Yume Akari's Arc

Chapter 1 of 1

Yume heard the thud before she saw the child. She set down her teacup and moved to the door, already knowing what she would find. The girl lay crumpled on the worn wooden steps, eyes rolled back, fingers clawing at nothing. Her lips moved without sound. A shadow rabbit flickered at the gate. Its form twisted and pulsed, yellow eyes too bright. Yume had seen this before. When visions came too fast, too strong, they spilled out into the world. The creature bled darkness into the air around it, leaving trails that didn't quite fade. Yume knelt beside the child and placed two fingers against her wrist. The pulse raced like a trapped bird. She lifted the girl carefully and carried her inside the stone shelter, moss-covered walls cool against her back as she shouldered the door closed. The rabbit's eyes blinked out. She laid the child on the low bed and went to make tea. The kettle was already warm. By the time the water boiled, the girl's breathing had steadied. Yume sat beside her and waited, cup in hand. The child would wake soon, confused and afraid. This was where the real work began.