𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐘

CHAPTER 22

Kai

Why was I back here? On the field?

It was much darker than before, like we had been standing in our ready positions for hours. I had my hands guarding my face, Kirishima mirroring my stance. His eyes gleamed with excitement, ready to take me on.

But when I looked at myself, my body trembled and dripped with sweat. I opened my mouth only to let out gasps of air as if I had been holding my breath all those hours.

Kirishima opened his mouth to speak, his lips forming the words that made my mind go blank. But only this time, I couldn't hear anything. Only high-pitched sounds, like the ones from a shrieking microphone, filled my eardrums. But even still, my body shot forward.

I tried to pull myself back. Dug my toes into the ground so I'd fall forward and it'd all be over.

But I was paralyzed. Except, I wasn't.

Not that I could remember, but everything happened the exact same as it had earlier. Though this time, I was watching myself from outside of my body. Watching myself slice Kirishima's achilles, his knee, and side. Watching his blood spill from the gashes with no means of stopping.

Why couldn't I move then? Why couldn't I remember back then? Before drowning in a void, I remember Kirishima teasing me, to amp me up so I would take it seriously. Was killing him serious enough?

Taking things seriously was all I had ever known. So I guess to me... it was.

Not deep enough. 20%. Heart. Heart.

Whose voice was that? What do they mean by...

Shit shit shit!

Who's doing this?!

I shoved my heels into the ground, twisted my body in the other direction. But it was no use.

In slow motion, I watched my blade drive through Kirishima's chest, blood splattering my face as I pressed deeper into his flesh. I watched his mouth slowly fly open, an expression that could only be described by the absence of his scream. His eyes rolled back, only the white of his eyes present.

I wanted to cry, wanted to scream. Wanted to scream and cry and curl up into a ball and wish that it was all over and wish I had never gone to U.A. and wish I had been born Quirkless.

What was I even doing this for? Every day, it seemed my purpose was fading.

But suddenly, everything stopped. I looked down, my fist and blade plunged through Kirishima's heart. He lay limp and pale, his body soon disappearing under the depths of his own blood as it pooled around our bodies. My breath quickened, my heart pounding so hard that I thought it'd fly out of my chest.

I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out.

I looked behind me, instinctively needing to call for help. But no one was there. The trees had cleared and the grass was gone. Now the two of us lay still in an empty, black room.

Tears filled my eyes and my chest began to heave with weeps. The back of my throat then began to burn as the smell of hot, sticky blood filled my nose. That's when I noticed the room quickly filled with crimson blood, not stopping until it reached my knees.

My hand that once clung to Kirishima's heart was freed. I slowly lifted it, my entire forearm covered in blood that wasn't my own. I gagged, vomit rising from the back of my throat. I raised my other hand, slapping it over my mouth so it wouldn't spew from my lips.