Chapter Nine: Innocence Crushed:

-Inside Phil’s Mind-

I sat in a brightly lit living room. It looked like someone threw up yellow everywhere. The open blinds let the light spill into the room. My eyes shifted around for a better look. A dusty rocking horse sat next to a small TV. Dried irises sat in a glass vase on a wooden coffee table in front of a stuffy brown couch. Aside from what I saw, there didn’t seem to be much else in the room aside from kids’ drawings and crayon drawings on the walls. Children’s laughter filled my ears. I turned and saw a little girl playing with a little boy on the living room floor. They sat on a big green rug, drawing pictures. The little boy wore a striped t-shirt and brown shorts while girl had long black ponytails to her waist. Little red ribbons held them in place. Her little fluffy dress matched her ribbons. The smiling face almost threw me for a loop. I tilted my head.

Is this you?

Yes. Please keep watching.

Alright. Little Sayuri stood up.

I’ve got a present for you. The little boy looked up from the drawing he was making.

“What is it?” he asked.

Wait right there. Little Sayuri raced down the hall. When she returned, she held a stuffed bear with a gold ribbon wrapped around its neck. Her little brother stood up wide-eyed.

“Is that for me?” he asked. Little Sayuri smiled as she held the bear out to him. The little boy took the bear into his arms.

“Thank you so much, nee-san!” he said. Little Sayuri patted him on the head.

So you were born mute?

That is correct.

Why wasn’t your brother mute too? Does he have the same powers as you?

He was born normal and yes he does have the same powers as I do. His powers hadn’t developed at the time.

I see. I turned back to the happy scene unfolding in front of me.

“Children!” a woman shouted. “Breakfast is ready!” The children raced towards what I believed to be the kitchen. As if under a spell, I followed Little Sayuri and her brother. Their mom held a tray of fresh pancakes. She broke into a huge smile.

“I made your favorite,” their mother said.

“Yay!” the kids cheered. In that moment, I felt envious of Sayu and her little family. They looked so happy and normal. Her mother took time to make her children breakfast. Yet, I noticed something else.

Where’s your father?

We don’t have one.

Why not?

We just didn’t. I was about to ask another question when there was a loud burst through the door.  A squad of men dressed in black rushed into the kitchen with guns.

“Hands up!” their leader yelled. “Get your hands up now!” The kids put their heads on the table, crying. Their mother put up her hands, screaming.

“Who are you?!” she shouted. “What do you want from us?”

“Shut up!” the leader shouted. He turned his head to his men. “Grab the children!” The men ran over to Little Sayu and her brother at the table.

“My babies!” their mother screamed. She tried to run over to her children, but one of the swat guys elbowed her to the kitchen floor.

“Mommy!” the little boy cried. One another swat guy injected something into his neck, causing him to pass out. Sayu reached for her brother before she got a to the neck as well. The last thing she saw before blacking out was her mother being gunned down by the swat leader.

That’s horrible. The next thing I knew I was being yanked up into another memory. This one was as clear as the happy family one. The edges looked so blurry in my vision. I blinked in an attempt to get a better view. The room I ended up in was void of color in comparison to Sayu’s childhood home. I could see test tubes, water, and lab tools. Sayu was strapped down to an operation table. Judging by the empty expression on her face, she looked drugged out of her. One of the doctor held a scalpel in his hand. Their ghoulish eyes sent chills down my spine.

What’s happening to you?

They are about to experiment on me! I could barely hear her voice. Static and buzzing filled my head. I could barely hear myself screaming.

Sayu! Sayu! I couldn’t hear her anymore. In fact, the images began blur and skip around. The blending colors began hurting my eyes.

What is this? Sayu! Where did you go? I pressed my hand to my forehead. The swirling and sounds blended together in a painful combination. It all went silent as I sank back into a sea of empty black.