Nostalgia | Dazai Osamu

25 | Await

Muffled. Warm. Drained.

"Hey, can you hear me?"

My body felt like it had become a part of this soft mattress I was on, for I had became so tired and melted I wasn't sure if I even existed...

Exsisted.

The fire of Francis gun echoed inside my head.

I peeled my eyes opened by force, blinking at the dim light. It took a second to adjust my eye sight to my foreign surrounding. Was this a hospital? No. Gifted people don't go to hospitals anymore.

So... where was I?

"Em, Miss (L/n)?"

My head turned, slowly, like a rusted machine. My head was heavy like a bowling ball, but my eyes landed on a woman I didn't recognise who was slim and pretty. Her hair was a short deep amethyst colour with eyes to match, a standard work uniform and protective gloves over her fingers.

I breathed in gently,"What is this place?" I was much quieter than I imagined I would be, and I was surprised at how drained I sounded. She looked hesitant to reply, and indirectly answered me.

"You're safe and I've healed your wounds... perhaps I should bring in a familiar face to explain to you what's happened?"

So kind...

"Y-Yeah... Thanks." I stuttered out.

She whisked away behind the curtains I was closed in, the click of her heels fading away. Who was she? I think I've seen her, but the feeling was only from a far, the corner of my eye or a distant memory. And who was she bringing? What had happened?

I lifted my head, then gradually my torso and my arms to support me. I felt my bones click as I changed from my fixed position, my weakened muscles trying to push me up. I rubbed my tired eyes and slowly felt some energy flow through my body again. I inhale deeply, and see if I could find anything as I took a while trying to adjust to being awake.
But nothing. Only grey curtains surrounding me, sunlight from behind.

This felt like a hospital, it looked like a hospital and smelt like a hospital...but why would I be in one?

Then, I remembered- I had been shot.

I pulled the duvet cover away from me quickly, scanning my leg, preparing to see a hole pieced through me...

But nothing. Not a scratch, not a scab, not a scar... nothing. I frowned immediately- I had definitely been shot. I remember the agony, even if it was for a split second before I fainted. It felt my leg burn as if it had been the source of a roaring flame, the air from my lung snatched, a physical part of me being ripped and torn like paper.
That feeling was like nothing I had experience. It was the one thing I wished to not feel again.

I felt my leg with my hand, and my other leg too, trying to feel an indent or a painful area... but no. Nothing but my normal legs, smooth and somewhat cold.

What happened then?

Chuuya must have caught me, since I had survived the fall. But...

I heard footsteps, but they were not the ladies high heels. The curtains were flung open.

"(Y/n)?"

My tired eyes grew bigger," Dazai?"

He sighed in relief quickly, and stepped in.
"Are you alright? How do you feel?" He asked, coming beside me. The first thing I noticed was that his signature jacket had gone, which told me a lot already.