...? What if she is still eagerly looking for me? What if she is waiting for the right moment to jump me and tear me to pieces and turn me into rinsed meat?

I have to figure out a way to either avoid her and other youkai in this forest for the time being... or somehow get them on my side so they don't kill me... I doubt that will work but I'll see what I can do and what options I will have. Might try to kill them... if that even is possible. Hell if I know.

Anyways, I should get going. So, I walk my way into the direction in which I assume is the lake, but not before marking the tree with a little effigy made out of sticks and stone lying around the area.

The trees provide a nice shade from the sun, only barely can you see the sun peek through gaps to shine its light onto the forest floor. Phew... However, when I do walk on the spots where the sun is sending its sunrays on... It's quite hot today, isn't it? My skin tingles from the suns heat, I guess the summer has arrived. Or has it? I can't quite tell which season we are currently having... except winter, it's obviously not winter. I'd say we are currently somewhere at the end of summer. In the shade it isn't that hot, though... eh, what do I know. I should focus more on the matters at hand.

As I walk in the lake direction, I hope, I catch a very disgusting smell... smells like something dea- !!?

...

...

...

A human corpse. It seems to have been a rather young woman, around the twenties I think. I should feel more disgusted and disturbed, really... But for some reason I don't feel disturbed at all. Maybe after all I witnessed I kinda assumed that's just common around here? No, that's not it... Maybe because I already killed someone, that being the prisoner which head I smashed in, that made me less sick of it? ... No clue...